Rookie question, what would be the best way to choose a blank

BEst way would be to have every blank from all manufacturers at your fingertips, you build them all and go out and fish them and see which on eyou like best. Other than that, post what you're looking to do, see what people say they like for the type of fishing you are doing, and let that be your starting point for research

Sorry fingers move slower than mind does, I was looking at how to choose maker of blank?
thanks

The same maker may well not have the best choice of blank for all kinds of fishing of requirements. For an extreme example, if you are looking for a bass casting rod, Winston isn't a good choice--since they don't make such a blank, but they do arguably make the very best smooth action fly rods and rod blanks. So you still need to specifiy the specific requirements for the blank or blanks you are seeking. By the way, in a broad range, in a given price category all makers have access to the same technology. It is the marketing departments (the rod designers) that decide on the actions and line up. Manufacturing can generally meet the designer's goals, given a price point. So you first have to decide about the kind of design you want, not just pick a maker, and automatically go along with their design (marketing) choices.

All the major manufacturers make fine blanks, otherwise they wouldn't stay in business. However they do not all make the same broad lines for various applications (types of fishing), and most have at least a few price points and even things like colors.

Thus the type of fishing the blank is to be used for, can narrow the list of suppliers, beyond this it becomes a matter of choice based upon the parameters you determine.

Doug, in case it isn't clear folks are saying it would be a mistake to limit your choices by first picking a given brand.

Really it goes farther. Who says a redfish rod can't be the best bass rod for your particular needs? Maybe a salmon rod would make the best dolphin rod for the way you want to fish. In short ,don't limit yourself. Using non-standard solutions and names you never heard of is what makes this hobby special. Fly rods can be good spinning rods and the reverse could be true. Now if you have a certain reason, such as a wish to buy 100% American made, then that might be a valid reason to restrict your choices upfront.

All that said there are certain brands that personal experience will suggest are "tops on the list" to consider for paticular applications.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

It is unlikely you will be buying from the factory.
Establish a relationship with a retailer who can guide you on blank suggestion.
Its in their interest to make sure you get the best you can as that means repeat business.
If you fly fish do not pick a supplier of primarily bass equipment for example.
Distance and shipping/handling costs can get to be an issue too.
There are also decisions to be made with warranty and service from the blank manufacturer:
It may be nice to have a no questions asked insurance policy but at what cost? Do you want to pay for insured return insured postage to get a broken blank back to them? That can run to up to $80.
My personal favorite: do the blanks get properly tested at any point in the process or is it just a visual inspection for very obvious blemishes?In other words do they expect YOU to test it before building, even if they replace the blank for free on your say so its a large loss of effort if it breaks first trip out due to defects.

Your favorite is subject to how much product is moved through the factory. If it's a good quanity then maybe they will pull a blank from a run and test it. That said most blanks are checked and bent after the cello is stripped and the blank is sanded but before it;'s coated. Smaller shops have the ability to check each and every blank for defect which is visual and bending the blank as well as how straight the blank is. Larger shops will have a set limit on how much curve a blank has others will reject a curve. Just make note that no blank is perfectly straight!! That said you should bend every blank before you build. If that blank travels from say Woodland Wash. to NYC to a shop where you pick it up how many hands did it touch? was it ever banged or hit??

Picking a company to buy from isn't easy and the only way to do it is to pull on as many as you can lay your hands on. What you will find is some manufactuers make a good This but not a so good That. There are a few companys that have had such great designers make their mandrals and patterns, that now many are copies on top of copies and some designers went from company to company so you will find similiar actions from one to another in certain series.

Thanks for the insite, I just did not want to get lost in the hype of ad sales. Like tackle makers build more for people than fish.