Lately I've been buying blanks in bulk at a bargain price from a well known supplier. These blanks dont contain any manufacturer info. They are nice blanks and I build them up into beautful rods for resale. The first question I get is "What kind of blank is it" I need a little advice from the group on how best to answer this question. Thank you in advance.

Answer it honestly, if you know the mfg, tell them, if not use the supplier name. This is a delicate area, as some buyers want a "Brand", you will need to do your best marketing!

Barry,
Use the CCC method to measure and the power and action on the blank.

Then, just label it - "mystery rod".

If any one asks you simply tell them that you have no knowledge of the manufacturer.

Or - put nothing at all on the blank with respect to labeling. If any one asks, just say - "I don't know".

roger wilson Wrote:
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> Or - put nothing at all on the blank with respect
> to labeling. If any one asks, just say - "I don't
> know".


I cannot see how telling someone this will build confidence in your ability and product. Or labeling it mystery rod. That would be very unprofessional.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

This is a tough question because every so often, a potential customer may be trying to find out what blank you're using, so he can go to another builder, tell him what blank to buy, and have the rod built for less money. A lot of these guys do shop based on priced.

You could always do what some of the suppliers do when they run across a good deal on blanks. Say that you're not able to disclose the maker but you have spent considerable time sourcing a product that meets your criteria for quality, performance to cost ratio, etc., etc.

Again, this is a tough question with no easy one-size-fits-all answer.

..............

In the past I too have used unlabeled blanks. but I got burned by a customer once. I told him it was a XXXXX made blank but came with no warranty. sure enough he broke the rod. then he called the maker direct and wanted the blank replaced. the maker was nice enough to replace it but I did get a phone call from them asking "what's up".

I'm a full disclosure guy. If I build a rod for sale on a bargain bin blank, it's usually one a customer brings me. I always tell them upfront that there can't be a warranty on the blank. Since I sell a number of rods, one of the first questions I get is about the warranty. I can't warrant something that has no trail back to the manufacturer, unless I just want to eat it, which I don't.

The price point can be very attractive with bargain blanks as this is always the largest portion of the material cost. If you are in business for the long haul, it doesn't pay to use them unless a customer specifically requests it or you are pushing some sort of an introductory sale or promotion.

Terry

Fred,
The only point that I was trying to make is that if you either don't know the maker or unwilling to reveal the manufacturer - then don't put anything on the rod that might not be 100% true.

So, if you don't want to share the information, or are unwilling to share the information for legal or other reasons, then just leave the name off the rod.

Thanks for the input guys. I think Tom hit it on the head. Many times we see offers from supplies that state. "We are unable to name a supplier source". For me this is a perfectly legitamite response. Of course I will have to sell the rods "As is". With no implied warranty. Let me ask this, say Joe blow goes to Wal Mart and buys a rod off the rack. Do not many of these cheaper rods carry no warranty?

I'd bet most of those Wal Mart rods do have a warranty. Everything sold by a merchant is warrantied unless the warranty is disclaimed explicitly and distinctively. That's also true of rods you sell made with unbranded, unknown blanks, unless you make it explicit and clear that you are offering no warranty.

personally I would ask the supplier where the blanks were made and who made them. If he doesn't want to supply that information, I would be leery of the blanks being "back doored" from some manufacturer, and that might be why they are at such good prices. At the same time, J Kennedy Fisher only used a piece of masking tape on the butt section of their rods with the number of the blank and you had to know what the numbers meant to know which blank you had.

Then again you can ask the supplier if the blank breaks - will he back it up ??
If they are that cheap and do break and no one backs it up ???
Maybe they are not worth it

Bill - willierods.com

Barry,

Build yourself some nice rods, take plenty of pictures and use for marketing your work. After a season or two, sell them as used rods on the @#$%& site or CG. Worst case scenario, you had fun building them, fishing them and you might get your money back.

AP