Hi fellas. Quick question- which commercial rod is the scv blank from st croix most close to? I am having a hard time choosing between st croix and nfc x ray for a walleye build I want to have done for me. I want to have 2 rods made for me. One “medium light” for 1/8 to 1/4 stuff and one “medium” (or medium light depending on whether I go nfc or st croix) to do 1/2 and possibly 5/8.

Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2022 06:05PM by David Riesenbeck.

The St. Croix Legend Elite and Extreme rods are built on SCV blanks.

Not that you asked, but I would go with St Croix over NFC every time for a walleye blank like you are seeking. St. Croix is such a well known quantity in the walleye community, and if SCV is less sensitive than xray it isn't by any significant amount. As you stated, get a medium light and a medium, length of your choice The Legend Elite and Legend X are built on the SCV blank that you can buy. I have heard, but don't know for sure, that there is a difference with the newer Legend Extreme blanks. I have built on SCV and xray blanks, and while they are both great blanks I feel that with Sr. Croix I know exactly what I am getting and with NFC sometimes I build a rod and it doesn't quite do what I wanted it to do.

agree with Peter- With St Croix SCV I know what I'm getting , more reliable on power and action descriptions.

I got to agree, St. Croix is in walleye country, I doubt anyone knows it better. We have walleye is the Columbia River drainage also, but the techniques are all much heavier duty due to the western currents, structure and depths.

Thank you guys. I was expecting a “Ford vs Chevy” comparison and am surprised actually.

I'm a NFC fan personally and have built a bunch of them, but I do think SCV vs X-Ray is a bit Ford vs. Chevy (I own both). The descriptions of the blanks on NFC's website are very difficult to interpret, at least for me, but you can usually figured what you need via this website and others if you search. I would only offer that if you're going to build on a scv blank, why wouldn't you just buy the completed rod from the factory and get their incredible warranty?

Maybe this helps......from Mudhole Website cross reference guide

SCI Series..... MHX S-Glass
SCII Series..... CRB Color Series
SCIII Series..... MHX Standard Series
SCIV Series..... MHX Elite Pro Series
SCV Series..... MHX Elite-X Series

John Nesse Wrote:
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> I'm a NFC fan personally and have built a bunch of
> them, but I do think SCV vs X-Ray is a bit Ford
> vs. Chevy (I own both). The descriptions of the
> blanks on NFC's website are very difficult to
> interpret, at least for me, but you can usually
> figured what you need via this website and others
> if you search. I would only offer that if you're
> going to build on a scv blank, why wouldn't you
> just buy the completed rod from the factory and
> get their incredible warranty?


That’s what I’m doing right now. I’m seeing how much the build would be vs just buying the extreme

Just for the record I already have an NRX. I just want to see if I can have a better build made for me for cheaper. I do need another rod though and as I have no brand loyalty (I’ve put Daiwa reels on shimano rods lol).

John Nesse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I would only offer that if you're
> going to build on a scv blank, why wouldn't you
> just buy the completed rod from the factory and
> get their incredible warranty?


Cause I hate the reel seats they use? Cause I'd do the guides differently? You can buy completed rods with NFC, Point Blank, and Batson blanks too. What fun would that be? I cut the reel seat and grip off my Legend Elite and put on what I like. Also stripped the recoils off my NRX and put on titanium SICs. Very few factory rods that I wouldn't want to change something.

For me it’s like this…I got an NRX +. I spent $835 (Canadian) and I got cork and recoil guides, that I have no idea what they do other than recoil. And as for the handles it’s cork.

So $9 reel seat
I’m guessing $15-20 for the handles
Maybe $100 for guides (I genuinely have no idea)
Add in the cost of paying their employees
Add in the cost of advertising
Add in the cost of basically all logistics and whatever you are left with is the cost of the blank.

Same applies to every other rod manufacturer out there. Including St. Croix and Megabass…Atleast megabass pays attention when they build the rods

Last year I built a rod identical to the St. Croix Legend Elite ($470.00) except that I used Alconite guides instead of Torzite. Total cost for parts: $259.00. This sort of saving is why I build rods.

If there's a bona fide design change I want, or real savings to be had, I'm all for custom - don't get me wrong! Heck, I fish with a dozen or so customs that I've made. But it hurts when I break a custom rod. When I break a St. Croix, I'm just $20 away from a brand new one. For that reason, it wouldn't make sense to me to build one to roughly factory spec. Saving $200 might be a good reason to do so, but those torzite guides are pretty sweet!

I totally see what you are saying John and I agree about the replacement price being great with St. Croix (Loomis too). I think the only factory rod I have that is built how I would build it is a Loomis GLX. Even there, I would probably put titanium guides on it if I built it myself. I just like to put titanium guides on high end, light blanks. I'll pretend I can tell the difference.

With Torzites, the rod above would have come in at $345. You guys are quite right about the warranty aspect. Just saying what can be done,

Right now with the value of the USD compared to Canadian, I can get a st.croix legend extreme for $500 if I pay with American money in Canada.
Almost makes the warranty aspect worth it. Does Loomis and St. Croix void their warranties if you replace the grips? The GLX blank is sick, as is the NRX. I can only imagine the St. Croix legend extremes are phenomenal too.

I’m very iffy about NFC. I haven’t heard too many people speak highly for them.

David Riesenbeck Wrote:
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> I’m very iffy about NFC. I haven’t heard too
> many people speak highly for them.


Aside from early complaints on shipping in the forums, I have heard nothing but good things and experienced nothing but good things. Research what people say about the manufactured rods on their blanks and you typically find rave reviews.

If you want a sure thing for you go with St Croix because their performance is known to you. If you want to adventure try calling NFC and explaining what you are looking for or look for CCS data on the forums to compare to the ST Croix.

A.P.

There are two things I don't like about NFC. While if you get what you are looking for then fine, you have some very fine blanks. However, their subjective descriptions of both power and action are at best confusing, and from my experience, downright misleading in at least some cases. With brands like Rainshadow, St Croix, Rodgeeks, and especially Point Blank, which provides CCS numbers on all blanks, I always know pretty closely in advance what I'm going to get. I know exactly what I'm going to get with Point Blank.

The second thing is I'm told by others, pretty insignificant. I disagree. It's a PIA to wrap rod blanks that are not smooth. Getting the thread to wrap cleanly/evenly and and easily packing nail knot triim wraps just isn't nearly as easy as it is with smooth blanks. Even the mirror finish Xray I recently built (ordered mirror finish hoping to get a smooth blank-mirrors are smooth) had ridges and was more difficult than it had to be. To me it is an unecessary inconvenience. OK, folks, unload on this incompetent wrapper.

Wrapping/labeling/finishing has been absolutely no issue with any of the builds I have worked on. The most popular x-ray now come polished too so on those...

I personally bought just about all the blanks I wanted to try from x-ray line during one of the $75 free shipping events. So I put hands on and did not invest too much in the specs.

I will say my only annoyance, now that you mention it, is that the ratings in the catalogue do not match the website. The catalogue is the correct go to. The website needs managing.