Hey, I was hoping to get some input on abu garcia rods in general, and specifically Veritas tournament and fantasista x if you have experience with those. Or Fenwick in general?

Compared to other rods or NFC blanks where do they stand?

I used Fenwick HMG’s for years, I use MHX mostly now, standard models and elite X and Elite Pros. The HMG’s didn’t hold a stick to standard model MHX blanks custom made. I have 4 NFC’s on the docket to be built. The fenwick had good components but going custom I changed everything but the Fuji real seat’s which I preferred. Custom is custom, should be made for the end user.

I don't think you can compare the domestic made Garcia's and Fenwicks of old to the current offerings of either. These are brand names stuck on mass produced rods out of Asia. So if you are talking about current production I think you can buy better blanks from a number of custom suppliers including the ones you mentioned.

Older Veritas were decent rods for the price, but they had easily broken guides, and replacements were not available if you happened to break some. Your not gonna build a decent custom for Veritas $. However, you (should ) have a better rod.

Let's not confuse where the rods are made with their quality. Fenwick and Abu make some very nice rods. Yes, in China. They also make some pretty cheap rods. I can absolutely guarantee that both abu and fenwick build some rods on nicer blanks than standard MHX or IM NFCs. Fenwick and Abu also make some very high end rods for the Japanese market. It is entirely possible that MHX blanks are made in some of the same factories as Abu and Fenwick blanks. The Veritas is an ok rod, maybe a blank at the level of Batson RX6 or CRB. Fantasista X is a nice rod with a Batson Revalation or maybe Immortal level blank. You could make a better rod than the Fantasista for less. It might be hard to do better than the Vertitas for less, if only because it has titanium guides.

Okay cool thanks for sharing your thoughts, I just happened to see some abu and Fenwick half off. Bow that I've started rod building I didn't think if ever buy another manufactured rod - but 50% off seems like I'm not sure I could build one that cheap with equal parts. But seems counter my goal bow that I have a bunch of stuff to do building.

Maybe I'll just get another x ray instead of the fantasista

Can't go wrong with an xray. Plus then you can make it exactly how you want. Deals are nice, but once you start building it is hard to buy a factory rod. Of course when you are an addict like me you build and buy. Oh well.

I was a big fan of the original veritas and I absolutely loved the handle/reel seats of the Last gen Fenwick Elite Techs. Never found another like them that I could use to build my own.

Imo NFC is above and beyond the veritas and Fenwicks. You could absolutely build a better rod for cheaper especially once you ge to to the $200 retail price range.

For instance, I built on an NFC XRay SJ736, Fuji ECS reelseat, CRB handles, Fuji SiC guides for a total cost of around $200. It quickly became one of my most favorite rods I’ve ever held. A Kistler ZBone costs $550 for the exact same build. Kistler has always been over priced imo, but I truly believe you can build a better rod for less money as compared to most of the $250+ retail factory rods.

That said, I really only build on RodGeeks (St Croix fanboy), NFC, and just a couple mudhole MHX color blanks. Have been happy with everything, just the NFC XRays are something special.

When X ray blanks are on sale (which they are on a fairly regular basis) they are, of the blanks I've built on, the best blank you can buy for the money. When they aren't on sale, that honor would go to the Immortal series of blanks from Rainshadow.

As far as the best blank I have built on regardless of price, it would be a coin flip between the X ray, and the RX 10 Eternity from Rainshadow. The RX 10 blanks are amazing blanks, Every bit as good as, or maybe even better than the X rays.

As far as factory rods go, I only have 4 left, One, that because of its' reel seat configuration, I would never be able to duplicate. Plus it's an awesome rod, with the reel seat being what makes it such an awesome rod. The others, I could easily build better versions of them, but they are rods that I rarely use, so I can't justify building a replacement.

I recently made my first spinning rod on an NFC x ray blank. Cost me approximately $150 in parts with Fuji alconite guides and fuji reel seat. I have not fished with it seriously yet. However, for the type of spin fishing I do (river smallmouth fishing cranking in twister and paddletail plastics, small spinner and buzz baits, small crankbaits)I'm not sure I will be able to tell the difference between this NFC rod and any good $150 rod, like a shimano curado for example. If this rod does not prove to be superior to other rods I think I will just buy a good production rod for the same money as building one.
Fly rods (for me) are a different story and I can appreciate the quality of my builds and realize a cost savings vs equivalent performance production rods.

Ed, IMO the best blanks are to be used for bottom contact baits. Worms, jigs, etc.

Alex Weissman Wrote:
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> Ed, IMO the best blanks are to be used for bottom
> contact baits. Worms, jigs, etc.

Thank you Alex. I have been a fly fisherman all of my life and only getting serious about spin fishing recently. I agree w you and am learning about how different spinning/casting rods are used for different purposes. I will be using more senkos and jigs (tying up some light marabou jigs) now that I have this x ray rod, and will use my older, cheaper rods for other retrieval type lures. I guess the point is choose the right tool for the job and if a production rod does the job cheaper that may be the way to go. I presume my x ray rod will be the equal of a GLX or NRX rod in which case building it was worthwhile.

El, keeping in mind you are a relaive beginner at wrapping, and that you are asking about XRay, you probably should be sure to order the mirror finish to avoid having to deal with the little ridges that the regular XRays have. The ridges have caused frustration for some of us even veteran builders.

Thanks for all the input yall!

@EVAN if x-ray blank can be compared to a z-bone by Kistler than it's gotta be better than the Abu Garcia Fantsista x, and thanks for the cost to build breakdown.

@PETER thanks for the direct comparisons, very helpful to understand the quality reference.

@DAVID - what is that reel seat configuration that you can't replicate? And thanks to you as well for a quality comparison, those RX10 blanks ever gonna sale.

@ED - The only time it might be worth getting the top tier blank for moving bait is if you will be throwing it all day and you want the lightest set up possible, that would be the biggest benefit for moving baits (plus some likely added feedback from the lure compared to other rods). Bottom contact is when you will see all the benefits of highest quality blank.

@MICHAEL - I ordered a handful of blanks and the only one I couldn't get mirror was the rod I'm building for my buddy - I might've gotten a different one had I known where to look and what I was looking at on NFC site before spending more time here. I got him the X-Ray MB 808 NEO for swimbait and maybe some saltwater shore fishing. Maybe I'll grab some Size D to help. I already ordered red A thread just for that build, but if it's that much a pain maybe it'd be worth it.

Again, thanks yall for taking the time to respond.

The very first rod I ever built was in 1968 on a Fenwick factory second blank ($5) from one of the first graphite lines they produced. I bought it from Shoff's Sporting Goods in Kent, Washington, along with Dale Clemons book "Fiberglass Rod Building", several cork rings, a generic spinning seat and whatever spinning guides the clerk recommended. My total was around $30, and I fished that rod for over 35 years! I sure wish I had it to this day, but I unfortunately lost it in the Deschutes river many years ago.

Now my go-to blanks are from American Tackle, but I wouldn't hesitate to use Stryker, Talon, NFC, Batson, Mudhole, Pacific Bay or Lamiglas, along with many other quality blank procuders! I have built several hundred rods over the years and have trached the conclusion (IMO) that the quality of the blank isn't as much a function of its origin as much as it is a function of the quality control and the materials used.

Rich Bowers

Try a Point Blank sometime.