OK,
Another question from my students, and I think a good one. For years I built on Fenwick, TFO, and St Croix blanks. I really liked them and built a lot of rods on those blanks, many of which I still have. When my students start looking for a blank these companies don't seem to be available anymore and they ask me what happened to them. Then they ask, if we can't find these then what brand blank do you recommend? A very good question for an instructor, and I wish I had an answer.

I haven't built a rod in about 6 or 8 years. I have gotten engaged in other work with our Game and Parks, Project Healing Waters, and the local high schools and just haven't had the time. My bench is there with an old Cabela's bamboo rod from a kit that I built many years ago waiting for new guides, but everything is getting dusty. But now it's time to dust things off and get back to work. I have the time and now I need to re-visit the skills so I can demonstrate again how things are done.

So for a beginning builder who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on his first rod build, what is the recommended way to go? I have suggested they start as I did, with a complete kit from a reputable company like Mudhole, or Ye Olde Fly Shop down in Florida, Pac BAy, etc. Many have taken that suggestion for their first rod. But now a few have decided to build a second rod and want to explore new sources. They don't want to spend a fortune, so Sage is out for now. So any suggestions on where to get a good blank at a reasonable ($100-$200) price?

Thanks and hope I don't start another "firestorm" with this question. (-:

St. Croix sells their blanks through their blank sales arm - Rodgeeks. They'll be at the Expo. RodForge is a new company but staffed with people (Rodgeeks and TFO) that have been in this industry a good while. From there you have Mudhole MHX, Batson Enterprises, North Fork, American Tackle, Anglers Resource, etc. and nearly all have great quality, fine performance blanks well within the $100 to $200 price range you mention.

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

Is Rodforge affiliated with St. Croix?

And of course there is CTS: [ctsfishing.com]
I give members a special price.
Herb
CTS
U.S. Rep

Rod Forge is the owner of TFO fly rods, he brought his production back to the US in a new plant in TX. The gentleman who owned an interest with St. Croix in Rod Geeks sold out to St. Croix and went to Rod Forge, at least that was how it was explained to me some years ago.

Spencer,

I put that deal together. Frank Paul King is the owner of TFO. He wanted to return his blank production to the US and called to ask me about finding a blank and rod production manager for this new venture. I suggested Bob Penicka, who Frank did not know at that time. Bob had just sold his share of Axiom to St. Croix and was retired with no intention of returning the business. But the two entered into talks and Bob decided to return to the business as production manager for the new Composite Forge company.

..........

Thank you for the information Spencer and Tom. I am glad this is an additional choice rather than an upheaval of an already appreciated choice (Rod Geeks). TFO and Bob Penicka should make for a good blank source. I bought from Rod Geeks under Bob’s management with great results. I believe he is the guy who likely had the most to do with the huge success of the “Mojo” label. TFO has consistently put out really good value rods. I’ve bought them as backups to my own builds for remote trips. I’ve recommended them to friends who like them.

If you can deal with the slow fulfillment times, North Fork Composites is the best bang for the buck, arguably best blanks available. Be prepared to do your own QC inspection before building (you should with any blank anyway). As long as you work within these expectations, you’ll be satisfied.

Thanks everyone. I have contacted a few of the suggested vendors and think I can find what I am looking for at one or more of them. This forum is invaluable to me and many thanks to everyone.

As to OEMs, Winston still sells blanks but they are very expensive, and Sage has a very few out there, also costly. Epic and CTS, both based in New Zealand, sell high end blanks in graphite and glass. Between those and the blank companies listed above there are still plenty of choices. Hook and Hackle and Mud Hole sell an array of kits, as does Angler's Workshop/Lure Parts On Line. Have fun.

Epic is no longer out of NewZealand, they are mfd in Korea

That is correct, I was talking about where they are based/HQ'd. They are a New Zealand based company. I know that their Carbon G rods are sourced from Korea, I am not certain about their glass offerings.

In addition to the big retailers (Mudhole, Pac Bay, Batson, etc) there are many others out there, too many to list for fear of omitting some. One of the forum sponsors is Stryker Rods, out of Eugene, Oregon. Great company making their blanks right there in Eugene. There is also Thrasher Rods, Lamiglas, North Fork Composites, G Loomis and Talon rods, all in Woodland, Washington. You also have United Composites and a host of others in Southern California. For Fly Rods, a highly respected company in SW Washington is Berkheimer, great fly blanks. There is a gentleman in the Bend, Oregon area that sells blanks as "Rods by Roger", he can get you just about any kind of blank you want, but he has to have a minimum quantity for non-standard items as he imports them. Proof is a great source for fly rods as well, and he creates complete kits for you and can provide a 2nd tip if necessary. This is just a sampling of options off the top of my head.