The first issue of Volume 4 contained some changes from previous issues. More color was introduced and a format change was enacted so we could get more article content within the same number of pages.

During that time we also began using a new printer who ended up cutting a few corners in terms of paper and ink.

That has been rectified now and it appears the new printing outfit I have contracted with is very concerned that we get the best product possible. Here's what will be new -

• Photos will no longer be "gang separated". Each will be edited singly which will result in much more richness and brighter colors.

• Color pages will be varnished for more "SNAP" (the printer's words, not mine).

• Paper will be upgraded from the 80lb gloss now used, to a new 100lb gloss enamel with a much "whiter" color. This will make the photos brighter and also contribure to greater opacity of the pages. Text will be clearer and richer.

• Page number will remain at 40. With our limited number of advertisements, RodMaker contains the equivilent editorial/article content of most 100 page magazines. (Most magazines are a minimum of 50% ads and some are as much as 60%. RodMaker is less than 10%.) Later this year I may add another 8 pages. There is so much backlogged information on file here and it would help to get more of it out each time. But this will depend on my workload and the time available. Keep your fingers crossed.

• RodMaker underwent a circulation audit earlier in the year and has been approved for 2nd class mailing. You will still get your copies 60 days apart, but delivery is upgraded to include forwarding and return services. You still need to send us any change of address so we can update your records, but forwarding orders filed at your post office will now be used to deliver your magazine for 6 months. (Previously if you failed to notify us of an address change in time, the post office just threw out your magazine. Presorted Standard mail, 3rd class bulk, does not get forwarded even if you have a forward notice on file with the Postal Service.) We will continue to use the clear plastic mailers which protect your copies.

RodMaker is a work in progress and it will continue to get better and bigger each year.

Tom Kirkman
RodMaker Magazine
www.rodmakermagazine.com

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I guess I didn't buy this bit about magazines being most ads. So I decided to count for myself. My last copy of Field and Stream has a total of 94 pages. Out of those there were 56 pages of advertising. That left 38 pages for the articles and stuff and many of those were just large photos. Next I picked up my latest copy of a fly fishing mag that had 112 pages. I started counting and found if you took all the ads and ad sizes and added them up you came up with 70 pages of ads. That left 42 pages for everything else.

I never dreamed that these magazines were mostly just ads. I guess RodMaker is much bigger than I realized.

All I can say is, "UNBELIEVABLE."

I don't know how you keep it going with so little advertisement. I hope your support increases to the point that RodMaker becomes 100 pages with 60 pages of ads.....just like most others.

Will the Months and Year be on the next issue?....he he Is that one of the places the the printing company cut corners on some ink?

Steve

Tom, you continue to amaze me. Your devotion to bettering your publication and hence, this industry is simply unheard of in this day and age. The whole rod building industry form the hobbyist rod builder, the professional rod builder, the distributors and the manufacturers are better off today because of your unselfish efforts to produce an un-biased publication that many thought was not needed and could not make it. Hopefully, the industry people who do advertise in other magazines will “see the light” and grow your advertising base so that we all have a 100 page magazine full of ads and articles.

As a one man (& one legged :)) operation now you continue to improve on a product that many other people would have thought to be satisfactory a long time ago – way to go! My hats off to you sir – Thank you!

Tom McNamara
Mud Hole Custom Tackle, Inc.
[www.mudhole.com]
Phone: 407-277-0099

As per usual, I am impressed by the continuing quality of RodMaker both in word content and in photography. The information presented is invaluable and your dedication is to be commended.

Tom, I would like to consider increasing the number of copies to be able to have available for sale to other rodbuilders through our store outlet. Perhaps others 'in the business' might consider expanding and making the magazine available for retail purchase.
I am sure many rodbuilders would pick up a copy off the shelf of a specialty tackle or rodshop or supplier.

I would look forward to an expanded size of the magazine to include the many topics that could be printed. Hopefully the subscription numbers and circulation will continue to increase.

Great Job!

Rich
www.rodreel.com

I would add this on newstand or tackle shop sales --- stay away from them! If you don't know about it already, unsold copies are destroyed and the publisher does not get paid for them. A small magazine company can lose their shirt on newsstand sales. Be careful.

If you read the editor's comment in the current issue it explains why there is no longer a month and date on the cover. From now on they will go only by volume and issue number. Seems that there was too much confusion about pro-dating the covers. I can relate. Today one of the many magazines I subscribe to arrived and the cover date is for October 2001. Talk about getting ahead of yourself.

Every time I get a new issue I think, How does he do it? This is by far the best mag I have ever subscribed to. Keep up the outstanding work!!!

Pete,

Right you are. The attrition rate for newsstand sales is horrific. Only about 30% of whatever copies a publisher supplies will actually be sold and paid for. The remaining 70% are not returned, but rather destroyed and the cost of those copies must be eaten by the publisher.

Magazines with circulation rates in the many tens, if not hundreds of thousands, are able to bear this cost. This is because a print run of such high numbers reduces the overall cost per copy to just pennies each. Sell 3 magazines at $5 or $6 (publisher is only paid a percentage of that, however. The retailer keeps the rest) and you can easily eat the other 7 which cost you maybe a quarter each to print. Although RodMaker is a very large publication in terms of the rod building market, it is a very small one compared to most other magazines. RodMaker is pretty much sold at actual cost (I do not take any salary) and there is not sufficient margin to allow me to eat 7 magazines for each 3 sold.

There are many tackles stores that are interested in selling RodMaker but few are willing to pay for all copies received. (Ed’s Tackle and The Rod Rack are the only two so far.) The rest expect to pay only for those copies they actually sell. So don’t expect to ever see RodMaker on general newsstands or in many tackle shops. The economics just don’t allow for it and probably never will.

Cover dates were eliminated in favor of using only volume and issue number. A large percentage of the readers found the cover dates confusing and it created a great deal of work for me in answering thousands of phone calls, letters and emails. Far too many people expected to get their November/December issue in July. It was futile trying to explain that each issue of RodMaker is designed to be delivered during the last week of each even numbered month. Going to volume/issue nomenclature only, has relieved most of these type problems. The less time I spend on the phone or answering emails the more time I can spend on the magazine. This will be better for all of us.

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Sorry if I was misunderstood. I do mean that the store would pay for the copies, such as Ed's and The Rod Rack. It's a good way to make available to other rodbuilders otherwise not aware of the publication, or make it as a convenience and good business for a rod shop to serve customers.
The idea is to make more awareness and to increase the circulation of a very good publication for rodbuilders.

I completely realize the costs involved of high newstand circulation and losses would be prohibitive for such a specialty magazine, therefore better placed in specialty rodbuilding tackle stores. In my case, a few interested 'newbie' rodbuilders in the area would be interested in picking up an issue here and there, perhaps making it feasable for me to buy a couple more copies to be shipped with the regular subscription already have and perhaps reduce the shipping for one point. I have ideas of making copies available as a bit of a bonus for good customers, or increased purchase incentives.
It's just good business, and will serve retail customer interests of rodbuilders and help maintain interest in the craft.

I am speaking from the perspective of a supplier, business for the rodbuilding specialty. As an individual rodbuilder, I just highly recommend anyone to subscribe to the magazine. Simply put, it's worth the price and is motivating for rodbuilders at many levels.

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel

Sorry if I was misunderstood. I do mean that the store would pay for the copies, such as Ed's and The Rod Rack. It's a good way to make available to other rodbuilders otherwise not aware of the publication, or make it as a convenience and good business for a rod shop to serve customers.
The idea is to make more awareness and to increase the circulation of a very good publication for rodbuilders.

I completely realize the costs involved of high newstand circulation and losses would be prohibitive for such a specialty magazine, therefore better placed in specialty rodbuilding tackle stores. In my case, a few interested 'newbie' rodbuilders in the area would be interested in picking up an issue here and there, perhaps making it feasable for me to buy a couple more copies to be shipped with the regular subscription already have and perhaps reduce the shipping for one point. I have ideas of making copies available as a bit of a bonus for good customers, or increased purchase incentives.
It's just good business, and will serve retail customer interests of rodbuilders and help maintain interest in the craft.

I am speaking from the perspective of a supplier, business for the rodbuilding specialty. As an individual rodbuilder, I just highly recommend anyone to subscribe to the magazine. Simply put, it's worth the price and is motivating for rodbuilders at many levels.

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel

It was already darn good. Any changes only make it that much better. I just ordered a Rodmaker coffee mug off your web site.

By the way, you have done very little to advertise and promote your rod building book. I have read my copy front to back a couple times and want to say it is the most clear, concise and helpful book on rod building I have bought so far. I own five rod building books and yours is the one I turn to again and again. You need to push it more. It is very helpful.