This may be a touchy subject for some...

But when it comes to getting a custom rod. With all the choices of custom rod builders. How do you go about choosing someone? Other than looking at their work? Cause Ive seen some pretty lookin rods, But that doesnt interest me as much as a rod that will function correctly..

Suggestions?

Well! when it come's right down to it. Customs can be fairly basic.Spinning anyway's.Each leight of rod, be it 6'-14' and action will have on the adv. of 5-6 guides sometimes more...Let's take a 1088[9'er] once you've bent it with guides taped on and the line runs down blank evenly and the guides are spaced pretty much evenly apart you have a working guide set-up.....you write down your notes as to where everything is and the next 9'er comes along..you have it all there on paper....same goes for reel seats there is an adv. for those being so many inches up from the butt unless you want it abit higher or lower,your choice..
then it becomes your choice again as to how pretty a wrap you want.

I think the best way to find someone who wrap's rod's in your nabahood is to ask around...if one name comes up 2-3-4 times,seek them out and knock on their door...tell them you want a plain jane and strike up a conversation with them.Don't let anyone sell you high priced guides..as I do beleive the reg. lower priced hardloy's will last/preform just as well.

ps.33 year rod builder now retired.

CS brings up some good points. Allot of the the cost of the custom can be attributed to "art work" and finishing of the wraps, this takes some time to do a no flaw job.

If I am wrapping a nice new rod for myself I like to use the "better" quality guides. Though like CS says the hardloys are good and I use them allot...and very inexpensive about 20-25% the cost of SiC.

At present I am making 2 old 8' smelt rods that were shortened by the car door about 25 years ago into 7 foot medium action spinning rods:af: . I am putting about 40 bucks apiece into these old blanks with cork grips, hardloy guides and deluxe seat.

So you can build a nice no frills custom quickly if you don't want the artwork stuff but to important thing if this rod is for YOU is to put the reel seat where YOU want it. That being said if your willing to spend to money on a decent rod you don't you really want a little dazzle in it?.....and secondly if someone is building this for you and thier name is on it they may want to have a little more attention to detail than what you want....but your the customer so you can have it your way.

Jon

I'd ask around, if several people say they're good then you're probably fine...it's just a fishing rod after all.

But if you don't have anyone specific in mind, the bigger builders like MikeCC and CMS are zero risk and I'm sure you can get comments about just anyone who builds and is known to the board.

-spence

Contact Sea Wolf from this board he does very good work.:kewl:

Get recommendations first from others and see who they like.

Try to get a handle on what you want - general fishing or specialized rod, decorative wraps or simple / stealth, action, length, which reel, oh boy, the list goes on :hee: