ssu 132 1mh vs gsb132 1m

[dannyplug1]

does any one out there have experience with either or both lami blanks. I am trying to find a blank that would throw 3-4.5 ounces. The reason I have gone with these blanks is that I have found that the lamiglass blanks are over rated in terms of what they will throw. thanks chuck

[Mike Oliver]

dannyplug1


Ok I have the GSB1321M. It is a very good rod indeed. I throw 1oz to 3oz on it. I have never tried casting 4oz but am confident that this rod will do that ok. I use snap cast teed up layback and semi pendulum and this blank handles that fine. It has a fast parabolic action and is ideal for around the east end of LI. It will also cast 1oz Bucktails very well. When I say fast parabolic action what I mean is the rod is not tippy like Uk blanks but that the blank will recover quite quickly from full compression. It also bends properly when playing large Bass. It works well with conventionals and spinners. Cone of flight set ups are good as are the NGC. Choice is up to you. I understand that the SSU blank will probably be a tad stiffer and you may like it better if you are normally casting at the high end of your weight spec of 4.5 ozs.
There are so many GSB's out there it must be possible for you to test cast one on a beach, Buddy have one ? or a cheaky ask when out fishing one day.

One things for sure though the GSB is tried and tested and it will not let you down. If I was limited to just one surf rod for Mr and Mrs Striper this would be it.

Mike

[Saltheart]

Hi Mike O welcome , glad you found this place.

To me the question should be whether you want to include the SSU in your possible candidates list or not. The GSB is a proven blank line. The SSU is just out and what I hear I am skeptical of. The big difference as I understand it is the SSU is made from a higher modulus materials. Higher modulus was a big thing to chase for a while but now higher modulus can easily become too high a modulus.

I think the smarter choice is to compare the GSB to the Arra XRA line by lami. For your particular question I would look at the XRA 1205 , XRA 126-1MH and possibly the XRA 1322. The first two will definitely do what you want , the last one is iffy at 4.5 OZ but I think good to 4 OZ.

Anyway , I'm not condemning the SSU line , I'm just saying its wize to let others be the guinea pigs and see whether the higher modulus material will hold up to the challenge without breaking. It may take 2 years or so to have enough rods out there to prove this to me.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

I picked up a ssu 132 1mh this fall and like it a lot. It throws 1.75-around 4. I have thrown a few bucktails in the 5 oz range with it and it wsnt hurting too bad, but i didnt fish them a lot either. Sweet spot seems to be right 2.5-3 or so. I like the action on it a lot. Just parabolic enough, quick recovery which is nice.

[Eric Roach]

I taped some guides on a SSU 1321MH and a GSB 1321M this past spring and brought them out to a measured field for test-casting. I used a 4 oz bank sinker.

The performance was close, but I decided to build another 1321M for myself. The main reason I chose the GSB is because I was told by an experienced builder in southern Mass that he's seen several 1321MHs break at the canal. He broke one himself on the cast (he's an exceptionally powerful caster) and was apalled to see how thin the blank wall was.

I returned the 1321MH to my local shop and got the cheaper, more reliable GSB. It's a workhorse and has what many might say a deserved reputation as the do-it-all striper/bluefish plugging rod. It effectively throws a 4" Slug-Go with a 3/8 oz jig head up to (and over) 4.25 oz.

I did end up with a 1321MH blank this fall, and I'm building it for my father this winter. I think it will be good for him as he fishes less rough water than I occasionally do.

Back to your original question, though: 4.5 oz? I'd trust the 1321M more than the 1321MH. IMO You are near (if not at) the end of the GSB's functional lure range at that weight (by "functional", I mean really being able to lean into your cast).

I'm wondering what other opinions you might get here.

Good luck,

Eric

[stcroixman]

I read that the gsb 1321M handles to 5oz.

I just bought a used M. I use the 1321L for 1-2.5 and envisoned the M for 3oz up to 5oz. Anyone have any experience with the M and big plugs/needles?

[Islander77]

Originally Posted by stcroixman

I read that the gsb 1321M handles to 5oz.

I just bought a used M. I use the 1321L for 1-2.5 and envisoned the M for 3oz up to 5oz. Anyone have any experience with the M and big plugs/needles?

Had a 1201m same blank just a foot shorter... Umm get the GSB... Thumper will tell you the same he fishes a 1201m I have a 1201l as a convench.. A friend has the SSU 1201mh... It casts like a missle but he dont throw over 3oz really... Then again I throw 4.5 no issues convench on a L so.... Lami GSB blank all the way my honest opinion save your self some money you normally dont have to cast that far....

[luds]

I have not use the ssu but the1321m throws 4 no problem. I fished that rod with BM Cowboys and Bigwater Divers with no problem.

[Mike Oliver]

Hi Saltheart, thanks for the invite. LOL Good to be hear.

Dannyplug1,

If you are going to be casting mainly plugs in reality how many plugs are there that weigh in at 4.5ozs plus. Even my big Bottle plugs are not over 4ozs. Ok if bait fishing it's a different deal and you may need thet 4.5ozs and more.
You could listen to us Guys all day long and longer if you so wished but it's your cash your rod. If your heart says the SSU then go and get one. If it does break you have the Lami warrenty back up so what have you got to lose. I have a loft full of rods I bought just to find out for myself if they cut the mustard or not, some did and some did not. Even the rods with the big reputations did not always do it for me.
If you want to broaded this discussion go take a look at a Zziplex Lite Bass, a very different rod but a world class act if you like the action. If you are lure fishing think in terms of 11 feet max, for bait and rod slammed into a sand spike then 12 or 13 feet will give you extra distance if this is a requirement.

Home grown I would think a Lami is going to give you what you want. The Ron Arra series has interested me for some time but I have more rods than I can cope with already. You probably owe it to yourself to re- read Salthearts post on the Arra range. Where are you going to be fishing roughly.

Mike

[SeaWolf]

make sure you consider costs. many of the blanks recommended are very different in price due to the technology in those blanks.

the ssu1321mh is a nice blank and handles lures up to 4 ounces well, but over that you start to lob. it is lighter and has a more crisp feeling than the gsb1321m, but almost 3/4 more in price. to some, that means a lot. to others, it's a waste of money. i have a ssu1201mh that i have fished for better than 2 and a half years now and i'd grab it every time before i grab a gsb1201m, but i might recommend the gsb1201m first to a customer due to it's versatility, durability and relatively low cost i if we're talking 10' rods. i can throw 5 ounces w/ that rod, but it's a lob, so 4 is about the top end. i have a customer that throws a lot of 3-5 oz lures and has landed maybe fish over 40 with the gsb1321m. he loves it, but knows it's high end limits, no matter how often i tell him he's pushing it. he ended up getting a glass rod for the really heavy lures.

you will need to weigh in just how often you will be throwing the heavier lures of 4-5 ounces. if the answer is often or primarily, than you should consider a heavier powered blank, such as the xra1261mh, possibly a st croix legend MH, or possibly one of these zziplexes, which i have no experience with. if the answer is only occasionally, either of the blanks you mentioned would work fine, but consider your budget.

every rod/blank company has their own method of how to rate the power of their rods/blanks. there is no one method. your best advice after reviewing some of the manufacturers specs is to surf the msg forums for feedback to see what others have said that have fished them.

[Mike Oliver]

Seawolf ,

Nice reply. One of the biggest problems when taking advice on msg boards is not knowing how knowlegable the contributer is. This board is no different although reading all the posts above you can't help figuring that the replies were based on fact and experience. Danny plug1 has a nice problem because he almost can't go wrong I think in pure performance terms. It's finding the rod that has the feel he likes that may be the toughest part. Not all or many tackle shops will have all the choices possible for us/him to evaluate even inside a shop.
I guess thats why so many of us have garages full of unused rods. LOL.

Mike

[stripermaineiac]

dannyplug1, I'm a custom rod builder and a very hardcore striperfisherman. Bad mix as far as rods go as I'm always trying to get a better feeling rod.I have all the lami's in the 9ft 10 ft an 11 ft lengths an several of each built a bit different with various types of guides to be used in very specific areas ie the cannal,the Maine rock piles,marthas Vineyard,Rhody and so onThe 120 5 is a sweet canal rod that you can throw up to 5 oz plugs with the right guide an reel combo. The GSB an Arra both work well and give a good range of flexability from jigs down to 1 1/2 oz plugs. 2 to 3 oz is the sweet spot.stay away from the 2 peice arras as there is a problem with the furrels. They fail way too often.The SSU is a comfortable rod. A little lighter feel but holds up well. I spent a summer trying to break one and went to 6 oz jigs with 50lb braid and hardloy BSVLG guides and couldn't break it so I wrapped one with the new appogy guides. sweet rod and good casting range for the 2 1/2 to 4 oz stuff,I love the Arra 132 2 for the Bell road area and the open rips like wasque on the vineyard using 4 oz jig n pig combo and 3 oz darters. real sweet using large pencils and needles.The longer rod is great in the rock piles as it helps keep the line out of the rocks but has it's limmits in the canal due to limited back cast room .
be carefull of the very expensive blanks with very high modulus fiber count as they aren't as tough as the GSB. Next would be the SSU then the ARRA as far as durability.Carefull where you try to save money on a good rod. Put your money in hardware ist then frills if you can afford. If someone trys to sell you a rod with out underwraps under the guides as this will protect the blank from heavy use.The new appogy /concept guides work sweet an are worh the money. Hardaloy holds up well . silicon carbide also work good with braid.if your gonna use mono stick with the hardaloy ie VSBLG guides. Hope this helps Ron

[stripermaineiac]

By the way the SSU 132 mh does take a beating. I fell on top of mine and it didn't seem to mind. just broke one guide but the rod held up fine.The rod throws a 4 oz diamond jig a country mile. All the way across the canal in places so be careful LOL it is a nice rod but again find a good builder that is a fisherman not just a thread artist so you get the rod the blank should be and not just a show peice. talk to Mike at M an D in Wareham. tight lines an happy holidays