Custom Rods!!! Better than a name brand!!!

[Wiscobassin]

Alright as you see below my post... You might see I am on a pro staff for a custom rod builder. Now everyone I have talked to always says that custom rods are more money than a brand name... well, it might be true and it might not! I am here to tell you that it is almost better to look at a custom rod builder because that rod is going to be built for you and no one else. It is going to fit your style of fishing and what you need it for. So when you are looking for a rod, look no further than a custom rod company. Sometimes the St. Croix Legend Tournament rod you see in stores, can be built with better cork and guides for $100 less that what your retailer is asking! Even with shipping! (Ask Nick Ready from JawBreaker rods) I guess my story is, don't be afraid that a custom rod might break the bank because in most cases, it might not!

[Boston1011]

In the big scheme of things, I see what you're saying.  I know of a custom rod builder that generally charges 200$ per custom rod. Now, for some people that may be really expensive. While for others, that may be a right price or somewhat cheap (If you're an angler that uses high quality, more expensive rods). No matter what you think of the price, I have heard from several people that custom rods are definitely worth it. Like you said, these rods fit YOUR own style of fishing. They should be customized to exactly what you want.

[duke13372]

I have bought both custom and off the shelf.  It's obvious that over the course of a decade that many improvements to the "off the shelf" rod have come from the ranks of the custom rod builders.  I would urge anyone that indulges for a custom rod to have used the blank that they are interested in customizing.  Taking an "off the self" rod that you already enjoy and custom fitting it to your needs can make it worth the investment.  A good builder's product will have all the special touches that justify the extra costs. 

[beast96z]

I've found that custom rods are like custom cars/trucks. It's the same base with a little bling. If you want "different" looks to your rods, then custom is the way to go. If your happy with standard looks, there is most likely a shelf rod to fit your needs. Now on another note, I look at high dollar shelf rods like Corvette's. I can buy a Camaro (rod blank), and send it to a builder (mechanic/rod builder), and get more car/rod for less. Basically what I'm saying is, extremely expensive rods are a waste of money.

[duke13372]

I had a Loomis MBR 844 IMX with Weibe seat.  This was before the factories offered split grip/no fore grips.  I had Rich Forhan build a MBR with this configuration and with a spiral wrap.  The custom rod was taking a solid foundation and taking it to another level.  The split grip/no fore grip made it much lighter and with a custom rod the guides can be spiral wrapped and also your choice of guides is unlimited.  On the other hand you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  You have to have that foundation of a great blank first.  Then it can be fine tuned to a fisherman's preference.  The manufacturers have listened to the fishermen and now offer many of the things that only a custom rod builder offered a few years ago.   

[PainInTheBass]

I've found that custom rods are like custom cars/trucks. It's the same base with a little bling. If you want "different" looks to your rods, then custom is the way to go. If your happy with standard looks, there is most likely a shelf rod to fit your needs. Now on another note, I look at high dollar shelf rods like Corvette's. I can buy a Camaro (rod blank), and send it to a builder (mechanic/rod builder), and get more car/rod for less. Basically what I'm saying is, extremely expensive rods are a waste of money.

I say get a better custom rod builder  .

Custom rods ofer more than just bling.  Guide spacing on factory rods are based on a template to be aesthetically appealling rather than static guide testing, which places the guides along the blank accoding the natural action of the blank.  This makes the best use of the blank' action.  Custom builders can build lighter rods than most factory rods, which is more than just bling - it is a performance increase.  Now, truth be told, not everybody will see or appreciate these refinements.  That is for each person to decide.  If off the shelf works for you, then who am I to argue?

[gillrod2728]

Expensive rods are not any where close to a waste of money. The price is worth it if its a good rod company.

[fish_cobra]

I've found that custom rods are like custom cars/trucks. It's the same base with a little bling. If you want "different" looks to your rods, then custom is the way to go. If your happy with standard looks, there is most likely a shelf rod to fit your needs. Now on another note, I look at high dollar shelf rods like Corvette's. I can buy a Camaro (rod blank), and send it to a builder (mechanic/rod builder), and get more car/rod for less. Basically what I'm saying is, extremely expensive rods are a waste of money.

Not really the same base....there are several companies that sell to custom builders only, to say, no production rod company has them. Gary Loomis "North Fork" being one. G.Loomis no longer sells blanks but you can bet the North Fork Series is as good if not better.

[-Shawn-]

The usefulness of a custom rod is usually directly tied to how skilled the angler is.

You see, moving the guides on a blank will change the whole action of a rod. You can have a custom rod built to the exact action you want.

[beast96z]

I have 3 custom rods from one of the best builders in the US. All I'm saying is, these rods, which cost me over $500 per rod, aren't any better than some of the shelf rods I have. Now I didn't go into detail on the guide spacing and such, but I still don't see a difference in performance over a good shelf rod. I blame a majority of the cost on the GLX blank it was built on. You can probably build a rod on a cheaper blank and be just as happy. Don't get me wrong, I like the rods that I had built, I just don't think they are worth $500+.

[-Shawn-]

I understand what your saying,  I didn't like the GLX blank myself,  When Garry loomis is not fishing that blank it tells me something. 

[North Branch]

I have 3 custom rods from one of the best builders in the US. All I'm saying is, these rods, which cost me over $500 per rod, aren't any better than some of the shelf rods I have. Now I didn't go into detail on the guide spacing and such, but I still don't see a difference in performance over a good shelf rod. I blame a majority of the cost on the GLX blank it was built on. You can probably build a rod on a cheaper blank and be just as happy. Don't get me wrong, I like the rods that I had built, I just don't think they are worth $500+.

Yep, this all depends on the type of rod, what it's used for, the components, setup, and most importantly, the end user.

I have a custom 6'9" MLXF St. Croix Legend Xtreme. My buddy has the same rod off the shelf. The stock rod comes with recoil guides. My custom has Fuji TiSic's the entire length. My custom also has a "true" concept guide system. The guides from the choke point to the tip are all the smallest TiSic's in the same exact size. The stripper guides up to the choke point are smaller than the stock guides. They are also set up exactly to the reel that I intended to use on the rod. The custom has a grip and reel seat that I prefer to the stock rod.

My buddy and I have both fished each others rods extensively, and we both agree... the custom is lighter (not much), more sensitive (noticeable), feels "crisper" (considerably), and casts a bit farther (but not much) than the stocker. Considering that my custom only cost about $100 more (didn't spend a lot of money on "frills", just the best components) than the stocker, we both agree that the custom is a better rod, and not that much more cost to get it that way.

On the other side of the coin... do I catch more fish than my buddy because of the rod? Probably not, except occasionally maybe for the increased distance factor. However, the custom is a pleasure to fish, and when you get a good size smallie on it, the increased sensitivity really comes into play, as ever twitch, head shake, run and jump that the fish makes is magnified... it's a blast!

My buddy said his next rod will be a custom... I will never own another stock rod.

My son on the other hand has a couple of Shimano Crucial's. As much as he likes my custom, he sees no need for a custom, as he loves his Cruical's, and catches as many fish as either my buddy or I. So again, it's how you as the user feels about it.

Personally, I believe that ever avid fisherman who can afford it should have at least one custom rod built by a true pro.

[PainInTheBass]

I have 3 custom rods from one of the best builders in the US. All I'm saying is, these rods, which cost me over $500 per rod, aren't any better than some of the shelf rods I have. Now I didn't go into detail on the guide spacing and such, but I still don't see a difference in performance over a good shelf rod. I blame a majority of the cost on the GLX blank it was built on. You can probably build a rod on a cheaper blank and be just as happy. Don't get me wrong, I like the rods that I had built, I just don't think they are worth $500+.

I think that what each angler considers when determining 'better' differs, as well as each angler's ability to detect some of these qualities.  What I mean by this is shaving .3 oz off of a rod may be huge for some, and worth paying for that custom rod.  Others may not care about that savings or may not be able to detect this because they are using a heavy reel.  This is why custom rods are a niche market.