I'm too lazy to do a search; I thought (at least this is what G Loomis told me in an email last winter) that these guys don't sell GLX blanks, only completed GLX rods?? Let's hear it from the in crowd...
Pass another PBR, Mick!!

Putter

You got it.

There probabaly are a few GLX blanks out there somewhere. But Loomis isn't releasing any, and hasn't been for a few years.

The guy at the link below has some GLX and IMX blanks and sells at half price. I think they are seconds but the one I recently got was very nice. Last time I dealt with him the quantity in stock was not corrext. He is prompt to answer emails also.
[www.tomwhite.com]

They are seconds with no factory warranty. Be careful when buying from this guy. I've had no problems so far but have heard of others who have. Use a credit card so you have recourse if something goes sour.

G*Loomis GLX in blank form has not been available for several years now. ** Buyer Beware ** If you purchase any blanks that are so-called GLX, be careful. Most all blanks have flushed thru the system by now. If the do not come in a plastic sleeve with a Loomis header card that designates the model and states the warranty, along with a adhesive decal, you may want to run backwards. As a side note -- watch out for 2005, there may possibly be a select few Loomis GLX spinning, casting and fly models, back out on the market. This has been discussed and could possibly happen. Not a 100% positive, but possibly. As G*Loomis distributors we meet with Mark Landry and Jim Lebson at this years I-CAST show and they are entertaining the idea of bringing a select few GLX models, back into blank form. Also talk of several of the "Specific Application" rod models entering into the blank world. We had a good positive meeting and appears a face lift with Loomis blanks will occur for 2005.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

Thanks, guys! This is what I had thought, but I see posts once in a while where guys are talking about getting these blanks; keep thinking, jeez are they starting to sell them?

Putter

Putter -- We'll try to keep the board informed of the new product as it hits the market. There should be quite a bit new from Loomis and from what other previews of products I have already seen, 2005 is going to be a great year for top notch products being added by several of our already leading manufacturers in the Custom Rod Building Trade. You folks will be seeing performance product addtions for 2005 that are really some neat products. I have visited with at least eight of the companies that I deal with, that each have exciting new products coming for the next year. One thing to remember, some has been coming into the market here recently, but other new products may be on into the Fall or early Winter before hitting the market. We'll keep ya'll posted as 2005 product arrives.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

And most of them can be seen in person at the 2005 Rod Builders Show in Charlotte.

.......

I have only dealt with this man once. He told me he worked for GLoomis for 12 years and picked up what he sells from the Loomis factory. Blank came with no bag or tag but is very, very similar to the IMX factory blank I have fished with for years and purchased from Loomis thru a retail distributor. Capt. Tom White is a fishing guide from Marathon,Fla. I have never met or talked with him and have no reason to doubt his truthfulness. Apologies to the board if my post aiming to be helpful was taken the wrong way. I will refrain from future posting.

Mike,
Why would you stop posting?? You didn't do anything. You answered a question with legitimate info. You said that they were probably seconds. Someone asked if they were available and you answered. You didn't make any recommendations/claims about the seller.
This board is all about information and you provided some. Stick around!!!!!

Mike

I just visited this guys site and he is up front with the fact that the blanks have no Loomis bags or warranties. He says that he hand picked them while working at Loomis and replaced any broken sections, etc.
I don't see anything "shady" about that.

Nobody's mad at Mike, nobody's mad at Tom White. Just some info and a caution about buying blanks with no header card or label/decal. That's a good practice for anyone, anytime.




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

There are VERY few GLX blanks out there now but they do pop up every now(rarely though) and then on places like @#$%&.In the past week one seller(gizmo something or another,LOL) has sold several of them that were old building stock he was getting rid of and this was the first time I had seen them in a long time.This seller has been selling old stock Loomis IM6,GL3 and IMX blanks for quite a few years and these GLX blanks were first run blanks,in the bag with papers.They were definitely legit GLX blanks,but he only had a few and they were quite pricey($300+ I believe).I certainly would never buy a GLX blank that did not come in the package with paperwork and I have never seen blems of these being sold by anyone.

Regarding Tom White and the blanks he sells,Tom is a VERY respected man in the saltwater flyfishing industry and has been for MANY,MANY years.He has been ascociated with Loomis in the past and did indeed have access to a large number of older models and seconds,but not in the GLX models.He has sold hundreds,maybe even thousands of IM6,GL3 and original IMX blanks over the years and these are the real deal as far as being true Loomis blanks and the models described,but most were seconds and do not come with any warranty.

I bought several off him several years ago when he was in the middle of moving to Arizona I believe and he had some problems with orders getting lost and long shipping delays(I know he had quite a few angry customers for a short time there).My orders got lost in the mix for a while but were eventually sorted out and I got my blanks(2pc IMX fly blanks) and an apology for the delay.I found him to be a VERY honest and sound guy to deal with and he makes no false claims about his blanks.They are what he says they are in being discontinued Loomis blanks,but being seconds or blems with no logo or warranty.The performance is what you would expect from these older Loomis models(the 2pc old IMX is still one of my favourites),but the blanks,being seconds,may or may not have some inconsistancies(that's the gamble you take with seconds).

Personally,I think the prices he is selling them for now are a bit on the high side(they've definitely gone up in the past few years) for many of the 2pc IMX blem blanks he has now,especially when you consider how amazing some of the sub $100 first run blanks are that are out there these days.I would certainly buy a Dan Craft FT or SIG V,or a St Croix SC III or older SCIV first run blank before spending that much on a IMX second that may,or may not be what you want.

I originally got 3 2pc IMX blanks(2 6wts and 1 4wt),with the 2 6wts being the same length and line weight.I found that the 4wt was near pefect(no visible flaws,straight,great ferrule fit and action),and it's been great,but only one of the two 6wts was what I had hoped and was worth the money.

Of the two identical 6wt blanks,one was excellent(great ferrule fit and action,perfectly straight,with no visible blems other than a small spiraling of the graphite on the male ferrule end) and remains my absolute favourite 6wt rod that I use and abuse more than any other I own,while the other wasn't anywhere near as good.

The good 6wt is a powerhouse caster with great feel to it.It's everything I had hoped the rod would be and more,and it was almost identical to the 2pc factory IMX 6wt I had previously and was trying to replace.I definitely have no regrets of buying this blank(same goes for the 4wt).

The other 6wt wasn't anywhere near as good and it felt very slow,wimpy and sloppy by comparison.It had a large overlap of the ferrule and the tip section felt completely different from the one on the good 6wt.I should have sent it back to him for a replacement but unfortunately I didn't know just how different it would be until I had built it.

The bad 6wt tip felt like a noodle compared to the other one and even though it still felt like it prefered the same line as the other 6wt during casting,it didn't throw it with near the authority.When I had a fish on I noticed that the bad 6wt bent like crazy in the top half of the rod,but the bottom bent little.The good 6wt blank felt like it had LOTS of power throughout,even with a 10lbs+ fish on,and distributed the load nicely throughout the blank,while the bad 6wt felt like it was maxed out with a mere 3lbs fish with not enough power being distributed into the lower half of the blank(kind of like a noodle on a pool cue).I've landed large fish on the bad 6wt but it always feels like it's strained to the max.

When you wiggle the 2 6wt rods side by side there is a noticable difference right away in the power of the tips and how each blank flexes.I bought the 2 6wts so I could possibly have rods that the tips or butts could be interchanged should one break on me,but they were completely different sizes and not even remorely compatable at all.Basicly,I got 2 excellent blanks(1 4wt and 1 6wt) and 1 6wt that is a dud(though it still fishes "OK") but I guess that has to be expected when buying seconds or blems.I got them for much less than the current prices on his site and if I was doing it all over again I don't think I would pay his current prices considering the options out there now.

As Tom says,be cautious of buying seconds or blems regardless.These days there are simply way too many good first run blanks out there for near budget prices to make the minor savings worth the risk.

My original question was out of curiousity only; IMHO G Loomis has far outpriced themselves. There are many as good or better (I deal in sensitive, light FW spinning and casting rods) rod blank manufacturers out there for far less money.
Putter