Does anyone agree with me that Tuned Up Custom Rods are not custom. Every rod has a cork handle and the blanks are the same. I have been building rods for three years, and no two rods are alike. My customers pick out every part of the rod. I also paint my blanks, if my customers what custom color themes.

There is no definitive definition as to what constitutes a "custom" rod. This is a conversation that has been going on for years with little benefit to anyone. Do what you do and let others do what they want to do.

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

I was doing a show a couple weeks ago. Had all of my custom rods on display to sell. One guy came by and said that your prices are comparabl to Tuned Up Custom Rods. Tuned Up Custom Rods are sold in sporting good stores. So that tells me they are massed produced not custom. I use cork, cork/eva, abs, and Winn grips on my rods. Customer picks out the type of guides and thread color. If they want the blank a special color. I paint it. Now that’s custom.

Where do you get your custom cork from, how is it more custom than any other cork handle built from cork? Which custom guides do you get and where can one find custom thread? How many custom rods does one have to turn out before they are mass produced?

James,
A custom rod can be any sort of fishing rod that is built to a custom set of requirements.

There can be 500 rods that are all built in an identical fashion. But, all 500 rods can certainly be custom.

It is all in the eyes and words of the person doing the definition.

Good luck

i,ve had other fisherman ask where i got my rod..i just say it,s homemade and then i get bombarded with questions but if i say it,s custom made they can,t get away from me fast enough..i don,t think custom builders are as respected as they think they are..

This custom notion has more definitions or opinions you can shake a stick at. SO I'll add my opinion. Custom to me means something that is designed or fabricated to an individuals specifications for their use. The builder does have some input regarding the process and fabrication constraints but the ultimate decision lies with the customer.

Is the rod I built for myself custom? Hard to say but I can say without fear of contradiction that the rod I built for myself using different combinations of components and materials is "one of a kind" there is not another rod like it on the planet. I can also say that I will never be able to duplicate that rod, I may be able to build others that looks like it but they will never have the feel, karma, soul or bonding of the original.

Ben I have had that happen to me, homemade, cool, mention custom yikes! they feel that the "you can't live without it" hard sell is coming and they balk. So I start off saying "i'm not in the business its a passionate hobby of mine", and talk about the process.

Having said all this the bottom line is nicely offered by Roger.


Thanks for listening

and very well explained by you John, thanks..

A tuned custom rod is configured so that when you stike a tuning fork and touch the rod it hums "OHHHMMMMM".

I think custom is simply this........ "made to fit the needs or requirements of a particular person". Even if you just wrap the guides in a certain color for a customer it's custom.

Taylored vs Custom?

To me a Custom rod is one built with direct customer input on its specks, design, component placement and so forth. If you just build a rod and sell it, while its custom to the builder who may build another just like at any time. To me it would be considered a 'limited production' rod . Your mileage may very.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2018 01:55PM by Paul Darby.

. . . sort of like Tom said.

Terry Kirk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where do you get your custom cork from, how is it
> more custom than any other cork handle built from
> cork? Which custom guides do you get and where
> can one find custom thread? How many custom rods
> does one have to turn out before they are mass
> produced?

Lol