Thread: NFC Sucks !!!

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  1. #1
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    NFC Sucks !!!

    I've building rods for about 3 yrs now, I get cross eyed trying to figure out a quality product. I read and try and try to learn from various sites and decided the NFC X-Ray must be a good product based on price and of course the name (Gary) behind it. So I ordered 3 rods about 18 months ago. The 1st I put together was great, totally happy with it, the 2nd not so much, about 3" from the end it had 20 degree bend in it, but my reading , it wasn't a big deal, I put it together even though I don't like the bend, it has performed as it should.

    The 3rd 1 I pulled out of the plastic bag about a month ago and spent some more on grips and handles than maybe I should have. About 20' from the butt looks like a black snake ate a egg, a very obvious swell in the rod, not trying to get hung up looks , I went ahead with it. 1st time out it felt great until the 4th cast, while yo yo'ing a worm over a brush pile limb I had to give it a pop to clear it over the limb, the rod snapped like pretzel about 2' from the tip.

    I accept the fact the warranty is 90 days, I sent them a nice e-mail 1st, response was basically " To long a time past 90 days" but they offered to sell me another .
    Just venting and sharing info , and looking for a new rod source, Rod Geeks Carbon 4 looks pretty good right now !
    Roger Ross
    Piedmont Mo.
    Bass Cat / Yamaha

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    #2
    Hydra, Rod Geeks, Point Blank, Liberty, Phenix...even Rainshadow and MHX which for some reason I haven't built much on are all good options.

    I've ordered my last NFC. Blanks are supposed to be straight.

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    #3
    Who buys rod blanks than doesn't check them out immediately? I want to see the second one with half a 45° bend 3 inches from the tip, how did they get the mandrel out without everything blowing up? It has never been normal. Blanks are known to have irregularities, back in the day the straightest blanks were bagged for sale because imperfections are easier to see on a bare blank versus a built rod, the guides and stuff break up the view. G Loomis blanks were almost never straight, why would these be any different? Both were rolled under much higher pressures than other blanks when the prepeg is applied to the mandrel, just how do you roll a 4/64" tip and a 1/2 inch butt together in one motion again without minor straightness problems under 250 psi? Remember the tip and the butt have to turn exactly the same amount of turns, but very different distances at the same time.

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    #4
    So from what I read, you bought a rod 1.5years ago and never inspected it. Then Finally decided to build on a blank with obvious imperfections that would’ve warranted the rod to never be built on anyways, and when the rod broke you contacted the company who has a 90day warranty policy and they’re in the wrong?

    the first thing any builder does (or should do) is inspect blanks right away. I’m a beginner and that’s one of the first things I learned. the issue should’ve been resolved 1.5yrs ago under warranty. the only thing I’m surprised with is the rod didn’t break during the static test if it snapped just lifting a worm.

    I’ve never gotten a perfectly straight blank whether it’s RodGeeks, CRB, Mudhole or NFC. The NFC blank I’m building on now does have a slight bend in the rod that’s more than other companies but it certainly won’t influence my decision to not buy one.
    1995 Ranger 481v
    1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp

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    #5
    I purchased a group of blanks from NFC and inspected them all right away I had one that had the small bulge in it when I contacted them they told sit was from the wrapping process and that it should not effect the performance, I told them I had three blanks Of the same model I was building for someone and they would not except one with a bulge they gave me a replacement under warranty I guess the difference I didn’t with in the week of receiving it

  6. Member apdriver's Avatar
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    #6
    Glad this came up now and in another recent thread. Just purchased a bunch that I’ll be inspecting carefully when I receive them. After building on several NFC blanks already, apart from some of the lighter smaller power blanks having small straightness issues, I haven’t run into any issues. The MB’s, MH X Rays, and heavier blanks have been perfectly straight. Lemme say this and I won’t name any companies. At least with NFC, I don’t feel like I’m getting seconds they are trying to get rid of when they run a sale. That’s all I’m saying about that.
    2013 BassCat Cougar
    Serial # 1B962763

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    #7
    Have any of the NFC/Loomis apologists ever considered that they run so many sales because no one would pay $250-$300 retail for a blank that has a nice curve and takes 2 or 3 months to get there?

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    #8
    Someone who has actually bought their blanks would have noticed those sales are much like wholesale pricing and that is the reason you also have to pay the sporting goods excise tax that is usually included in a retail sale. If you don't want wholesale type pricing, wait sometimes for the less expensive blank, than go elsewhere. They have no distributors and dealers like most of the others to take in large orders, no huge warehouse. Blanks are built in batches, if you order a blank that has sold out you have to wait for the next batch to be built before they can send it out. Nothing new, thats the way it's always been done, all manufacturers you are just ordering direct, very direct. I just looked at the blanks I may order, three blanks give me 75% off the suggested price, so it appears I'm getting two at wholesale pricing and the third for less than $14, sounds worth waiting for to me. By the way of the 74 blanks I have bought I rarely waited more than a week before they were on my porch. Good news is forgotten, or never reported, bad news lasts forever and gets worse as it's passes along.
    A side note, if all blanks are supposed to be absolutely straight, why do high end blanks from Sage and others come with alignment marks on them, on the straightest axis.

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    #9
    Maybe I’m just lucky but I’ve never had to wait more than 2weeks for NFC blanks to be delivered across the country.. even though they might constantly run and might not be that straight I have yet to find a rod as sensitive that costs $100.
    1995 Ranger 481v
    1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp

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    #10
    So far I have four orders with NFC. My first order was two identical Zentron blanks. One blank had a couple bubbles and I requested a replacement. I sent pictures, and without hesitation a replacement blank was sent to me. My second and third order went fairly smooth, but I did have to request four labels as the wrong labels were inserted into packaging. I verified the blanks were correct according to the number taped to the bottom of the blank. Sent an email and and they responded/apologized and shipped the correct labels.

    I don't think anyone would pay anything near the "retail" price of the blanks, and who knows if the numerous sales are business/marketing strategy to increase demand... sort of like every time you walk into a furniture or mattress store there is a "sale" going on.

    I would agree they could improve the website, response times, and possibly QC, but so far for me I feel good about purchasing their blanks considering they are USA made and generally of high quality.

    I will say this, I've been in Kistler's shop when he was exclusively using NFC blanks. He always had a rod rack with discounted built rods due to either blank imperfections or crooked tips. Nothing that would really affect performance or reliability, but clearly enough to not send out as a full price rod.

    2018 LEGEND 211R | 250 MERC PROXS

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    #11
    How much does St Criox want for a SCV blank again, or Sage?

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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Spoonplugger1 View Post
    Someone who has actually bought their blanks would have noticed those sales are much like wholesale pricing and that is the reason you also have to pay the sporting goods excise tax that is usually included in a retail sale. If you don't want wholesale type pricing, wait sometimes for the less expensive blank, than go elsewhere. They have no distributors and dealers like most of the others to take in large orders, no huge warehouse. Blanks are built in batches, if you order a blank that has sold out you have to wait for the next batch to be built before they can send it out. Nothing new, thats the way it's always been done, all manufacturers you are just ordering direct, very direct. I just looked at the blanks I may order, three blanks give me 75% off the suggested price, so it appears I'm getting two at wholesale pricing and the third for less than $14, sounds worth waiting for to me. By the way of the 74 blanks I have bought I rarely waited more than a week before they were on my porch. Good news is forgotten, or never reported, bad news lasts forever and gets worse as it's passes along.
    A side note, if all blanks are supposed to be absolutely straight, why do high end blanks from Sage and others come with alignment marks on them, on the straightest axis.
    I've bought plenty of blanks from NFC since 2017. I posted what's below on the Custom Rod Builders FB page on one of the many discussions about their delivery issues over the past few years. This has been my experience with delivery, these orders total probably 40-50 blanks. I've also had plenty of issues with overall quality and what I would consider blanks that are acceptably straight. Your right, not all blanks are perfectly straight. I guess I'd expect though that coming from a company who seems to claim that the quality of their blanks can't be touched by any other manufacturer I would expect better. I've never had an issue with badly curved blanks from Hydra...or Rod Geeks...or Point Blank...or even Liberty.

    Have seen 2 weeks once in 2018. Here's my order date and ship date of every NFC order I've made...ordered 3/17/18 shipped 4/10/18...ordered 5/22/18 shipped 7/9/18...ordered 8/8/18 shipped 9/24/18 (these were just reel seats)...ordered 12/18/18 shipped 2/4/19...ordered 12/20/18 shipped 2/19/19...ordered 4/15/19 some shipped 6/3/19 some shipped 6/26/19...ordered 11/24/20 shipped 1/18/21. This last order I will say that I have had good communication. Prior to that communication was poor at best. I'm not bashing just pointing out that over 7 orders 6 have been from just over a month to just under 3 months.

    Regarding their "factory direct" model, I had a long conversation with Steve Pitcock from NFC (I don't think he's there anymore) about the fact that now instead of using 5 or 6 distributers they are now selling to hundreds if not thousands of distributers (rod builders). That conversation was specifically from that 5/22/18 order. I had a very good customer who wanted 2 jig rods which were in that order. He's a guide and also a tournament fisherman. He wanted his rods, people don't want to wait 3 or 4 months for a rod. I ended up ordering him a couple of Hydras which showed up in 3 days and he had them 2 weeks before the NFC order even showed up, he couldn't have been happier with what he got. He's not the only person I've had to substitute blanks for. By the way back then, good luck getting anyone to answer a phone or respond to an email...unless the email said please cancel my order. Then miraculously they would ship in a day or two. They've also substituted blanks without asking. I've also only gotten labels for probably 60% of the blanks I've ordered.

    Trust me, I wish the problems I've had with delivery, quality and the inability to even get in touch with anyone at NFC wasn't the case. When on sale the blanks are a very good value and if I could reliably get a reasonably straight IM or HM for say $90ish and $130-$140ish respectively (that's about what they're worth) then they would absolutely be my go to supplier. Even the Deltas for the $30 or so you can get them for when they're on sale make a great rod.

    Glad you haven't had any issues with them. Many, many people have had issues though. Defend them all you want, doesn't change a thing about what many have experienced.

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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Spoonplugger1 View Post
    How much does St Criox want for a SCV blank again, or Sage?
    All retail prices for a nice pitchin blank

    NFC Flip 764HM - $285
    Croix SCV74HF - $220
    Point Blank PB761HF - $183.99
    Hydra FL904FNG - $134.99
    Liberty FS764 - $79.52

    I'd also say, having fished them all that the top 4 all fish about the same from a sensitivity standpoint.

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    #14
    Maybe I should inspect with a fine tooth comb upon delivery, maybe I should static test for guide placement , I've not had any issues with Mudhole's quality or guide placement recommendations on the 15 or so I've built from them. The " sale " price never mentioned any thing about imperfections, or 2nd 's. With the making of the X-Ray process the bends and bulges were somewhat normal, ( so I read) so I accepted it as is, I could live with it. But for it to break on the 4th cast is not. The 1st week I left messages and repeated phone calls with no response , after the email , they did !
    I'm sure they build a quality rod , and I hope those who buy them are happy with their purchase, but for me I'm not and looking for a new source for a high quality rod blank. Looking at Carbon4 and St Croix .
    Roger Ross
    Piedmont Mo.
    Bass Cat / Yamaha

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    #15
    I have no idea what a bulge is, the X ray blanks are bare just the way all blanks come when removed from the oven, most than sand them and the celephane tape lines and imperfections are sanded away. It looks better, but it doesn't make it better. You can sand them smooth if it makes you feel better but I wouldn't touch those fine tips, there isn't much there. One screwup and you have an expensive tomato stake. By the way, the St Croix will always be $220, not so the NFC, that is just the suggested retail price, and like many things that is no necessarily what you pay. I don't think I ever bought a Lamiglas blank for full retail in the catalog, and if you go to Utmost Ent. you'll never pay full nickel for a Batson, or Pac Bay product either.

  16. Member apdriver's Avatar
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    #16
    I ordered 23 rods on 6/7/21 and received my order of 23 on 7/2/21. After reading these complaints, I unpackaged, and inspected every rod in my order. One rod is mislabeled and isn’t the correct rod for the label or what I ordered. I expect that in these times and the new staffing all of our suppliers and manufacturers are going through. Most are plumb line straight with only two glass blanks in this group that I could say may have been better but I can still see all the way through the blanks from butt to tip. In my opinion, these NFC blanks are a good value at these discounted prices. At 30 bucks the Delta LMX blanks are a great value and the HM’s will find a special place in my rod box topped with Metaniums and Bantams. Very satisfied with this purchase and can’t wait to build these blanks and appreciate a quality American made product.
    2013 BassCat Cougar
    Serial # 1B962763