custom rods

[Rob98682]

I work for a custom rod maker but we don't make any bass rods. I have the ability to design and build blanks any way i want them and I am considering coming up with my own line of bass rods. However I don't want to compete with bass pro and the other 50-100 dollar rods. The only way i'd make a go of it is if i could design and build the best bass rods on the planet and sell them at high end prices. What kind of market do you guys think there is for high end bass rods?? are guys willing to pay 2-3 hundred dollars for a rod on a regular basis???

[RedneckfromRI]

Your thought has crossed alot of builder's minds in the past. Right now you have Loomis, St. Croix, Falcon, Kistler building the higher end bass rods and you can go over seas and buy Japanese high dollar rods.
My thinking on this is alot of bass fishermen are looking for sponsors to pay for their gear and the ones that arent wont pay the kind of $$ your talking about.

I had a longtime builder friend of mine tell me flat out that if your plan on making money building rods dont look in the bass market because bass fishermen wont pay that kind of $$$. Fly fishermen are the guys who will throw the money around................(this builder has been doing it for 25-30 yrs)

Between research and development and equipment it would take you quite a long time to break even in my mind.

Good luck if you decide to take the chance!


Russ

[Rob98682]

then i guess i'll blow loomis and kistler rods out of the water and keep them all to myself:)

[RedneckfromRI]

Ya never know! The power of positive thinking!!!!!

[jimmy7]

i gotta agree with russ on this one... breaking into the bass market is going to be tough. However, if you can come up with some innovative and unique rod powers and actions, you might be able to get a good grassroots movement behind your product. However, with major manufacturers like cabelas and bass pro flooding the market with "oK" rods in the $50-75 with decent (alconite/fuji) components... you are going to be hard pressed to have the average angler pay much more for a rod

[Rob98682]

I believe that I'll be able to offer rods far superior to anything on the market in both performance and craftsmanship, simply because i am a nobody and i can spend as much time in RnD as I want I can tune a rod until it's absolutely perfect then build to a standard higher than the mass produced rods can achieve.
If i am going to do this i'll build rods for guys who simply cannot afford to fish anything less than the best. Otherwise whats the point. To be honest I don't care about competeing with anyone on an industry basis i just want to tap into a little bit of a market for people who absolutely have to have the best... not trying to be arrogant here just don't see why I can't build a rod that blows everyone else away :D

[jimmy7]

go for it... :)

kevin van dam is arguably the best fisherman out there right now in the pro circuit... and he definatley doesnt use the best... as russ stated earlier, bass fishermen arent generally very rich and are quite cheap when it comes to equipment... not like the flyfishing market

[Rob98682]

well this would be a side project and i wouldn't be relying on it for my main income i am sure there is a small audience out there willing to pay for quality if i can find thoes people and enhance their enjoyment of their time on the water then that's reward enough:)

[RedneckfromRI]

Rob.....................As long as you dont take my customer's I am behind you 100%!!

[rod "Snapperhead"]

You may indeed produce a superior rod..BUT..you have to convince these guys.

What you WILL hear from them is '' GIVE me a few & I'll try them..If I like them,I'll tell everybody". Bass guys are used to companies GIVING them rods ,then putting that company's decal on their boat.

Best of Wishes to you...

[Mr B]

The way I see it is the person who is looking for a Custom built rod to his liking is not the guy who wants a discount rod. The custom builder cannot compete with the Wal Mart specials. If a guy wants a rod that is less that $50 he should got get it from the store. However if a guy wants a Custom rod with the blank of his choice and reel seat to fit his hand, handle length to his liking and picks his own thread colors. Not to mention having a rod built on the proper spine with some nice Fuji Concept guides with the fuji guide concept being used and perhaps a spiral wrapped rod. The options are unlimited.
These are the guys who you want to market to. These are the guys who will take care of their rod also, not bring you a broken blank every 6-8 months and expect you to rebuild it free everytime, even though they only paid $50-$100 for it.
How much is your time worth to you?

Just my thoughts

Mr B

[rod "Snapperhead"]

Mr B.

Great description,unfortunately, that person is a real minority-especially in the Bass world. The Fly world is easier to target for high-end -high-dollar rods...

[Mr B]

Quite the opposite out here in California. High dollar rods are in the majority of the bass fishermans hands, Loomis, St Croix, Kistler, and many are getting into the Custom builds. Personally I dont sell them but I build them for myself. Lately I have been building on the St Croix SCV blanks (Legend Elite). I save myself some money but get the exact rod I want/need.
There is something about the word "Custom" that should hold some value. It takes time to correctly build a "Custom" rod. That time is worth money. Even if you got the cheapest components availible the labor for a good custom rod is anywhere between $50-$100. Even more if a "Lifetime Warranty" is attached.
Dont sell yourself short doing custom work.

MR B

[RedneckfromRI]

Mr B.....................

Problem with things is that there are more and more so called custom builders popping up all the time..................WHich = competition so you cant always charge premium $$.

I built a rod for a guy out in CA. Shipped it to him..............was a 1pc pitchin' stick that I put a ton of time into..................Guess what? When he got it , it was a 2pc...................
and we are still waiting for the USPS to pay the insurance claim!!!!!!

[Mr B]

No doubt. That sucks!
I busted a 7" ML St. Croix a couple months ago. I had no problem getting the blank replaced but I havnt had the time to rebuild it yet and I sure miss it.
I hate loosing my grips and even the reel seat sometimes when having to rebuild.
Dealing with a shipping claim stinks.

Mr B

[Rob98682]

well i did my first two prototypes last week and built one rod and fished it all weekend.. I was aiming for a 6'6" casting rod for throwing larger spinnerbaits, up here in the northwest larger means 1/2 oz and maybe 3/4 oz. i really like the rod but it came out 6'4" which is plenty easy to fix but to be honest I liked it at that length . It's not a rod i'd use around extreme cover but it's got good backbone for open water and mild to moderate cover. you can feel each turn of the double willow blades and more importantly when the blades mysteriously stop:D

I got a LM about 4 pounds on it less than 24 hours after the blank was rolled..

I also fished the rod with some topwaters, it worked well but was a touch stiff to properly work a sammy, it was great for pitching a sweet beaver and a 1/4 oz bullet, caught lots of smallies doing that..
I don't know how it compares to say a loomis but it's better than all the other rods i have including some team daiwa stuff but i suppose that's all subjective anyway.. all the guys in my club really liked it..

the next ros will be a spinning rod close to 7ft hopefully 2 versions 1 drop shot rod and 1 weightless senko rod

[RedneckfromRI]

Rob,
Ya should have rolled two..............I could compare it to a Loomis SB blank I have sitting in my shop......................

[Rob98682]

I'll roll another one when i get the chance.. :)

[JerryT]

Rob
I better be your first Pro Staffer After all i am a Stratos owner

[weighinalimit]

See! Ya already got a guy wanting to "try out" free rods! JK Jerry!