I'm planning on building a few spinning rods and was wondering about the quality of blanks as sold by the various venders. Are the blanks always first quality, ie same as used in a company's made up rods? I'd hate to go to the trouble of assembling a rod to have it not perform as well as a "store bought" sample. (I'm assuming I can assemble at least as well as the professional. )

If you stick with the major suppliers you will be fine.  If you visit www.rodbuilding.org and use their sponsor list on the left, you can be sure all of them are good shops.  I limit most of my buying to Mud Hole, FishStick4U, Bingham, Custom Tackle and Neal's.  

You should visit the tacklemaking section here and read the rodbuilding for newbie's thread.  That will help you get started in a way that you don't have to wonder if your rods will fish as well as a rack rod.  You can get as much out of this as you put into it...

By the way, Welcome to the forum!  Your screen name is my old home town...

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck with the rod building.  I can tell you that a nice custom made rod is something fisherman should have atleast one of.  

I would consider having it made for you however.  There are some great rodmakers out there, i hear ReelMech from the board does a great job.  Good luck!

I'd hate to go to the trouble of assembling a rod to have it not perform as well as a "store bought" sample. (I'm assuming I can assemble at least as well as the professional. )

If you just assemble a rod, I truly believe that you will have just what the manufacturers place in the rack.

But if you build (think about the project, components, balance, weight, guide sizes and placement, etc.) you will have what you can't find in a rack.

A rod designed and built to your exact needs.

I also believe it will not be the first one, if it is successful. Watch out for an expensive addiction.

Ask flechero...

Thanks, Guys! I realized I posted to the wrong forum but thanks for the replies anyway! This will be my third rod building project, but first in a while since my flyrods for trout in my youth. ... a few years ago!!!

Garland

Watch out for an expensive addiction.

Ask flechero...

No kidding!!  So far there is no cure....