Looked at the Kistler website today. They now state that the rods are made with Kistler blanks, ex) KC9, KC8, etc.

There is no longer mention of North Fork Composites nor any claim to use made in the USA blanks.

 

I know that I am about fed up with NFC customer service and the 2 and 3 month wait times...has anyone heard anything?

Kistler has moved away from NFC blanks, per Cal after Trey had a conversation /w him, and have partnered /w many "elite carbon factories from around the globe". Didn't say specifically why but I'm assuming the hike in NFC blank costs to him had to do /w it. 

28 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

Kistler has moved away from NFC blanks, per Cal after Trey had a conversation /w him, and have partnered /w many "elite carbon factories from around the globe". Didn't say specifically why but I'm assuming the hike in NFC blank costs to him had to do /w it. 

So does this mean they won’t be made in the USA anymore?

52 minutes ago, Chris186 said:

So does this mean they won’t be made in the USA anymore?

I'm not trey so I can't say for absolute certainty but my guess is the blanks are outsourced, shipped to him and they do all the wrapping/assembling in house for some/most models.  The label might say assembled/crafted in the USA instead of made in the USA. Just a guess. His rods have always been great action and sensitivity wise but they are just inexcusably/annoyingly tip heavy for what his prices are. I wish more companies did what he does for the foam locking nut.

1 hour ago, Chris186 said:

So does this mean they won’t be made in the USA anymore?

The website says that the rods are built in Texas, but no longer says that they are using blanks made in the USA.

I bought a few Kistlers in December, including two customs.  They all say MADE in USA.  I emailed them asking where the new blanks are sourced from.

 

It doesn't make a difference to me if the new blanks are outsourced.  They're great rods and made in Texas.

I have 4 Kistler rods that I bought a few years back. I've been quite happy with them. But with them jacking the price up $50 on all their models this year, they pretty much lost me. 

3 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

 

I know that I am about fed up with NFC customer service and the 2 and 3 month wait times...has anyone heard anything?

I must have good luck. When I call, someone answers, they return my emails, and the longest I had to wait was 4 weeks for a backorder item.

4 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

I know that I am about fed up with NFC customer service and the 2 and 3 month wait times...has anyone heard anything?

I've made a couple of orders in the last few months, plus had to have a replacement sent, and all 3 were shipped in a reasonable time, less than 2 weeks. 

 

As far as contacting them through the customer support email they give you, I've never had a response, but I started emailing the sales representative directly and get good response times every time.

4 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

 

 

I know that I am about fed up with NFC customer service and the 2 and 3 month wait times...has anyone heard anything?

I got my rod within a week, shipped straight to DVT to start on a build

My Helium will be here tomorrow. I heard about the blank change after I had ordered and it already shipped the same day. I sent an email asking about my rod and was told it was built on a NFC blank. Looking at the website now it looks like all the clearance 2020 rods are gone. Glad I got one for the price that I did. 

Ordered one of their new graphite rods in late December on sale and no sign of the rod yet. Customer service has been fairly responsive and promises if the rod doesn’t come by 2/15 they will ship me out a new one. Not sure I care too much about which blank it’s built on, as long as I actually get a rod from them eventually.

That raising the prices, then switching to what will probably be a less expensive blank, and keeping the price increase is so lame. I’m not expecting the price to go back down.

I checked out on kistler a while ago, so it won’t have any impact on me.

I do REALLY like the KLX and Heliums I’ve picked up over the last few years, but the new prices are a bit tough to swallow.  Good thing Kistler runs sales frequently.

The new heliums are now $400. Yuck. I love my Kistlers but I can't stomach that price, even with the discounts Trey offers. 

I had a feeling the Made in the USA shtick was over when they started selling Asian reels. Also it was pretty well known that they were having issues with NFC the last couple years 

 

I still have one KLX squarebill rod that will never be sold. The Helium’s and Mags were solid too but the KLX really shines to me. The others kind of get lost in the $200ish rod abyss. 

Kistler returned my email this morning. Their reply was such that they source blanks that meet their specifications.  If that means a better rod, good.

 

Regarding comments on their price increase, anyone buy ammo lately?  Secondly, Kistler has sales throughout the year.  I buy them when they’re on sale.

 

3 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Regarding comments on their price increase, anyone buy ammo lately?

 

I had to sell all my kistlers to buy 9mm ammo. 

5 hours ago, GReb said:

I had a feeling the Made in the USA shtick was over when they started selling Asian reels. Also it was pretty well known that they were having issues with NFC the last couple years 

 

I still have one KLX squarebill rod that will never be sold. The Helium’s and Mags were solid too but the KLX really shines to me. The others kind of get lost in the $200ish rod abyss. 

What issues did Kistler have with NFC ?  I picked up another Helium during the sale. For $249 they are a steal. 

As to the 2021 models, I guess we will have to wait until they get in peoples hands and see. Personally I'm in no hurry to be the first.

19 hours ago, Michigander said:

I must have good luck. When I call, someone answers, they return my emails, and the longest I had to wait was 4 weeks for a backorder item.

I get answers from them too, but 2 of 3 blanks I ordered in early December are not here.

19 hours ago, kayaking_kev said:

I've made a couple of orders in the last few months, plus had to have a replacement sent, and all 3 were shipped in a reasonable time, less than 2 weeks. 

 

As far as contacting them through the customer support email they give you, I've never had a response, but I started emailing the sales representative directly and get good response times every time.

I've swapped probably 6 or 8 e-mails with them and I always get a quick response. The other day I was less than friendly I guess, but I got an e-mail from them offering a free carbon grip with any X-Ray blank and saying that they had all X-Ray blanks in stock.

 

So I sent them an inquiry as why, if all the X-Rays are in stock, aren't my Blanks being shipped, and if they are not in stock, then why are they sending out e-mails claiming that they are?

 

They replied that the grips are only for new orders.....and she didn't have any idea what they were sending out in the e-mails.....WOW.  I then said that I really don't give a hoot abouit the free grips, I want to know when my blanks will be shipped.

 

Then, she said that 1 of my blanks is done and that she put in for a cut sheet on the other and sent a list of blanks that they do have in stock and said I could substitute one of them if I care to.

 

I was happy with a 1 month wait, but we are 2 months now. Too bad I love the X-Ray blanks so I'll probably have to deal with it a few more times I'm guessing.

18 hours ago, Diggy said:

I got my rod within a week, shipped straight to DVT to start on a build

I think it just depends on what they happen to have in stock. After much back and forth with them I think that they have to make the blanks in batches one (or maybe a few) model at a time.

 

If they happen to have what you order, they send them quickly.

 

I would be happy with them if only they would list whether they have a blank in stock or not and if not provide an estimate of the wait. Next order, I will e-mail and ask them for a list of what they have in stock before I order. It should work out better.

15 hours ago, waymont said:

That raising the prices, then switching to what will probably be a less expensive blank, and keeping the price increase is so lame. I’m not expecting the price to go back down.

I checked out on kistler a while ago, so it won’t have any impact on me.

I just bought one, a Z-Bone. The cork was inferior, the build was good. I can build rods that well so it makes no sense to pay even the sale price just to get the blank I like. I can build that Z-bone with primo seats, guides and grips, and as nice of a build for around $300, so I don't guess it will affect me much either except maybe the X-Ray blanks will be easier to get now...

 

17 hours ago, MontclairDave said:

Ordered one of their new graphite rods in late December on sale and no sign of the rod yet. Customer service has been fairly responsive and promises if the rod doesn’t come by 2/15 they will ship me out a new one. Not sure I care too much about which blank it’s built on, as long as I actually get a rod from them eventually.

 I would guess that the new blanks will be nice blanks...but not X-Rays.

30 minutes ago, NOC 1 said:

I've swapped probably 6 or 8 e-mails with them and I always get a quick response. The other day I was less than friendly I guess, but I got an e-mail from them offering a free carbon grip with any X-Ray blank and saying that they had all X-Ray blanks in stock.

 

So I sent them an inquiry as why, if all the X-Rays are in stock, aren't my Blanks being shipped, and if they are not in stock, then why are they sending out e-mails claiming that they are?

 

They replied that the grips are only for new orders.....and she didn't have any idea what they were sending out in the e-mails.....WOW.  I then said that I really don't give a hoot abouit the free grips, I want to know when my blanks will be shipped.

 

Then, she said that 1 of my blanks is done and that she put in for a cut sheet on the other and sent a list of blanks that they do have in stock and said I could substitute one of them if I care to.

 

I was happy with a 1 month wait, but we are 2 months now. Too bad I love the X-Ray blanks so I'll probably have to deal with it a few more times I'm guessing.

I think it just depends on what they happen to have in stock. After much back and forth with them I think that they have to make the blanks in batches one (or maybe a few) model at a time.

 

If they happen to have what you order, they send them quickly.

 

I would be happy with them if only they would list whether they have a blank in stock or not and if not provide an estimate of the wait. Next order, I will e-mail and ask them for a list of what they have in stock before I order. It should work out better.

Wow, that's terrible. I got that email about free grips also, but it wasn't a very good deal considering you had to buy a blank for $125 and I got all mine for $75 and the grips for $25. But, the grips are pretty awesome though.

 

I haven't had a chance to fish with any of my 4 X-Rays yet due to ice, but they aren't as light as I would of liked. I think I'm going to go with a Phenix K2 or M1, or maybe a Point Blank next time. I would probably buy the grips again though, it would be tough choice between them and the American Tackle G2 Carbon Grips.

4 minutes ago, kayaking_kev said:

Wow, that's terrible. I got that email about free grips also, but it wasn't a very good deal considering you had to buy a blank for $125 and I got all mine for $75 and the grips for $25. But, the grips are pretty awesome though.

 

I haven't had a chance to fish with any of my 4 X-Rays yet due to ice, but they aren't as light as I would of liked. I think I'm going to go with a Phenix K2 or M1, or maybe a Point Blank next time. I would probably buy the grips again though, it would be tough choice between them and the American Tackle G2 Carbon Grips.

Yeah, the X-Rays are not the very lightest, but I think they are very sensitive. But they are not super heavy either. I've been looking at the Point Blanks for a while, but they just don't have that many options that I wanted, but I am eyeing the PB701LXF. But that is not a rod that I use a whole lot throughout the year so it is down the list a bit.

3 hours ago, thunderblack said:

 

 

I had to sell all my kistlers to buy 9mm ammo. 

Who'd have thought a Z-Bone would get you just two boxes of hollow points! ?