Hey Fellas : Isn't a custom rod, built specifically for one person, to a standard he sets? I see a lot of really great rods wrapeed by fellas REALLY EXCELLENT WORK and then they place them for sale' Sometimes I see them listed as Custom Rods for sale, shouldn't they be listed as really great rods for sale

I always thought of custom as meaning something that was different from mass produced or changing a mass produced object in some way.  I looked it up, however, and it appears you are right, Muddy.  Custom means made to order or made especially for an individual customer.  You learn something new every day!

Muddy is right, Custom is made customized for the specific person. But I think people use it pretty loosely and use it to describe a rod made not by a major company, and it's unique and there's no two the same.

Cephkiller,

I always thought of custom as meaning something that was different from mass produced or changing a mass produced object in some way.  I looked it up, however, and it appears you are right, Muddy.  Custom means made to order or made especially for an individual customer.

This is correct in the 3 definitions he has listed, with about 10 more...

My rods that are up on-line for sale are listed as Custom Crafted.

I don't use anything preformed (I turn all of my grips etc) or I use construction practices (each blank spined, forhan locking wraps etc) that you wouldn't find in production rods. The art work is definitely custom. The spiral wrapping and guide spacing setups (from static flex testing) is also custom not found on production rods. Each of the rods has been built from my own spec sheets, that I have built a library on, from custom (built for tournament anglers) rods I have built over the last 15 years of building.

Tight Lines All!!!

  If I commission someone to build me a rod it would be a custom right? If I fell and hit my head and decided to sell it, it would still be custom wouldn't it? Granted it was built to my spec's.

  I don't know why anyone would have a rod built for them and then sell it seems like a waste of money to me.

 As for the builders that sell their rods I agree with Reelmech.

Custom means made to order or made especially for an individual customer.

And that doesn't change if said customer sells it- since it was "made to order, for an individual customer", regardless of current ownership.

That's my $0.02.  

The real difference, at least in my mind, is more on value...  custom made for you is probably not perfect for me, so it might not be as valuable to the second owner. (especially if it's personalized.)  But also knowing it was made to a different standard could increase the value in a used custom rod.  

No, I don't think I am explaing myself properly. If I order a custom built rod . I pick the blank,handle,thread,guides and spiral or conventional lets say. That makes it a custom rod.

If a builder constructs a rod NO MATTER HOW FINE IT IS, ( QUALITY IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE)

it is a rod he constructed for no one, by his own specifications. All of the rods here i see are great and well made and the feed back is always good BUT THOSE ARE NOT CUSTOM RODS

Fenwick designs a rod, one of their builders sets up a design, then they make em and sell em What is the difference if one of the builders here :designs a rod,markets the rod and sells it. Obviuosly the rods are eons better than mass produced rods, but they are rods they designed to sell; these ARE NOT CUSTOM RODS they are REALLY GOOD RODS but not made to anyones specifications but the builders

The_Muddy_Man,

Hey Fellas: This last winter ALPSTER wrapped an incredible rod for me. HE JUST GAVE IT TO ME AS A GIFT RIGHT BEFORE WE WENT TO THE FORK. It is a 7',MH Lamiglass Graphite/glass hybird blank,Spiral wrapped with the finest workmanship imagined!!!!!!!! I COULD NEVER AFFORD SUCH A ROD, to say this gift was a humbeling experience is not enough.

 I made every excuse not to use it IT WAS LIKE I WAS AFRAID TO USE IT< I NEVER OWNED ANYTHING SO WELL MADE.

 I put a 5:3-1 BPS EXTREME reel on it  I USE IT EVERY TRIP OUT ON THE LAKE NOW. I have been killin em with this rig and a few brown/green crawfish pattern crank baits

THANK YOU RONNIE, this by far is the BEST ROD I HAVE EVER OWNED

Do you consider the rod Ronnie wrapped for you a CUSTOM rod?

Did you have the input into the rod you describe you need to qualify as a custom rod or was it a surprise gift?

ABSOLUTLEY!!!!! He kept asking me questions over the period of about a month IF YOU WERE TO ORDER YOUR FAVORITE what would you chose etc etc HE IS A GOOD SNEAK!!!!!!

Hey Dave don't take this personal, this isn't directed personally at  you.

 When I played drums for a living, i had a snare mde, to my specifications and that was the only custom made drum I owned, Although if you look at a lot of the stuff i played it would say CUSTOM MADE.

 To me it is a misused and over used word . Your rods are far superior than most, I just don't get the custom monkier if You don't make a specfic rod, for a specfic customer to meet his demands. Oher wise they are REALLY GREAAT FISHIN RODS, but i just can't see how anyone can call em custom made.

Well only a bit to say, I have both, Custom Crafted and Custom Built, both have made my fishing experience so much better... but the one that I have designed have to carry my name on them....this will also make them unique.

There is a difference between custom and artisan. Unless the rod is made to your custom specs, I would consider it an artisan piece. For some people ugly stiks are exactly what they need right off the shelf, but I would hardly call them custom or artisan.

If you requested a rod with specifics from one of our rod builders and that rod builder had one already made to those specs you requested, and did not have to build another one, is it a custom rod? I don't want to be harsh, but I do not see the offense of calling a rod custom built. As far as someone selling a "custom built" rod that was made for them...I bought one that mattlures was selling and I love it. I had one made and don't like it. I consider the rod I bought from ReelMech custom because there are very few made like it. I guess to each their own.

Your not beibng harsh, it's each mans opinion. I will tell you this, If i paid a guy to build a rod and he sent me one already wrapped IT WOULD GO RIGHT BACK!

Obviously, we're just arguing semantics here.  I have no problem with anyone calling their creation "custom."  I'm just glad to see Muddy causing so much controversy on here.  No more Mr. Nice Guy!

Allrighty then...

Obviously, we're just arguing semantics here. I have no problem with anyone calling their creation "custom." I'm just glad to see Muddy causing so much controversy on here. No more Mr. Nice Guy!

It was a simplequestion and it tirred things up a bit , i cetainly wasn't tryinmg to get overboard

but i just can't see how anyone can call em custom made.

Learn How To Build one you will see how...

The last point I will make here....

Many of the rod builders on the RBO site have had a ton of threads on the subject..

Check one of them out here...

custom rod?

Oh BTW someone tell G-Blanks, and Kistler they aren't custom, as used in their labels

Tight Lines All!!!

Man this is begging for my Mom's Brooklyn answer when following someone doin something wrong; IF JOEY MORATTA JUMPED OFF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE< DOES THAT MEAN YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THEM.

For Years now there is a whole class of "LOW TAR" cigarettes. Most honest chemists will tell you no such thing, but there it is right on the lable. UNTIL YESTERDAY>>> NEW LAW SAYS>it's illeagal and misleading all of a sudden.

I will tell Kistler and whoever that a way of increasing value is putting the whole CUSTOM MADE aura to something, and those rods are mass produced , whter by automated or hand lathed.

When JJ JULIANO , a very fine custom LATHIER, sits with you and chooses every thing from snare spring tension, to decoration on the shell and lug displacement THATS A CUSTOM MADE INSTRUMENNT! When YAHMAHA , makes a ver fine Drum kit ( 3,000 of them) and they are better than most drums people get to play and puts STUDIO CUSTOM KIT on them, I beg to differ Great drums but not custom made

If there is a ploy , not dishonesty, of calling an excellent product,CUSTOM MADE, to increase it's desireability, then fine let PT Barnamums suckers fall for that this Guiena don't buy it , never will. I live in a world of mass produced: Cars,Boats,Musical Instruments and Yes Fishinrods that stick the label CUSTOM MADE on it, when in fact it was not made to order by anyone.

I thank all who participated and I respect your varied responses, anyfutre disscussion will go nowhere because my mind is made up so whats the point.

Old Brooklyn Saying: Please do not pee pee on my shoes and then tell me it's raining