Which is why guys who fish hard, 3-5 times a week, aren't going to spend the extra money on a custom rod. Even if it was a blank failure I would have to wait longer and spend more money to get the thing replaced. The majority of us don't have the luxry of extra time and money to spend.

I would tend to disagree. Plenty of die hard, hard core, tourney guys, etc. fish with custom rods. Fishing hard and just being hard on equipment are 2 very different things.  

Fishing hard and just being hard on equipment are 2 very different things.

I understand that.  Fishing hard and often means that you don't have time to wait for one of your critical rods to be replaced in the event of an accident.  I have had six rods break on me in the last 20 years of bass fishing and only one of those was due to me being hard on it.

Just to clear the air though.  I think I ended up playing devils advocate a little too much on this one.  I am not trying to put custom rods down.  Like I said before, I have true custom rods that I fish with regularly and some of those are rods that I built myself.  I'll take some pics this week and post them.  I am just trying to answer the original question which was why don't most people use custom rods.

I have 2 now, with a 3rd arriving this week.  I don't know where it will stop! ;D  I am certainly enjoying the "spiral wrap" builds and wish ALL my rods were such.  Definitely BETTER in my opinion.

The one MAJOR killer for me is warranty.  Off the shelf rods have pretty much 100% replacement policies.  If you break it you pay a little and get another.  Custom rods on the other hand do not have this replacement policy and that's a deal killer =(

I question the number of rod builders you spoke to on this.  All professional builders have a policy for warranty replacement... however, most charge for car doors and stepped on rods... as they should.  True warranty situations are pretty rare.  And in those cases you are likely to pay a little for your replacement, just like many factory rods.

If you buy any particular rod because of the 100% replacement warranties, you are not a good candidate for a custom rod...  

In all my years of fishing and subsequent few years of rodbuilding, I have come across exactly 2 defective blanks. (and one was actually a friend's rod)  which makes it below 1% for my own experience.  So even if I'm twice as luck as the average guy, that's about 1 in 150+ rods with actual defects.  

If you count operator error as such, warranties are just not an issue.  If I abuse it and break it, I should have to replace it... not the factory that sold me a quality product that I shut in a car door.

Ok, I'm off the soapbox now.

You're right I haven't talked to any rod builders about warranty, but I've read their policies.  The situation I'm referring to is not one where there is a defect to the blank or workmanship.  In fact if ANY builder or manufacturer didn't replace a rod due to blank/workmanship then I, and most certainly many others, would look to another rod, so that's a moot point.

The warranty I'm referring to is the car door/stepped on policy.  You maybe right, I might not be the best candidate for a custom rod, what are the requirements? I love my rods and try to take as much care of them as possible, but accidents do happen.  For example I fish in some pretty secluded and tight areas, recently I set the hook on a fish and slammed my rod into a large rock near me.  Yes it was my fault, but it's not like I wanted to snap my rod in 2.  In this case I'm out only $50+shipping whereas if it were a custom rod maybe $150+price of a new rod.  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing at all against custom rods, in fact I'd love to have one made by you, reelmech or any of the other fine rodbuilders on this site but for me I love the extra peace of mind I get from a manufacturer warranty.

So, custom rods aren't for everyone. If the cost is "not that important"

you can buy the perfect rod.  The initial cost is not really expensive

for a high-end rod, but if you need all the insurance for "stupid" it's

not for you.

I have had one rod broken on a cast which may or maynot have been

my fault. Every other rod I have broken has been "stupid". I think it's

great to be able to buy rods for life and that's my general preference,

but to have a rod built just for me would certainly be special!

8-)

It seems like high-end rod manufacturers are perpetuating this lack of accountability of their purchasers.  

I didn't know people bought rods just for the warranty.

I have witnessed one honest broken rod, although it was being asked to do more than it was supposed to.

Anthony

Can't expect the small builder to just build another one for free cause you drop the locker lid on it.

Which is why guys who fish hard, 3-5 times a week, aren't going to spend the extra money on a custom rod.  Even if it was a blank failure I would have to wait longer and spend more money to get the thing replaced.  The majority of us don't have the luxry of extra time and money to spend.  

Infidel,

As a custom builder, sorry I just gotta say this....

You don't fish hard you fish stupid. I have seen how the anglers in CA fish, and IMPO none of them are a good candidate for custom gear....

There now its off my chest........ 8-)

Oh and BTW the original question was "Question: Do you use custom rods?"

I don't see them as being a bad candidate for custom gear, they just have to accept responsibility for their actions.

Anthony

Oh and BTW the original question was "Question: Do you use custom rods?"

Well that was answered with the click of a mouse. I was answering this question. The only one that really required any sort of disscussion.

I am wondering why more people don't consider having a rod built for them to get exactly what they want. Money? Time?

Fishing hard means putting a lot of effort into it. It has nothing to do with how I treat my equiptment. But whatever, you're probably right. You have seen how we Cali boys fish.

It seems like high-end rod manufacturers are perpetuating this lack of accountability of their purchasers.  

I didn't know people bought rods just for the warranty.

I have witnessed one honest broken rod, although it was being asked to do more than it was supposed to.

Anthony

It's not a total lack of accountability, it's just padding for the little "just in case" and it's not free to replace a rod.  Also, it's not that I "buy rods just for the warranty" it's that I stay away from rods without a replacement policy.  Semantics? sure, but I take into account the quality/sensitivity of the rods also so the warranty is not the only thing I look at, all my rods are St. croix rods.  

Don't tell me that if you were to break a $400 rod you wouldn't wish you had a $50 replacement policy.  Yes it was an accident, yes it was your fault, but would you take a $400 hit to accept accountability? I wouldn't and I'd have ~$350 to go towards another rod  ;D