WOW.... So I bought a Loomis swimbait rod (956) a year and a half ago for somewhere around the $220 mark new. I've really been thinking about selling it (I've burnt myself out on the swimbait scene) and was checking prices, they bumped the 956 up to $275 .

For those Loomis Aficionado's, did they bump up their whole line of rods, or just a few select models. All I can say is I'm glad I bought my Loomis's before the price increase. :-/

It's pretty much every rod they sell.  When you provide the best product, service and warranty in the industry, the price has to reflect that.

I don't pay attention to the price when it comes to Loomis.  Either I have the or I don't.

It's long overdue... I bought a few IMX rods in May 1994 (I remember the date because I bought a boat that month) I paid:

MBR784 $225

MBR785 $240

MBR844 $245

When you do the math, they have actually gotten much cheaper over time with inflation and cost of living. An IMX back then was about the equivalent of twice that price today.

When you do the math, they have actually gotten much cheaper over time with inflation and cost of living. An IMX back then was about the equivalent of twice that price today.

Yup !

I kind of wish that the shop I used to work at was still around. You could NOT beat the deals that our Loomis sales rep gave to the members of the sales staff. ;D I think I paid $90 for my IMX brand new. I didn't make much, but the deals were killer.

It's long overdue... I bought a few IMX rods in May 1994 (I remember the date because I bought a boat that month) I paid:

MBR784 $225

MBR785 $240

MBR844 $245

When you do the math, they have actually gotten much cheaper over time with inflation and cost of living. An IMX back then was about the equivalent of twice that price today.

You can take into account though, that the process to manufacture the blanks has definitely gotten cheaper over the years. Perfecting the process, resulting in less wasted product = more money in the Loomis bank account. If it hasn't, then Loomis is very poorly run. I'll take a wild guess and say that they are not poorly run.

But then you have to take into account the state and local taxes along with the cost of operating and raw product rising. Not to mention im sure they take care of the employees pretty well pay wise so that has gone up as well. Still worth every dollar. Just broke 2 of them last month only cost me 50 to replace, got a bargin because its usually 50 each for shipping but they did them both in one tube so that was awful nice of them. Loomis for life.

You can take into account though, that the process to manufacture the blanks has definitely gotten cheaper over the years. Perfecting the process, resulting in less wasted product = more money in the Loomis bank account. If it hasn't, then Loomis is very poorly run. I'll take a wild guess and say that they are not poorly run.

You would think that's the case, but ironically just the opposite is true (for them). But we'll see if that changes now that they've spent the last year retraining all their rod builders.

You can take into account though, that the process to manufacture the blanks has definitely gotten cheaper over the years.

Actually the process in most instances, has not changed.  That's partly the reason people joke about the IMX being 20+ year old technology as still the industry standard for excellence, and often ask why we don't have better and cheaper options in this day and age.  

Material costs, according to industry insiders has gone up considerably over the past several years as there are several military applications that increased demand.  Labor and operating costs have obviously risen with time as well.

I venture to guess that the profit margins have dropped significantly over the initial years of these rods.  Volume has increased so much that the profits are probably much higher, but on a lower margin.  

Yes, I've made some assumptions too.  

You can take into account though, that the process to manufacture the blanks has definitely gotten cheaper over the years. Perfecting the process, resulting in less wasted product = more money in the Loomis bank account. If it hasn't, then Loomis is very poorly run. I'll take a wild guess and say that they are not poorly run.  

You would think that's the case, but ironically just the opposite is true (for them).  But we'll see if that changes now that they've spent the last year retraining all their rod builders.

You might say that being as Shimano® owns the company.......

You can take into account though, that the process to manufacture the blanks has definitely gotten cheaper over the years. Perfecting the process, resulting in less wasted product = more money in the Loomis bank account. If it hasn't, then Loomis is very poorly run. I'll take a wild guess and say that they are not poorly run.

You would think that's the case, but ironically just the opposite is true (for them). But we'll see if that changes now that they've spent the last year retraining all their rod builders.

You might say that being as Shimano® owns the company.......

You can NEVER escape the Shimano Posse   ;D

Just put a citica e on it.