I'm wondering how many rod manufacturers actually exist out there. I mean the mass produced rods, presumably Chinese or Korean: Abu Garcia, Berkley, Fenwick, Quantums, ... . Are these made from the same factories? Same blanks in some cases? I notice the BErkley Series One and Quantum Energy lines have a lot of the same specs, and they look a lot alike.

How about the Japanese brands: Daiwa, Shimano? Different factories?

Anyone know?

Thanks Mud. I heard 72 too. Dont know where I heard that.

OK, to clarify, could the Quantum Energy be the same blank as a Series One (or pick another pair to compare) -despite the $20 price diff?

I ask bc I know there are large manufacturers that make stuff for everyone. Just curious how common it is for some blanks to be used by several companies -pricing varying bc of volume or price target.

I know this happens somewhat in the fly-rod business, at least in the lower lines, where Loomis sells blanks to many smaller outfits.

Those two would not have the same blank.  There are a couple of very large factories that make rods for multiple companies, but if they develop a blank for Shimano, they won't use that exact same blank for another company.  If say, BPS comes to that factory requesting similar specs in a rod they would still develop the rod from scratch so it wouldn't be identical.

Now if you were talking about two different rod series from the same company (or parent company) it would be possible that they would have the same blanks.  Falcon Bucoo & Falcon Originals share the same blanks for example.

It does seem the Pure Fishing conglomerate rods are similar in ratings -that includes several of big name companies. Prices are not the same though.

Just wondering as I hem and haw over year end rod close-outs.

What you all are discussing are OEMs Companies that manufacture items for other companies... for instance Pinnacle is an OEM and makes high-end BPS and Pflueger reels, and maybe more...  while the low end stuff is produced at an OEM in China... take the BPS line for example... from the extreme up you will notice made in Korea.. from the Bionic down you will notice made in china... all industries use OEMs,  Automotive, Musical instruments, Electronics.. ect ... the difference is... it is engineered by the company and produced by the OEM so they are different. between each brand... now if you move to the Pure Fishing gang... they all have the same engineers and but yet follow the same OEM's in Korea and China.... Most high-end stuff is produced in Korea while China produces some high-end and almost all low end stuff. The great thing about being in Korea is I can buy stuff  in the KDM made buy the same guys that pump out diawa and high-end Abu stuff with better specs at a lower price because their name is not a global icon

The Pinnacle info is a little outdated.  There used to be a factory that made both Pinnacle & BPS reels, but that was quite a few years ago.  If you wanted to know the name of the factory you'd just need to look on a case of higher end reels from BPS or Pure Fishing.

Interesting how things develop. I remember when "Made in Japan" was a joke.

By the 80s, when I was working at a big tackle shop, Japan was making the high end stuff, Korea made the cheap stuff, and China was not playing yet. I also tried to get a lure produced in China, and the agent came back saying they did not have the capability of producing the high quality steel in my prototype.

It must be pretty cool to be able to peruse the tackle manufacturing districts in Korea.