Originally Posted by
wicklundrh
So, what exactly is the difference:
I'll try to explain using the St Croix example I used above:
They sell a COTS rod with a specific set of guide eyes (cheap). The rod has a split grip (a lot of us hate them), and it is only sold with EVA foam. Many of us in the northern climate prefer cork. So, you are either stuck with this particual rod as it is and purchase a reel that will balance it, you find something else, OR you have one built.
This rod comes with 7 guide eyes. Yes, they are probably ok however you are going to be using this rod for jigging. 7 eyes doesn't follow the rod bend as much as you would like and creates a "pinch point" in the rod. This usually results in broken rods at the pinch point. As a custom builder, you see this and you put in (9) guide eyes. This eliminates the pinch point, puts a lower profile on the line running from the reel to the tip, and in turn makes the rod better.
The COTS rod reel seat usually have masking tape built up underneith them to make up the gap between the blank and the reel seat. This tape has been known in some instances (when not applied correctly) to deaden the feel of the rod. A good builder (or company) will utilizing carbon reel seat arbors, graphite arbors, OR, they will apply the tape correctly, sealing it with the appropriate level of appoxy which extends the sensativity of the rod through the blank and into the reel seat. THIS is one of the major differences between a 20 dollar rod and a 250 dollar rod. As stated above, FEEL. I could build two identicle rods with two different reel seat arbors and you WOULD be able to tell the difference immediately!
COTS rods will only balance certain reels. You may have to go larger (say a 2500 series instead of a 1500 series reel) in order for the rod to balance. This results in the take off of the line leaving the bail to be different or larger than the 1500 reel. Custom builders use a formula to specifically place the first guide eye (known as the stripper guide). This is done so the line is not deflected which results in longer casting, less friction on retrieves, and little to no eye wear.
Take notice when you look at a lot of rods. Chances are they are using a 25mm or 30mm stripper eye. The reason for this is that they cannot be for certain which reel you are going to use so, the bigger the eye in a basic or generic placement helps cover bases. As you go up in price, you will notice guide eyes getting smaller, there are more of them, and their profiles are much different. As I said previously, you can pay 35 cents for one guide eye or 25 bucks. There is a huge difference.
Weight is another issue. The same I can build the same St. Croix blank built at the factory and reduce the overall weight by 1/3rd. It doesn't sound like much to sum, but that is a huge diffence to others. Especially when you use it for 8 to 12 hours per day.
Then you have materials. You have all glass, all composit, glass composit, graphite, high modulus graphite, different resins and different techniques to apply it all. Each componant has its advantages for one or several applications. Purchasing an ATV rod for all purposes usuallys ends with the user having a rod that isn't specifically great at any one task but does ok at several.
Lightweight, sensativity of feel, sensativity of the materials, castability, form, fit, function all play a role in the overall difference. I can try and answer specific questions if you ask but know that there is a difference. Oftentimes, the difference between a higher dollar rod and a lower dollar one has nothing to do with the blank itself but more the componants that go in to building it.
Ever seen a 10 dollar eagle claw blank that is YELLOW! Lots of us have. Heck, I own a few of them. Would you be surprised if I told you that that exact same blank is built from a different company and is sold for 80 bucks? You guys probably own them! The difference between the rods (besides the yellow color) is the materials and componants that went in to making the rod. One of them probably took someone 20 minutes to make, the other took them two hours to make. In the end, there is a difference between the two rods in terms of feel. I've cut many rods apart just to see what is under a reel seat. Trust me, the above holds true most of the time when dealing with cheap rods and tape arbors!
I can go on for days on differences in materials, componants, propriatary blends, and so on. In the end you can choose to try one or not try one.