Hypothetical question: if you have two glass blanks of identical weight, length, and taper, and ferrule one with two sections, and the other with four sections, what would you expect end up with in terms of rod characteristics? Would one be heavier? Would one of them be quicker? or slower? How would they differ casting-wise and fishing-wise?

No, no...no BS Andy, I am trying to understand if given two identical tip over butt ferruled glass blanks, will the blank ferruled into two sections behave (weigh, feel, cast, fish)noticeably different than the blank ferruled into four sections?

I have 2 three wt factory Lamiglas blanks I have built. One is 3pc the other a 6pc. I have to tell you the 6pc feels faster. Gotta be those add’l ferrules don’t you think? Roy

I had a 2pc 8ft Parametric that I made into a 4pc. As far as I can tell it still casts the same, certainly not any faster, still slow and smooth. I use it a lot packing in places.

I'm thinking ferrules don't bend. The rod with four ferrules would have more non-bending area than the rod with two ferrules. Therefore, the rod with more ferrules would be stiffer.
Picketpin; my thinking is more ferrules = more stuff that can go wrong. Nothing's wrong with having portability but it comes with added risks. If the multiple piece rod is properly designed, the difference in feel should be minimal. I'd figure in answering your hypothetical question: the four piece rod would be heavier and stiffer. It should feel a bit faster but could also wind up feeling slower IF the ferrules are interrupting the transfer of action. Overall: for the same blank four pieces should be heavier and faster.

It all depends on how the rods are designed. I had an FF70-4 and an FF70-2 and the 4 piece was faster. My FF85 3 piece is one line weight slower than an FF85 2 piece. I have Parametric 8' 3 piece that's one line weight slower than the same rod in 2 piece. I had a 7'6" Lami pack rod that was at least 6 pieces and it was noticeably faster than the same rod in 2 piece format.

Doesn’t need to be a tip over .... I’ve made several Tadpole rods the way he describes using spigot ferrules.

I had a TMR 'Streamer Special ' 8'3" in 2 piece originally and then had Shane construct an 8'3" 'Streamer Special on another TMR Streamer special blank, he cut it to a 4 piece. When comparing them I could not tell the difference between them. They use spigot ferrules. I kept the 4 piece and it is one of my favorite rods and I take it to a lot of places I would not have taken the 2 piece rod.

I may not be a nuanced as some though. Shane told me he couldn't tell a difference either. Tom Morgan may have noted a difference as he designed his 4 piece 'Streamer Special' at 81/2' long.

yes, trev, i believe you are correct that multi-piece tip over butt ferruled blanks are not cut, but sections rolled separately. so, a rod built on two sections of equal length, versus four sections of equal length, with tip over butt ferrules, and both rods the same length when assembled....the two piece rod will weigh less and be softer than the four piece rod. in some cases more noticeable than others. my head is hurting. i need to go fishing!

Tis the seasonal furrowing of the brow, with a prolonged cold spell to encourage it. The constant in the inquiry is a production full length blank with cut-to-ferrule options. As hobbyists, we can't redesign the blank, only contemplate position of ferrules and guides, and maybe some very light dressing of the blank. Back in the day, full length blanks were commonly available to the hobby builder, with two-piece being their most likely configuration in routine building, but other options possible.

I think you have to find out by working with that one blank, discovering what its general performance is (or taking familiarity with it in two-piece as a norm) and working from there. In general, the likely outcomes, and why, have been described above.

If the blank is supplied by the seller in in various section/forms, I would simply ask the supplier about that one product. The outcome may be as suggested above, the ferrule positions formulaic rather than custom.

Individual experimentation alone would give the result for one particular blank supplied at full length, taking into account the hardware and guide spacing as well. Something as simple as an individual's preferred seat-to-stripping guide distance, or grip length, might change the position of the lowermost ferrule.

I think ferrule positions can be simulated for feel by using temporary sleeves. Even if I knew a four piece blank were supplied and cut from the same blank used for its two-piece counterpart, I would purchase it in two-piece form and then put the additional ferrules where I wanted them.

Here is a previous discussion that is relevant to this winter's furrowed brow: viewtopic.php?p=283359#p283359

Pat, the 6'8 blank Phil sells is nice. Westex has the one I built

Bob

Bob, thanks for chiming in. i built the 6'8" 2pc model and i enjoyed it. i found it to be a 4wt for fishing smallish streams, casts of 25'-30' and dries, wets, streamers up to about #8. it was as i recall on the quick side for glass, very progressive taper, with a good backbone. been kicking myself for selling it. which one did you build out -- 2pc, or 4pc?