The rod above came in a package that included a Heddon Black Beauty 8’ 1 3/4F, a Tonka Prince and an FE Thomas Special, 8’. They are all lovely rods in their own way. I was happy to find that the Wand was a 7’ and not 8’ that the seller thought. I have an 8.5’ 3 piece Johnson Profile 800 that is gorgeous and has been broken in on the spring shad run. My only complaints about it are the tiny tip top, that makes reeling in any loop to loop sink tip too dangerous if the fish has a sudden spurt, and shad never give up. The double spiral snakes also make a high whine, reminiscent of tinnitus, when reeling in under load.
The Royal Wand has the same gold plated stripper as the Profile, but no gold plated tip top, and only one double spiral intermediate guide. I am guessing it was rewrapped. If so it was an excellent job, or did Phillipson play around with guide combinations? The catalog shows same layout as Profile. Thanks for posting them, jgestar. I am happy enough to leave them as is, given my gripes above.
I have not even test cast this rod yet (tomorrow I will take it to meet a friend who wants to get into fly fishing at the casting ponds), but it is one of those rods that bring a smile to the face immediately upon joining it together, as did the FE Thomas.
I am still sorting out the Phillipson line up. Both the Johnson Profile 800 and the Royal Wand are Scotch Ply, any difference in the blank other than the paint, and, I imagine, taper?
My first fly rod was a 4 piece Orvis 7’ by Phillipson that I saved my pennies for and built from a kit. I guess I have come around full circle.