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What model # do you think?
Poll ended at 03 Apr 2022, 14:07
1245 15%  15%  [ 2 ]
922 8%  8%  [ 1 ]
A-922 8%  8%  [ 1 ]
923 15%  15%  [ 2 ]
FY-910 23%  23%  [ 3 ]
FY-910UL 23%  23%  [ 3 ]
Other 8%  8%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 13
Author Message
Wondered ID help
Post 19 Mar 2022, 16:07 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 04/18/20
Posts: 169
Location: Far Western 'burbs of Chicago
Hi Everyone,

I've acquired some 7' and under Shakespeare Wonderods lately and am having fun casting them. I'm not certain what this one is, hoping that some of the experts out there can help me ID it.

It is 6' 6" and has 6 guides. The grip is 5.75" in length and I think there are 13 rings on the cork. In casting it I'd say I like it best with a 6 wt line and it definitely has some stoutness in butt section.

In reviewing the catalogs (what a great resource) I'm leaning towards it being one of the 910s. Would appreciate your thoughts.



















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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 21 Mar 2022, 13:56 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Hey Russ ,
That’s a sweet lil “professional “ stick you’ve got there!

I think you can cross 923 off your list.
The 923 Professional came out in 1965


a few quick noticeable differences
Your rod has the Shakespeare “S” label
Which I believe started in late 60s 68??
Mine has the early 1960s “3 banner” label
Early rods just have the oval “wonderod or glastik wonderod” labels
Then later Shakespeare added the yellow trademark banner
Then a second “US patent” banner
Then a third “Canadian patent” banner

Your “S” style label was used until the later 1970s
When Shakespeare switched to the blue and green “S” label like this

So that would rule out the A-922 as that came out in 1964

Another quick difference is the hookeeper
Mine has the early integrated windingcheck hookeeper

Yours has the later standard style keeper.
My cork has 13.5 rings and Measures 6 1/2 inches
The A922 would have the same integrated hookeeper as my rod

I really dig the two tone reel seat on your rod !
Matches the “professional style “ blk/burgundy wraps on your rod so nicely
Does yours have the Shakespeare script logo on the barrel ?

They are very cool lil rods with a sweet but crisp action
You can rule out the 1245 panfish special rods
As that have green appointments
I had a panfish special in 6.5ft but sold it before Christmas to finance a Phillipson DFS I just had to have .. lol
I do still have 3 7ft panfish specials and a 7ft “Presidential “ rod I score from a member .
I love all wonderods but I really love the 7’9” and smaller rods.
So that leaves the 922 panfish special (which I’ve never seen ) I thought they had all black wraps but I’m not 100% on that

Finally the FY-910s which have the professional appointments and the big “S”label and them being made in 67/68 matches up with your rod pretty spot on.

I think yours is a FY-910
Question is ,
is it the FY-910 standard ?
or the more unicornish FY-910 extra light trout model ?
Since your rod a smaller grip than mine maybe it is an Ultralight??
Time to break out the digital calipers and take some diam measurements.

What other 7ft and under wonderods did you score?

Got me wondering about wonderods …
Ottobahn


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 21 Mar 2022, 14:17 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
I have a 923 and it uses the same tip section as the 910ul but a stouter butt section.Mine is not in great shape but the tip is OK and i bought it for 10 bucks.I figured it is a spare tip if nothing else.I will have to check the label for comparison.I only like the 7' and under WRs with the exception of a 8'6 Presidential that came as new with a Shakespeare auto reel and bass bug line that is a great bass rod.I have had dozens of wonderods as they seem very common to my area for some reason.I didn't like most of em but really like the ones i do.


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 21 Mar 2022, 18:59 • #4 
Guide
Joined: 04/18/20
Posts: 169
Location: Far Western 'burbs of Chicago
Thanks for the feedback, some others that I have acquired are 1245 and FY-920. I like this 'mystery' one best so far, it has a certain 'finesseful' authority to it.

No engraved script logo on the barrel or other markings. The grip is very thin, and with an 11 and 12 year kids that sometime show interest in learning to cast it may just fit their hands pretty well.

Just had it out in the backyard again and was able to get in a nice casting groove with it, I see some small foam terrestrials or boogle bugs in this rod's future soon!


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 27 Mar 2022, 09:39 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 08/26/17
Posts: 189
Location: S.F. Bay Area
Great information. Thanks.
Mark


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 27 Mar 2022, 21:12 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
I voted for the FY-910UL. I’m not sure how many of the listed models are uniquely different. I suspect some are essentially the same rod, but presented under different model numbering schemes over the years. I’m pretty confident it’s not a 1245 or 922.


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 01 Apr 2022, 14:59 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
I have both a 1245, appointed in green as ottobahn mentioned and a FY-A922. My FY-A922 looks just like your rod but it is 7 ft long and the EGG production code would put its manufacture in 1964, again as ottobahn mentioned.

I had a FY-910UL that I no longer have but I recall that it's wraps were mostly grey, if I recall correctly, and the ferrule was a flat grey aluminum.


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 02 Apr 2022, 07:43 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Paveglass,
If your wonderrod was an UL with grey wraps and ferrule
That would make it a
FY-A910UL Purist from 1970-1973

I was born in 1970 and have been trying to score one of those forever ..
Missed the last one I had a chance at .

I did score a 1970 Presidential Gold Cup Bass rod recently ..

Russ post up pics of the 1245 and your fy920
I’ve never seen a FY920 before .

The forum could use more photos to replace all the ones lost to p-bucket and friends..

Let’s build that photo database back up..
Cheers, Ottobahn


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 02 Apr 2022, 08:08 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
Quote:
Paveglass,
If your wonderrod was an UL with grey wraps and ferrule
That would make it a
FY-A910UL Purist from 1970-1973

Correct. The 7' FYA model has "Purist" trim, with the light grey alloy ferrules, and light grey & black wraps, and black reel seat with light grey hoods.

The 7' FY model has a "Professional" trim, with black ferrule and black and dark maroon wraps. Sometimes when the finish yellows, the wraps will appear as all black. Black reel seat with black hoods. The FY and FYA models seem to have the same blank, but I haven't measured with calipers to be certain.

The earlier 7' 1245 & 922 "Panfish Special" models I have are Green / Bronze.

I also have a 7' FY600 with "woodgrain" and spigot ferrule color and a 7' FY708 with a "Purist" type reel seat and ferrule, but almost light yellow and black wraps and a cursive type Wonderod script.

See some nice photo examples in this link .....
https://antiquerodandreels.com/index.ph ... rojects/16

Here's the Wiki with the model #s and descriptions.
http://fiberglass-fly-rods.pbworks.com/ ... eare#LINES

There are numerous photos on this forum and elsewhere.


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 02 Apr 2022, 10:02 • #10 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Springer said..
The 7' FY model has a "Professional" trim, with black ferrule and black and dark maroon wraps. Sometimes when the finish yellows, the wraps will appear as all black. Black reel seat with black hoods.

I believe this to be possibly incorrect.

I’ve never seen a Professional series rod with a black ferrule .
All the ones I’ve seen come with the classy marroonish/copper color


I’ve also never seen a Professional series rod with an all black reel seat .
Al the rods professional rods I’ve held in my hand..
had the all maroon/copper reel seat like this

Alternatively
I’ve have seen the professional rods using Maroon reel seat with black hoods on a couple of spinning rods I sold years ago.
They were exactly like Russ’s rod he pictured originally.
I even checked the antique rod library too .
None of the professional series rods on there feature black ferrules or all black reel seats and hoods..

Would love to see if such a unicorn exists.
Springer can you post a pice of yours with black ferrule and black reel seat?

Springer
I would also love to see a pic of your 922 in bronze appointments..
That fy600 with spigot ferrule sounds super intriguing .. same with the Fy708
Sounds like some cool rods that should be documented and photographed

I searched our forum on Both of those rods and didn’t find anything pic wise..

Springer’s pics he had up on an old FY600 post, sadly have been lost to photo bucket…

It’s a shame that soo many great and informative posts have been lost down the history drain..

I’ve seen this in the car and motorcycle forums losing so much of their awesome archived content to the 3party hosting .

That’s why I never actually joined and started posting until FFR implemented in house photo hosting ..
I feel like it’s actually worth it to post up great info and pics now these data archives are in safe hands at FFr .

There is nothing more frustrating than searching/ scrolling through old/great posts to find all the critical photo info is gone…

Photos tell half the story. So now a ton of old posts only tell half a story ..

It’s our duty since this forum’s info/data is user generated

It’s not so much admin generated.. then we post replies like a blog .

My point,
it’s up to all us anglers and collectors to restock to Data pond so to speak..

So Don’t be afraid to talk about or post up pics of an old rod you may have have years ago .
Those images are most likely gone to the digital sands of time…

We need fresh meat/pics
Lol :lol


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 02 Apr 2022, 11:47 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
Hi Ottobahn (& all), Isn't the "Professional" & trim seat in your and also shown in this below link black ?

https://www.antiquerodandreels.com/rodmanufacturers/477

Mine look that that, and I am colorblind, but I didn't think it was that bad ..... I've been thinking all along these were black, as mine look to me to be the same way, a very different & much darker color from that on the "Presidential, or older "PanFish Special" Wonderods. I have probably 6 or 8 different examples of the various 6'6" & 7' versions.

Anyway I once again apologize to everyone if I'm posting incorrect information, seems every time I do there seems to be a problem of some sort.


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 02 Apr 2022, 12:09 • #12 
Guide
Joined: 04/18/20
Posts: 169
Location: Far Western 'burbs of Chicago
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and voting! Ottobahn, I'm not able to post photos of the FY920 as I've moved it along...I tend to attach quickly to a new fly rod or not. One of the links Springer1 sent represents it perfectly though.

I did get out for a casting session before the rain snow mix hits today. I had the mystery Wonderod, Fenwick FF755 'M' serial number, and a newly acquired Phillipson RWF76. Tried a few different lines with each and here's where I landed:

Wonderod loved a Rio Gold 6 wt (168 grain weight for 30') perhaps wanted a bit more weight, I tried it with a 5 wt Rio Streamer tip line (185 grain (basically 7 wt)) but that seemed to make the rod start to cry uncle a touch.

FF755 seemed like it was made to cast S/A Infinity 5 wt line (150 grain), just sublime

RWF76 I was going back and forth between the Rio Gold 6 and the S/A Infinity 5...it could cast both but seemed to favor the heavier 6 wt line. I also picked up a RWF70C lately that prefers the Rio Gold 6.

Conditions weren't exactly ideal...32* and a southeasterly wind of 10-15 mph, I can only wonder what my neighbors think of me. It's always a bit humbling changing from rod to rod and line to line and getting each dialed in, but fun, nonetheless.




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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 02 Apr 2022, 15:35 • #13 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
Well I'll be danged, my wife says the seats are indeed a dark maroon, with black hoods - here's 2 of them, as well as the 600's spigot ferrules. Sheeez, I'm hoping to post something accurate here in the near future .......


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Re: Wondered ID help
Post 03 Apr 2022, 13:08 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
Hang in there Springer1, those black hoods are truly unique and I have never seen one like that. My 922 is maroon at the ferrule and the reel seat.


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