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Fenwick FL Rods
Post 15 Apr 2022, 18:08 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 08/04/18
Posts: 77
Location: US-CT
I'm of the understanding that the FL Fenwick's were only available to purchase as blanks and that none of them were factory built. My question is would the build quality of a specific rod significantly affect the casting quality of the rod. Now I understand that how a rod feels can be quite subjective to each user, but generally a specific rod would exhibit certain casting qualities based on the experience of many. Can those qualities be negatively impacted as the result of a lesser build?

If this is true, I would think buying a rod built by an unknown source would be somewhat of a risk. I've been looking into possibly picking one of these up and figured this would be a great place to find some insight.

Thanks, Brian


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 15 Apr 2022, 20:52 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Brian the FL kit rods were built to all kinds of levels from joe to pro..
There are multiple guide specs and spacing specs that were employed on these kit builds
And as such they can always be rebuilt to suit your tastes

They were sent out as 1 pc rods that had an over sleeve that would be glued in place once your cut the blank if you so chose..

I just posted up about FL 84-5 rods this morning.
I’ll try to link it here
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=74042#p408945

Not sure what size Fl your looking for but if it’s a 7footer ?
I can send you the guide spacing .

I have two FL 84-5’s
One with 7 total guides inc stripper and tip top
The other has 8 total guides
Both rods utilize fenwick factory guide specs.

If you look at that link you’ll see my two rods
The one with the red wraps was a total basket case when I bought it.
Rebuild turned out awesome. Thankfully former owner at least used proper spacing
but his wraps were horrible ..

Those yellow fenwicks are tuff rods..

We have the technology we can rebuild him..
Que the 6millon dollar man theme song…

Hope this helps
Scotto


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 15 Apr 2022, 23:35 • #3 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
castnhope wrote:
My question is would the build quality of a specific rod significantly affect the casting quality of the rod...?

In general, no. I have some ugly rod builds that fish very well. Aesthetics won't effect function.

Some aspects of a bad rod build will effect casting. Probably the most important is the grip. Too often custom rods have ornate 'custom' grips that don't fit anyone's hand. Second, custom rods sometimes get fitted with heavy reelseats that don't function well. Any aspect of the rod build that is truly an issue will be apparent after a few test casts.

In the 60s and 70s, Fenwick sold light yellow rod blanks with a similar feel as the factory built rods. In the late 70s they began selling the same brown tip-over-butt blanks that were used for factory rods. All of them are well regarded.

Price - an unbuilt Fenwick blank should sell for about 50-60% of the price of a very good condition factory rod. With rare exceptions, a used custom rod should sell for about the price of an unbuilt blank. A really fugly build should sell for considerably less.


Tom


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 16 Apr 2022, 06:59 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Many "custom" vintage rods can be an excellent buy because they are, as Tom explained, worth about the cost of an unbuilt blank. Sometimes the build would add slightly or even decrease the value. They have to be judged individually for what they look like and feel like, but knowing what to expect of the blank the rod was built on helps. That is the important part of what you are buying.

If you mean the yellow series of Fenwick blanks, hard to go wrong with unless dramatically overpriced. Walk away. There are plenty more out there. Odds are a reasonably priced build will work just fine. But examine its condition as you would a factory rod and make sure its components and grip suit your taste. If you have basic rodbuilding skill or want to try it, revisions or a rebuild may improve the rod to your liking.

Do look for repairs like a broken, shortened tip or ill-fitting ferrules.

However, the biggest fault that can slop up a rod that looks in good condition is a way-off guide mounting relative to the spine of the blank. Not likely, but happens. Immediately noticeable when you bounce the tip or cast and the tip section waves or twists off line. If you can't notice it, it's not there or so slight it doesn't matter. Uncommon (happens with factory rods as well), not something to worry about, but something to check for.

You get the best out of a custom built rod knowing there is potential to rebuild it to your liking. But most will be fine as received. The yellow Fenwicks are great candidate buys, and with the great interest in rodbuilding in their time, are likely to be pretty well done viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37987&hilit=yellow+Fenwicks#p124703


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 16 Apr 2022, 09:05 • #5 
Sport
Joined: 08/04/18
Posts: 77
Location: US-CT
Great info here, very helpful. Thanks

The prospect of rebuilding a blank is very intriguing to me as I like to refurb old hand tools, old fishing reels, etc. I may indeed buy an old FL rod just for this purpose, or I may also look for an old unfinished blank. Either way as I get into this in more detail I'm sure I will have further questions.


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 16 Apr 2022, 21:18 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
I have two FL rods that are factory rods after Woodstream bought Fenwick. There must be another line of blanks labeled the same. The FL-6 is the same rod as the FF-786 and the FL-7 is the same rod as the FF-837.


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 17 Apr 2022, 11:59 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
That's a good point and why I asked if it was the yellow series being asked about. Without sorting little details, that's a later series. But just about anything said in the discussion applies to them as well.


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 17 Apr 2022, 12:09 • #8 
Sport
Joined: 08/04/18
Posts: 77
Location: US-CT
I’m sorry I guess I missed that whirlpool, yes it is the older yellow series of rods that I’m interested in.


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 17 Apr 2022, 12:43 • #9 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
paveglass wrote:
I have two FL rods that are factory rods after Woodstream bought Fenwick. There must be another line of blanks labeled the same. The FL-6 is the same rod as the FF-786 and the FL-7 is the same rod as the FF-837.

The FF-786 and FF-837 rod blanks weren't in the 1988 Fenwick blank catalog (image below). That catalog was close to the end of glass production at Fenwick. That doesn't mean the blanks were never on the market, but don't hold your breath waiting for one.


Tom



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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 23 Apr 2022, 19:06 • #10 
Sport
Joined: 08/04/18
Posts: 77
Location: US-CT
ottobahn wrote:
Brian the FL kit rods were built to all kinds of levels from joe to pro..
There are multiple guide specs and spacing specs that were employed on these kit builds
And as such they can always be rebuilt to suit your tastes

They were sent out as 1 pc rods that had an over sleeve that would be glued in place once your cut the blank if you so chose..

Scotto, the over sleeve was this actually part of the blank, or was it a separate item included with the blanks? Is it the tapered section as shown in your linked photos?
Scotto


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 02 Jun 2022, 23:53 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Hey Brian here are the specs and pics I promised on my lil FL84-5’s

My “Disco Ultrafine” with the metallic red /black tipped wraps has a total of 7 guides spaced
0, 5.5”, 11.75”, 18.5”, 26.25”, 37”, 50”


My “Classy Creek Bassy “ with the dark brown wraps tipped in white has 8 total guides with spacing of
0, 4”, 9.5”,16”, 23.5”, 32”, 41.75”, 52”


Here’s a few shots of the oversleeve from the later Yellow FL blanks .
I believe??The early FL blanks/kits came with those cool aluminum “sizematic” ferrules with the oring that were popular at the time .
Others as well I’m sure could have been ordered from fenwick ..



Sorry I wasn’t able to get you the fenwick sheet I had , thanks hurricane Ireane :(

Maybe some of the Fenwick Faithful can chime in a little more on the oversleeves and if they were ever factory installed and sent out as 2pc rods , or if they were always sold as 1pc rods with different ferrule options .

Hope this helps.
Scotto


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 03 Jun 2022, 08:26 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
A sleeve is, by definitiion "over." The yellow blanks were sold as one piece. Builders cut and ferruled to preference, sizematic ferrules being a common installation. As people gained confidence in sleeve ferrules, the FLs were sold cut with a factory installed sleeve ferrule. That is a nice series shown above. Much more info here, and on sleeve ferrules using the search function. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37987&hilit=yellow+Fenwicks+starting+with


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Re: Fenwick FL Rods
Post 03 Jun 2022, 21:31 • #13 
Sport
Joined: 08/04/18
Posts: 77
Location: US-CT
Thank you Scotto for the guide spacing, will come to be very useful.

Great thread Whirlpool, I do remember reading through that at an earlier time.


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