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Post 07 Jul 2022, 21:21 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/07/18
Posts: 428
Location: US-MA
Just received this in today after winning the auction for $5 - cost 5x that to ship it. Was scouring the Shakespeare Wiki info and the catalogs in this sub-forum to try and determine what it was prior to receiving it - as the listing said it was 8'6". I was figuring it was a Presidential model due to the two tone reel seat, but there were no 8'6" Presidential models that were a 6wt. When it arrived today it actually measured 7'7", which some have reported in the archives for these Wonderods. Anyway, I think I have narrowed it down to a 1970 or 1971 FY-A310 with the Action Taper - as it has a cigar grip and 7 guides. I had a 5wt DT line and after about 5-10 minutes I was lawn casting nicely to normal fishing distances for me. I will try it with a 6wt WF and 6wt DT tomorrow and see how it goes. I will need to clean it up a bit, but I am very happy with the new addition and will be interested in getting it out to fish for some trout and panfish.

I am going to try and use some Flitz metal polish on the male and female ferrules to clean them up. Any tips on cleaning up the rod? Would a magic eraser be too abrasive on the blank? I have some 'golden oak' wood putty and may try to clean up the cork with a magic eraser treatment the fill a few of the voids in the cork and give it a sand with some 220 grit.













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Post 08 Jul 2022, 13:23 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
I would avoid polishing the male....methinks you are gonna remove some material. Just clean it up good.

You will be happier with a 7.5ft rod!!


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Post 08 Jul 2022, 17:51 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Could you supply a picture of the tiptop guide?


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Post 09 Jul 2022, 03:39 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
I would use Simple Green and an old toothbrush to clean up the blank and handle. Stay away from the decals. Should be a nice fishable rod. I wouldn’t do anything with the cork beyond cleaning it.


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Post 09 Jul 2022, 19:28 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/07/18
Posts: 428
Location: US-MA
Thanks for the replies folks.

I did use magic eraser sponge lightly on grip and blank, then used some Cetaphil cleaner/moisturizer on grip.

I think it will be a nice 6wt rod.

Here is picture of tiptop, looks gold plated to me like the stripper.





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Post 09 Jul 2022, 21:52 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Thanks for the picture.

Can you read 7'6" on the blank? I can't tell on my phone screen.

From your initial photo I thought the spacing looked short between the tiptop and next guide. Probably just the distance from the camera made it appear that way. Also, your tiptop does appear to have some gold on it.

I was wondering if may have been a 7'9" rod with couple inches missing and a replaced tiptop.

Here's a couple pictures of a 7'9" Presidential tip.




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Post 10 Jul 2022, 12:25 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
G&G- i was just looking at an unusual 8'6 wonderod that had a guide closer than usual to the tip but both sections were equal length and the unusual thread color was on the tip also.It seemed to have more guides than usual and was a crisp thinner blank the lettering was not readable.My friend offered it to me in trade and owns a tackle store and deals in a lot of this stuff.He has had 100s of wonderods over the last 40 years.He feels it is a 6wt dry fly rod.They made so many different rods that were not cataloged .I have a few Heddons that are not cataloged either.OPs rod seems of equal lengths so all good IMO.


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Post 10 Jul 2022, 14:15 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
the hersh,

I think you are right.

Barry


Last edited by GRASSNGLASS on 14 Jul 2022, 15:29, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 10 Jul 2022, 16:02 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/07/18
Posts: 428
Location: US-MA
Grassnglass,

I think it is on there enough that I think I see part of the 7 and the 6. Pretty sure this is original 7’6” length, it is actually almost 7’7”. Think I have keyed it out to the FY-A310 from 1970 or 71 due to the AFTMA 6 WT designation and # of guides, but Gaddis has posted before (in threads I have run across) that the way they counted guides seemed to vary over the years.

It was 3.6oz on my digital scale.


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Post 14 Jul 2022, 07:58 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 06/08/16
Posts: 327
Location: US-MI
I believe what you have there is the Presidential Gold Cup 7-1/2 foot. It’s a great rod. I got mine new when I was a teenager around 1967.


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Post 16 Jul 2022, 11:31 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
The Purist wrote:
I believe what you have there is the Presidential Gold Cup 7-1/2 foot. It’s a great rod. I got mine new when I was a teenager around 1967.
I agree this likely seems to be it. I was initially also thinking maybe a FY-508 which is also a Presidential trim, but I have one and it's definitely marked as a 5wt in the script ( as well as the Wiki). Anyways, my 508 wants to fish with a 4FWF rather than its listed 5, so don't be surprised if yours likes a 5 rather than it's listed 6. If you get a chance to fish it with a 5, I'd be interested in hearing your comments.


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Post 16 Jul 2022, 19:59 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/07/18
Posts: 428
Location: US-MA
Thank you Purist and Springer for the comments and thoughts on the rod. I just loaded a 1494 with a 6wt line to take out to a local pond or to a stream around here. Water is low and slow in a lot of the places that I fish for trout and temps are on the rise. I will cast it with a few 5wt lines DT and WF and also some 6 WF and DT lines I have. I think it will be versatile enough to use either line weight depending on what I am going to be doing. Lawn casting it - the rod does cast well but lawn casting and actual fishing with it are two different things. Want to see how it roll casts, as a lot of times I am doing more roll casting than traditional casting.


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