Those of you who have Japanese glass blanks, how did you get ahold of them? I've tried all sorts of internet research and the only place I have seen them are on some Japanese websites that do not list $ amounts or how to order from out of country. Apparently people are getting them since I see them discussed on this forum occasionally. What are the good ones and how do you get one?
photo by Loudog99 |
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Japanese Glass
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 jrb78 |
Japanese Glass |
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Guide
Posts: 32 (08/17/08 17:00:28) |
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lpirrone |
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Master Guide
Posts: 1873 (08/17/08 17:32:51) |
try blue dunn fly shop. i don't know about blanks though. i have bought a couple of axisco glass pack rods. i like them very much.
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jgestar |
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Posts: 2604 (08/17/08 18:39:09) ezOP |
jrb78,
As Larry mentioned, Blue Dun is always a great choice. They will sell outside of Japan and they are easy to deal with. Provided they have access to the blanks you want... Unfortunately, many Japanese merchants are not set up to do business outside of Japan. And the website translator programs are less than optimal for deciphering a website. So you need a bilingual person inside Japan to help you out. In other words, you need a deputy service. The best one for your purposes is probably Crescent-Shop. You contact them with the information about the item you want. They will check out how to buy it and get back to you with costs. You pay Crescent-Shop by credit card. They will purchase the item, arrange shipping within Japan to their location, and arrange trans-shipment of the item to you. You will pay for all this and a fee for their time. Most importantly, they can accurately translate the information on the website and communications with the seller so you understand exactly what you are buying. Crescent-Shop and a couple of similar services can also purchase items for you off Yahoo Japan. I've done this to pick up rods by Quiet Loop, Fenwick/Tiemco, and Tenryu. Overall, despite the extra costs I think things worked out fine. I know Ron has purchased direct from Japanese merchants via Crescent-Shop. Tom |
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gearboy |
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Master Guide
Posts: 210 (08/19/08 09:00:07) |
jrb78, Keep in mind that these blanks are Made in China and not Japanese blanks.
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bulldog1935 |
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Posts: 3445 (08/19/08 09:32:59) Administrator |
to go with Tom's Crescent shop brokerage listing, here are the glass rods from Navy Bass
http://www.navybass.com/index/navybass.FROD.GLASS.htm keep in mind that many of the blanks are rolled from scratch (Izch) and may take 6 weeks or longer |
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CreationBear |
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Master Guide
Posts: 201 (08/19/08 09:56:31) |
Tom-- Any chance of getting a rod review of the Tenryu? (Especially if it's the multipiece version listed on Bulldog's link to NavyBass
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bulldog1935 |
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Posts: 3446 (08/19/08 10:20:11) Administrator |
I just checked my Navy Bass link - with the exception of Axisco, only finished rods are listed. (Axisco blanks are in fact listed, for about $120/ (plus 15% to
Masamichi and $35 to ship...)
Note that if you contact Masamichi at Crescent Shop, and tell him you want a blank, he does a very thorough job of researching the other Japanese sites to find your item and get you the best price.
Last Edited By: bulldog1935
08/20/08 15:49:15.
Edited 1 times.
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jgestar |
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Posts: 2615 (08/19/08 11:57:54) ezOP |
GB, Not all the blanks are made in China. Just like the US, some blanks are built domestically and some are built overseas. In Japan, the Fenwick line is
licensed by Tiemco. Tiemco has been building these rods in China for years now, so the quality is pretty good. My Quiet Loop rods appear to be labeled as
built in Japan, but I could be wrong. It is much like here, the larger companies outsource, while the specialty shops build their own.
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CreationBear |
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Master Guide
Posts: 202 (08/19/08 12:11:15) |
Hmm...those Allegro's are pretty neat looking, kind of like a Hardy in a very interesting length and size
configuration. I think I can speak for all of us here that you (and or Bulldog) need to keep setting a good example with the overseas bling and buy a few up,
ASAP.
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jgestar |
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Posts: 2616 (08/19/08 13:27:39) ezOP |
Alright, I'll buy the Allegro and we'll meet to test it (can you make the Texas Glassic?). But you have to bring the Hardy Perfection (still available here...)! Are you going to get a 6'6" 3 weight or the
7'6" 4 weight?
I have been staring at the Allegros for a few months now, but there is always something more pressing. I should probably hop now. Last fall, the glut of new-old-stock Quiet Loops suddenly evaporated. The prices on the Tenryu Benetts jumped recently when keytaccata bought one (we've got to figure out a way to get this gentleman to join our forum!). I was lucky to snag mine for 8,000¥, plus shipping and deputy charges. They have almost doubled in price lately. Maybe we can get Ron to indulge us with some photos of the very cool reels he has acquired. The Hermit is a beauty! Tom |
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CreationBear |
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Master Guide
Posts: 203 (08/19/08 13:42:24) |
Tom--
Ha...I actually lived about 15 miles from the Cortland outlet a couple of years back...all those Diamonglass rods on the rack are a poignant memory these days! Those are nice prices on the Hardy's though, but as I told Cameron, I might need a rod with a little more "thump" and a little less finesse for my kind of fishing. As for the Glassic, y'all won't be far from where I grew up...I'll check the dates.
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scud dog |
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Master Guide
Posts: 1005 (08/19/08 17:19:10) |
Has anyone fished a Kiraku Halcyone; Coatac, Northern Anglers or one of those sweet looking Takada glass rods? How about the Orafice or Izch? Well, if anyone
is interested in buying a rod from Japan, the Yen is currently on the downslide. So far, I'm happy with my Quiet Loops (7' #2 and 7' #4). They are
as fine as any production rod I've seen. To date I've fished the #2 with a DT2; the #4 with a DT3 and with a WF4. I'm really impressed with the
yellow Fenwicks too (7'3" #3 & 7'6" #5). These rods are true to a WF line rating. IMO, even with the shipping, they're a very good
value. I would characterise all the Japanese rods I own as being on the faster side for glass. I've already stated the Fenwicks reminded me of the modern
Scott F-touch. The Quiet Loops are a bit quicker than any comparable Diamondglass. Well, the shoots down some folks' notition that Japanese rods would be
soft and whippy, doesn't it?
Last Edited By: scud dog
08/19/08 17:27:22.
Edited 1 times.
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 jkurtz7 |
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Master Guide
Posts: 330 (08/20/08 11:27:48) |
I'd like to build on a Japanese blank at some point. I think some research is in order.
J. |
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Rockthief |
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Master Guide
Posts: 804 (08/20/08 12:08:50) |
Yes, the Quiet Loop is quite fast - it rather surprised me, but delightfully so. Fine, fine rods with excellent craftsmanship.
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bulldog1935 |
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Posts: 3452 (08/20/08 13:32:20) Administrator |
I can't believe the same company that made Quiet Loop discontinued them to make broomstick-graphite-tournament-casting rods.
I bought my VF805 for a tailwater trout rod, which it does with aplomb. But I found out soon enough it is also a great smallmouth rod -  and a surprising errant striper rod.
I have an Izch parabolic - the 8-1/2' 6/7X, which I bought for a salt flats rod (and for a more logical freshwater striper rod). Yes, it is parabolic. It is an absolute rocket if you haul to get your line speed. If you try to build up your line speed with rapid arm motions, though -- you won't, but you will get tired. However, with slow arm motions, the rod seems to cast itself. It's a staggered-ferrule rod, with a 60"-long tip section. (warning about this, Masamichi had to build a rectangular box to ship it to me because max length is 55 inches. The blank was hand-rolled from my initial order - Including a 60" pac-bay rod tube, the rod ended up costing me $550). It's really a joy to cast if you like to haul, and keep your arm motions down to short and steady. 
 
I just got this rod last winter, and the best fish I can post with it to date is a (quite) nice endemic river bass, which I was really able to horse around with the rod 
Last Edited By: bulldog1935
08/20/08 13:55:56.
Edited 9 times.
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- Welcome, Messages, Claves, News, and FAQs
- Fishing with Fiberglass Fly Rods
- Glass Tech
- Collecting Fiberglass Fly Rods
- What's New on the Market
- Rod Pictures
- Classic Fly Reels
- Another Spin on Glass
- Rod Building & Tackle Tinkering
- The Tying Bench
- Fiberglass Fly Rods For Sale
- Fiberglass Fly Rods Wanted
- Fiberglass Flyrodders Wiki
