Hello All,

Can same rods be different? ... meaning same manufacturer, same model, same length, same line weight, same number of pieces, and so on... but one stick may have a noticably different feel than the other.

I have heard this mentioned before, not often, and it received little discussion.

I believe I have had a couple occasions where this has happened. (I was using my own line and I was casting in my own yard each time so this can be eliminated from the equation).

How 'bout you guys.... ever experience anything like this?

CG

I have never heard of it. If its the same material, taper, wall thickness and made on the same mandrel it should be so close no one could tell....The only way to explain it is differences in the previously mentioned.

Bamboo is a different deal. I have cast rods by the same maker (he used a mechanical beveler), same taper, length, line wt and the rods were different.
The maker explained it by saying there were differences in density of power fibers and in the cane itself.

I have heard so CG..

Another person who posts here e-mailed me once and we discussed the TFO TiCr series of rods and he says they cast differently within that series. He sells those rods. He likes the rods but says they are not totally consistent because of an impregnation of the IM6 graphite with titanium and chromium dust for dampening characteristics and strength. I have no reason to doubt him. I do not own one of these rods however but would consider buying one if I needed a extremely fast action rod. Lefty Kreh is famous for that. :-) regards.

Would the location of the spine have a noticable effect???

Also, I have heard people claim a rod not being the same after factory repair... replacement of a rod section... usually the tip.

Can a graphite rod get broken in over use to a point that the action is different from when new?

Thanks,

CG

For one of my Beginning Fly Fishing classes, I obtained a dozen rods from one manufacturer, same model weight & length... there was such a notable difference I had to mark them (top & butt) with colored nail polish so that they would stay matched during classes....
Quality control in mass produced fly rods is not necessarily down to 1000 of an inch tolerences....
So the short answer to your question:
YES!
Later,
Peter

YES! E.g. I have owned some G.Loomis GLX 15´#10-11 two-handed rods. They were so different that I could´n use the same line.I could give many more exampels, but I don´t want to bore you.....
Rods are individuals, just like us!

YEEES and Yes again!

I also give a resounding YES to same ID rods feeling different.

I liked the feel of a particular #6, 4 piece demo off the floor.
I asked for an untouched rod from stock to purchase and found the 2 to be chalk and cheese.
The demo was light in the tip and very fast/responsive.
The rod from stock was noticeably heavier in the tip and way more moderate thru the action.

I purchased the demo rod.

I then had a spare tip supplied by the same manufacturer (just in case)
The new tip was a mile faster again.

I would test the individual rod before purchase as manufacturing tolerances and materials can change behind the scenes!!

Cheers.

Hi all,
Even though the rods may be made on the same mandrel, the layup of the trapezoid pieces of graphite cloth might be slightly different which could potentially change quite a bit. Could be something as simple as a couple thousandths here and there ( and I can tell you that definitely makes a difference!) or a difference of an eighth of an inch on sheet overlap and there you go. I agree that the mandrel would make a consistent inner taper but the outer taper (there are actually two tapers on graphite rods) could have minor variances from blank to blank.
Another thought would be that the changes could inadvertently be made in the sanding process. Other than the Scott G Series, pretty much all the major blanks I know of are sanded smooth and then coated. It doesn't take much effort when sanding to make a few thousandths difference here and there.
With all the potential variables here, I really think it's pretty amazing the consistency there is on the rods.
Kind of like trapshooting.....it's not that the targets are hard to hit, it's just that they are easy to miss!
Dewey

EDIT- Just thought of another one. Could be that the "cooking" temperature or variations in it could make some variances in the flex or stiffness of the material.

I'm on board with the yes.
Had a 4 wt, loved it, fast but sweet.
Broke it, replacement rod much slower. Got use to it, in love again. 4 wt's should be slow.
Broke it. Got it fixed, new butt section, uncastable. Like the section were from two different weights.
Replacement rod is different yet. Still don't know if I like it or not.
Never broke a rod in 15 or so years of FF, broke the 4 twice and my beloved 6 wt. IMX last year. The IMX was replaced with a GLX, an IMX it's not, but I have hope for it.
May just go back to Zebbco and Mepps.

Peter