I won a contest.

[Buzz]

Slick.........I got another PM from the rod maker. I had asked him what taper he was going to use. As you know. The taper is everything in bamboo rods. What I didn't know was he didn't have a 6'6" 3wt on his list of rods that he sells. When I found that out I figured he'd use a known taper.

That's when I found out this guy is no run of the mill bamboo maker. He has 3 master degrees, and is very fussy about the rods he makes. My rod is the prototype. Once it's made the way he wants it. It will then be offered in his line of rods. Keeping in mind that this is a $2100 rod, and it takes 100 hours of labor to build a good bamboo rod. This is part of his PM to me.


"So you know I will be developing this taper from scratch. I will run a good number of computer tests to determine probable stress analitics against the rod's length and the proposed weight. I will then do a harmonic resonence test on the taper once it is complete to determine guide placement. Then when the rod is finished and tested, if it does not seem right, I will destroy it and start over again. (To answer your next obvious question: No, I do not sell the poor quality rods, they are destroyed.)"

[callmeslick]

Wow, Buzz.....Is he going to name the new model after you? I'm thinking the Lucky Bastard 3 weight has a ring to it.

[Buzz]

At first he said the rod would be unmarked. I sort of squawked at that idea, and he told me this.

"I will make sure to contact you when I am ready to label the rod. We can come up with something to make it unique...."



I'd be happy with "built for my name", and 6'6" 3wt. Something simple like that, but I have no idea what he has in mind. Normally, I wouldn't want my name on a rod in case I want to sell it. However, in this case. I'll never sell it.

If you out live me. I'll leave it to you.

[callmeslick]

well, thanks for that cheery thought, Buzz......If you outlive me, I'll send you my fly stash.......unless you piss me off first.

[Buzz]

At least I didn't put any conditions on it.

[callmeslick]

nor did I.....note the winkie, smilie thing. Yours was a very nice gesture. Mine is a bunch of hair and feathers.