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Rods and Blanks | Carp Rods | Dealers | Custom Rods | Rod Building | Owner Hooks | Harrison Blog I Contact Us I Tubes for Industry, Hobbies, sailing etc. |
Harrison Guide to Buying your own custom built rod.
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Whilst Harrison factory rod building is the finest quality, there is often a good reason for wanting a cutomised build, a build unique to you. Customisation may be as little as having your name put on the rod, or it may be a complete custom build with different components, handle length or colours. The rod may be for a presentation or it might be a treat to yourself. With a Harrison rod the possibilities are endless. We can make small modifications to our rods in the factory, but if you want a complete custom build you have a choice. We are able to offer some variations direct from the factory or we have a range of partners who will build a rod to your specification. Many of them are well known as anglers and can offer you expert advice. Surprisingly, a custom build does not have to cost the earth. Of course it will vary on the components you specify, so we cannot offer you guide prices, but I can say that some custom builds for say Torrix, start below the price of a factory rod, though you can pay a lot more. |
| The possibilities First, either give us a ring on 0151 709 5981 or go to our dealer list and take a look at the people who offer custom building and have a chat to one or two. When planning your specification you should take advice from the professionals as they all have a lot of experience, but ultimately you can have what you want. Each custom builder has his own area of expertise. For example, Bruce Ashby is hugely experienced in catching big fish in Europe. Vic Gibson is perhaps one of the most experienced and respected all round names. Kevin Baines at the Anglers Workshop is one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met on the physics of rod performance. Chris Orme and Nick Buss are well known as distance carp anglers and Mark Tunley and Roger Mcourtney are fast emerging as experts in other big fish especially barbel, though they know a fair bit about carp as well. John Hutchinson is probably the man with the most experience in the trade. Another talented rod builder to add to that list is Bob Gill who has a new website at www.anglinginnovations.co.uk All build excellent rods to the customers specification, and all can offer good advice. For fly rods you can try Aquarius, Peter Meek, Stan Massey, and Roger Mcourtney or give us a call on 0151 709 5981 for a recommendation. A recent addition to our custom builders is Ian Tucker . Ian is gradually making that move to full time professional but has lots of experience and like most of our builders is a very experienced angler who can offer you good advice. For predator rods, try Dave Lumb , though of course Dave can also supply Carp and Barbel, rods.
Shops that offer custom building include, Yateley Angling Centre, Fosters of Birmingham, Mark II Angling Centre, Johnson Ross, and further North, Leatherbarrows in Urmston. Other Harrison main agents such as Leslies and Planet Carp are able to help with smaller changes to standard rods. Hopefully there should be a dealer or rod builder near you. Here in the factory we keep a wide stock of blanks ready to ship to your chosen custom rod builder. He will phone us and order the blank and tell us any special instructions such as matt or coloured finish. A few days later your rod blank will be on its way to your chosen rod builder. Delivery times will vary with season and work load, but good rod builders are very rare and they are often busy, so you may have a little wait, but it should be worth it. This specialised custom service between Harrisons and our rod building specialists is now unique in the UK. Most UK rod firms cannot offer custom build because they have their rods and blanks mass produced in China and Korea unlike Harrisons who make everything under the Harrison Advanced brand here in the UK. The key point is that you can have a custom built rod on a state of the art Harrison blank for the same price as a top end mass produced imported rod. One will be something personal to treasure for years to come, the other probably discounted next year, discontinued the following. My advice, talk to us or our dealers and custom builders and get the best. If ringing the factory ask for Mike Helliwell.
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