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Advice New Rods Advice Needed

The words 'cheap' and 'quality' are rare bedfellows unfortunately SirG. There are bargains to be had out there though, particularly 2nd hand. I don't get caught up in the chase for latest and supposed greatest. Rods like the Zziplex FZero, Century Formula Kevlar TTM and Conoflex Source still serve me very well on my local clean ground. I've had M4GTs and they were superb for 6oz but ever so slightly overkill for me where 5oz rules mostly, and so I and passed them on to a younger mate who fishes all over the UK for all kinds of species. He loves them but admits that the 14' GT Fireblades are a very close runner up. As always its a very personal matter. I still think the very best investment any beachcasting anglers can make is to get good casting tuition and practice - visit a casting meet and ask there, they won't bite your head off and you'll get the best out of any rods quite quickly 😉
 
I've been looking @Cwab I've seen some Century Graphex Super Match apparently mint condition £650 pair but I'm just mindful of having no warranty if something goes pear shaped
To give you an idea of repair costs I recently snapped the tip section of my graphex supermatch. I sent the bits to Century and they made me a new section completely rebuilt and delivered for £158 .
 
The words 'cheap' and 'quality' are rare bedfellows unfortunately SirG. There are bargains to be had out there though, particularly 2nd hand. I don't get caught up in the chase for latest and supposed greatest. Rods like the Zziplex FZero, Century Formula Kevlar TTM and Conoflex Source still serve me very well on my local clean ground. I've had M4GTs and they were superb for 6oz but ever so slightly overkill for me where 5oz rules mostly, and so I and passed them on to a younger mate who fishes all over the UK for all kinds of species. He loves them but admits that the 14' GT Fireblades are a very close runner up. As always its a very personal matter. I still think the very best investment any beachcasting anglers can make is to get good casting tuition and practice - visit a casting meet and ask there, they won't bite your head off and you'll get the best out of any rods quite quickly 😉
Yeah funnily enough I've been looking at casting tuition sessions recently. My father in law would like to learn pendulum casting and I'm by no means a great caster so I'm looking at booking a session for us both as a surprise for him 👍
 
To give you an idea of repair costs I recently snapped the tip section of my graphex supermatch. I sent the bits to Century and they made me a new section completely rebuilt and delivered for £158 .
That's good to know thanks for the info @Reevsey appreciate it. Out of curiosity how did you snap it?
 
Ah so there is someone on here that has and likes the Blackouts 😃 When I had a play with one in the tackle shop I thought it was lovely too
Don't get too excited Steve, he works for Tronix, gets them free... 🤣 🤣

Ian.
 
Ah so there is someone on here that has and likes the Blackouts 😃 When I had a play with one in the tackle shop I thought it was lovely too
I would not touch a tronix rod apart from the cheap ones.
A cheap tronix is probably a decent cheap rod.
But you start getting into proper money then why not take the rods where you know exactly who built them and where they were built???
Thats the choice.
What's the manufacturer's warranty under consumer law? 12 months??
Not to mention that without a country of origin how can you even know what your buying???
Always nice pairs of centurys going 2nd hand or zziplexes just look online....
Why would you look away from these brands? they are the best.... end of.
 
I would not touch a tronix rod apart from the cheap ones.
A cheap tronix is probably a decent cheap rod.
But you start getting into proper money then why not take the rods where you know exactly who built them and where they were built???
Thats the choice.
What's the manufacturer's warranty under consumer law? 12 months??
Not to mention that without a country of origin how can you even know what your buying???
Always nice pairs of centurys going 2nd hand or zziplexes just look online....
Why would you look away from these brands? they are the best.... end of.
I've no doubt that Century and Zziplex are great quality rods but I wouldn't necessarily write off every other brand because its not made in UK. I like to look at all options. As it turns out I'm probably going to go with the Century Fireblade GT's but I'm still not fully decided yet. Want to try to get hands on one to get a feel 👍
 
I've no doubt that Century and Zziplex are great quality rods but I wouldn't necessarily write off every other brand because its not made in UK. I like to look at all options. As it turns out I'm probably going to go with the Century Fireblade GT's but I'm still not fully decided yet. Want to try to get hands on one to get a feel 👍
The 14ft version is very very good.... powerful and very predictable. I had a go before they went on general sale from CKB on here.
The tip is great in tide run and does not pull the lead out.
Hope you get to try one.
I am not writing off all other brands, I actually fish with Italian rods mainly but I have a lot of Century rods and use them all on occassion.
 
I've no doubt that Century and Zziplex are great quality rods but I wouldn't necessarily write off every other brand because its not made in UK. I like to look at all options. As it turns out I'm probably going to go with the Century Fireblade GT's but I'm still not fully decided yet. Want to try to get hands on one to get a feel 👍
 

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