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HOW MUCH !’ The BEST vintage tackle is expensive. It was expensive when it was new
because it was the best, and because it was largely hand-made. Since that
time it has risen in value because demand exceeds supply. Rods that have been
restored to a high standard have had perhaps 40 hours of highly skilled work
lavished upon them. It stands to reason that such rods cannot be cheap. There are any number of trite homilies that might be applied to this.
Wise council reminds us that we rarely regret extravagance, and almost always
regret expedience. Most of us find that the best is usually the cheapest in
the long run. Buy the best tool for the job, and its quality will repay you
over many years. Bear in mind that is takes as almost as long to restore a low quality
rod, as is does to restore a rod of the finest quality. So, the better the
rod, the greater is the underlying value within the price paid. If you take a minute or two to look at the photographs on this site,
you will see that all rods are completed to the highest possible standard.
You may want to compare them to alternatives. There are no ‘yes but it’s
original’ excuses for disintegrating varnish-work, blotches on cane, and
splitting seams. Nowhere here will you find it suggested that 50 years of
disgusting black incrustation on a handle from another angler’s sweaty,
greasy hands, give a rod ‘character’. The majority of the rods on this site
are like new, or better than new. A few that have had a little use, may have
slightly soiled handles. This site has been described several times as ‘a gold mine’ of quality
tackle. It is unlikely that there is a better stock of such equipment to be
found anywhere. I’ve just spoken an absolute
idiot who whined on and on about my rod prices. When I politely
pointed out that most rods take the equivalent of a full working week to
restore, and that the cost of the basic unrestored rod, and often new
fittings have also to be included, he seemed dazzlingly unconvinced. With all
due respect, if you can’t afford these prices (which are ridiculously low for
the quality of the goods) it’s not my job to put the situation right for you. |