After reading through the bamboo get together thread (and then going down a bit of an internet rabbit hole reading about different popular rods), I made and impulse buy of the big auction site.
I browsed several auctions for W&M Grangers, but got a little bit of sticker shock on the ones that looked to still be in good shape. I was hoping to find something I could repair or restore, but he ones that needed work looked really hammered. So on an impulse I ended up grabbing a Shakespeare 1362-9, for about a hundred bucks, not knowing if i was going to get something fishable or a tube of tomato stakes. YOLO I guess.
It showed up today and is in surprisingly good shape. It's a 9 ft 3 piece with both tips. Looks to have been re-varnished because there's some fresh varnish drips on the ferrules.
I haven't had a chance to try any lines on it yet, but it sure seems heavy, especially with the short cork handle. But I haven't even mounted a reel yet, so maybe with a reel on it it will balance out better. I'm guessing a 7 wt line to load it up, but might even try one of my trout spey lines. Maybe with a lower handle added it could be a good switch rod?
I also got a kick out of the tiny diameter stripping guide. Do most folks keep those in order to stay "correct" for the vintage, or swap them out for a more functional larger diameter guide?
I don't have any good pics yet, it just showed up this afternoon as I was leaving for work. I'll try to get some tomorrow with a reel on it.
andy
I browsed several auctions for W&M Grangers, but got a little bit of sticker shock on the ones that looked to still be in good shape. I was hoping to find something I could repair or restore, but he ones that needed work looked really hammered. So on an impulse I ended up grabbing a Shakespeare 1362-9, for about a hundred bucks, not knowing if i was going to get something fishable or a tube of tomato stakes. YOLO I guess.
It showed up today and is in surprisingly good shape. It's a 9 ft 3 piece with both tips. Looks to have been re-varnished because there's some fresh varnish drips on the ferrules.
I haven't had a chance to try any lines on it yet, but it sure seems heavy, especially with the short cork handle. But I haven't even mounted a reel yet, so maybe with a reel on it it will balance out better. I'm guessing a 7 wt line to load it up, but might even try one of my trout spey lines. Maybe with a lower handle added it could be a good switch rod?
I also got a kick out of the tiny diameter stripping guide. Do most folks keep those in order to stay "correct" for the vintage, or swap them out for a more functional larger diameter guide?
I don't have any good pics yet, it just showed up this afternoon as I was leaving for work. I'll try to get some tomorrow with a reel on it.
andy