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Harrison Torrix custom vs factory made

Scott Emery

Scott Emery

Senior Member & Supporter
Hi all,

I've decided to get a Torrix 11 ft 1.75 tc and am trying to decide between a ready made (Johnson Ross Tackle) or a custom one. Would there be a noticeable difference in build quality or anything else between the two? If I do go for the custom, I'm considering one of the Vic Gibson ones (also from Johnson Ross). Does anyone have any experience with him? Also, I know of all the main rod builders - Tunley, Lumb etc and I know everyone has their favourites but in choosing one, do they differ very much in any way or are they all much of a muchness?

I saw a Calvin Hancock video in which he explains the process of finding the spine and the most relaxed part of the tip of the blank so as to eliminate twist and torque when casting. Is this something that all builders do and would an off the shelf Torrix have gone through this process?

Apologies if I've overloaded this post with too many questions. Any tips will be appreciated.
 
The building quality between custom and standard will be no different.
The difference is having it done your way.

Subtle changes like handles, reel seats, whippings, guides, guide patterns, sight tips and bling are all things that can come with custom builds as well as cost and a lead time.

If your not fussed about that go standard build.
 
Hi there scot it's like Richard says custom rod you can get how you want .iv just sold a 11ft torrix wot I add built by mark tunley but I wasn't over happy with how the rod turned out .I since bought the same 11ft torrix from johnson and Ross and over the moon with it ..hope this helps.
 
As has been said; it really boils down to how particular you want to be.

I’m a cheapskate - so I tend to buy custom built rods second hand. That way I save some money because there are loads of lightly used custom rods on the market (which implies that lots of people buy the ‘wrong’ rods). But I’m careful to buy something fairly close to what I actually like or want. For example I would never buy a barbel rod with a wooden handle or those hideous Wye (?) butt caps. I like cork and I like sensible ringing etc etc. Generally for me it is about the blank.

I wanted some Free Spirit carp rods a while back and it took me nearly 2 years to find some custom built ones that I liked (I didn’t like the factory build). They were Tunley built.

Vic Gibson is a very good rod builder. I used to meet him fishing 40 odd years ago on places like Abberton.
 
Robert Morgan said:
Hi there scot it's like Richard says custom rod you can get how you want .iv just sold a 11ft torrix wot I add built by mark tunley but I wasn't over happy with how the rod turned out .I since bought the same 11ft torrix from johnson and Ross and over the moon with it ..hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Can I ask why you were unhappy with the rod mark tunley built and what was the difference
 
I’ve got and had loads of custom torrix rods from mark Tunley and they have all been spot on. I’d say hand on heart the best custom rods I’ve ever had made were from Bob gill unfortunately I don’t own these rods any more but boy were they top notch the finer details to the rods were just way ahead of any I’ve had made from any one else
 
Richard Isaacs said:
The building quality between custom and standard will be no different.
The difference is having it done your way.

Subtle changes like handles, reel seats, whippings, guides, guide patterns, sight tips and bling are all things that can come with custom builds as well as cost and a lead time.

If your not fussed about that go standard build.
Click to expand...
I would echo that sentiment. Custom builds allow you to have a rod built the way you want it, but I would also add -
if you asked all of the rod builders you might care to mention to build you a Torrix 1.75tc with a specific handle, specific handle length, specific set of eyes, you might still get several different rods.
In a way rod building is a creative art and each individual rod builder expresses that art according to who they are, thus the selction of who you might like to build your rod or who you would be happiest have build it, it might be as complex as who you might see as the greatest expressor of artistic talent on canvass, or who might have through understanding driving dynamics and immersion built some of the greatest cars.
 
Robert Linwood said:
I’ve got and had loads of custom torrix rods from mark Tunley and they have all been spot on. I’d say hand on heart the best custom rods I’ve ever had made were from Bob gill unfortunately I don’t own these rods any more but boy were they top notch the finer details to the rods were just way ahead of any I’ve had made from any one else
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Robert.

Cheers
Bob
 
Scott Emery said:
Hi all,

I've decided to get a Torrix 11 ft 1.75 tc and am trying to decide between a ready made (Johnson Ross Tackle) or a custom one. Would there be a noticeable difference in build quality or anything else between the two? If I do go for the custom, I'm considering one of the Vic Gibson ones (also from Johnson Ross). Does anyone have any experience with him? Also, I know of all the main rod builders - Tunley, Lumb etc and I know everyone has their favourites but in choosing one, do they differ very much in any way or are they all much of a muchness?

I saw a Calvin Hancock video in which he explains the process of finding the spine and the most relaxed part of the tip of the blank so as to eliminate twist and torque when casting. Is this something that all builders do and would an off the shelf Torrix have gone through this process?

Apologies if I've overloaded this post with too many questions. Any tips will be appreciated.
Click to expand...
If you do go with Johnson Ross you won’t be disappointed…good quality workmanship, and they will also adapt to your own request too within reason.
 
I have two sets of Harrison rods both from Walkers, both excellent builds with quality fittings. Unsurprisingly Harrison also know a bit about building not just producing carbon blanks.
 
Scott Emery said:
Thanks everyone for your advice. I probably will go with a Vic Gibson custom.
Click to expand...
Look into build times before committing Have a chat with the rod builders too if possible. I took my time and went with Mark Tunley. I chose the Harrison Dark Carbons blanks that he has had made for him. I chose those over Torrix and Chimera’s as I liked the actions more . Im glad I did. Just took delivery of my new rods - 2 month build time and I’m so happy with them.
 
Thanks Simon, when you say you preferred the Dark Carbon actions, were you able to handle them beforehand or did you go by his description of them?
 
Scott Emery said:
Thanks Simon, when you say you preferred the Dark Carbon actions, were you able to handle them beforehand or did you go by his description of them?
Click to expand...
firstly by his descriptions ,but also I have a friend who had one of the 12ft 1.75’s and I compared it with what I was using ( Drennan MB) and a Torrix of the same TC and much preferred the action of the DC it’s stiffer into the butt section but you can feel that there is still more if needed. I had Barbel to 14 last year on the Dark Carbon 1.75 and at no point did I feel not able to control the fish , especially in the fast water when netting , yet had struggled to stop a big barbel I lost on the bowler rod in similar circumstances previous season, For this year I asked Mark about a rod for a hook and hold style fishery which I have just joined , where you can’t give barbel any line or chance to run , and we discussed different options - Torrix , Chimera and Dark Carbons being 3 ( I must admit I’m sold on Harrison Blanks) and Mark said that ultimately the 2.5 Dark Carbon would be the most suitable , I picked them up last week and tried them with him and the action is something else. I had them built with everything I wanted rings wise , reel seat , tip colour and hook keeper , and can’t wait to try them. Well worth a conversation with him at the very least
 
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