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Mark Tunley specialist multi tip

Jon Frisby said:
I emailed him and he said ' he made a decision not to offer custom options and build them to what he decided was the best way and the best parts for the job etc.
Shame really as he thought he was a custom rod builder?
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If your talking Mark Tunley, and I REALLY love his work by the way, as I have a few of his builds!
Yes. I get the distinct feeling from the many conversations I have had with him recently / post covid, he's definitely moving in a slightly different direction from where he was with his custom builds, and pushing his own line of rods to the top of the priority list. (which I understand)

And this is why I'm having a last push to get the customs I want down now, because in the next 5-10 yrs, I don't think we'll have the calibre of the likes of Roger /Mark for us to indulge in. If we're lucky enough to still have them, then the better quality blanks components won't be.
 
Jon Frisby said:
I emailed him and he said ' he made a decision not to offer custom options and build them to what he decided was the best way and the best parts for the job etc.
Shame really as he thought he was a custom rod builder?
Click to expand...

Blimey, that puts the blockers on me buying a float rod from him then.
 
Julian Griffiths said:
If your talking Mark Tunley, and I REALLY love his work by the way, as I have a few of his builds!
Yes. I get the distinct feeling from the many conversations I have had with him recently / post covid, he's definitely moving in a slightly different direction from where he was with his custom builds, and pushing his own line of rods to the top of the priority list. (which I understand)

And this is why I'm having a last push to get the customs I want down now, because in the next 5-10 yrs, I don't think we'll have the calibre of the likes of Roger /Mark for us to indulge in. If we're lucky enough to still have them, then the better quality blanks components won't be.
Click to expand...
 
I can understand that view. I have never even seen a MT rod but clearly he is a dedicated craftsman. That he decides what is a perfect rod for a specific purpose is fine. I became involved with bespoke software many years ago. It became a nightmare satisfying every prospective customers specific needs. My dealings with Roger involved me setting out my needs, his advising and building to suit. The torrix 11 was built for one specific water and to cope with the fish in there. I would love an MT multi though but can see individual wants slow down a build and for the builder have a negative time impact for little return.
 
Alec Hague said:
I can understand that view. I have never even seen a MT rod but clearly he is a dedicated craftsman. That he decides what is a perfect rod for a specific purpose is fine. I became involved with bespoke software many years ago. It became a nightmare satisfying every prospective customers specific needs. My dealings with Roger involved me setting out my needs, his advising and building to suit. The torrix 11 was built for one specific water and to cope with the fish in there. I would love an MT multi though but can see individual wants slow down a build and for the builder have a negative time impact for little return.
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Exactly right. Custom rod building is a damn difficult way to make a living. I bought an MT mult-tip and the whole concept was for MT to sell a completed rod off the shelf.

Tom Pollard has been selling ‘ready made’ rods for years and now half his business is wholesaling rod components.

I used to know Paul Boote quite well and he built rods for a living for a while. It nearly drove him mad……and another rod builder I knew (Steve Parton) used to be very rude about some of his customers!

I can see a day (fairly soon) when real custom rods are at least twice the price of their factory equivalents.
 
I'm a bit different, if I'm paying £350 plus for a rod, I'd like it built to my personal preference tbh. I really like the concept of the multi tip; but at the moment apart from what fellow BFW members say. I'd still be buying blind, which we have all done and quickly moved said items of tackle on.
 
Yes that strikes a bell with me about buying blind. I have perhaps bought 50/60 rods over the past 12 years, almost all on recommendations I have read. The plan has always been buy, use, like/keep, dislike sell. Around 4 or 5 I never even tried to fish with as not to my taste and moved them on. All part of the learning curve.
 
MT put this reel seat on a torrix for me a few years ago
Very comfortable and screw down and think it was classed as a Combi? It’s not a Fuji reel seat but had a lot of rod hours and solid.
Agree bit of a shame if he’s getting away from custom builds
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Martin Osmond said:
The black Fuji DPS chip really bad now.

I've a set of Torrix TE's built by Vic Gibson that are 15 years old and yes they've chipped a bit but nothing you wouldn't expect.

Had a set of 10ft Torrix for my boys, to match mine, built by Cotswold rods a couple of years ago and they chipped really bad.

I spoke to Dave Ellyatt at ESP about it as they stopped using them on the Terey Hearn carp rods and I know Tom at Cotswold Rods stopped using them too.

I've got the American Tackle version on the Aviators I had built last year and they are spot on, no issues yet and apparently a lot less likely to chip. Their matt black DPS is stunning.

It's only the black DPS that's an issue.
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I’ve got the same on my aviators and think they’re nicer than the Fuji black dps anyway. Older rods I’ve got with black Fuji dps were a mat finish, where as the newer glossier one looks a bit tacky I think.
 
Julian Griffiths said:
If your talking Mark Tunley, and I REALLY love his work by the way, as I have a few of his builds!
Yes. I get the distinct feeling from the many conversations I have had with him recently / post covid, he's definitely moving in a slightly different direction from where he was with his custom builds, and pushing his own line of rods to the top of the priority list. (which I understand)

And this is why I'm having a last push to get the customs I want down now, because in the next 5-10 yrs, I don't think we'll have the calibre of the likes of Roger /Mark for us to indulge in. If we're lucky enough to still have them, then the better quality blanks components won't be.
Click to expand...

Consider getting in touch with Dave Bone, I think what he does looks every bit as quality as the aforementioned.
 
Jon Frisby said:
I'm a bit different, if I'm paying £350 plus for a rod, I'd like it built to my personal preference tbh. I really like the concept of the multi tip; but at the moment apart from what fellow BFW members say. I'd still be buying blind, which we have all done and quickly moved said items of tackle on.
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I agree entirely. Marks configuration of those rods might be right as far as he sees them but they ain’t right as far as I see them. He’s buying the blanks and building them to his own specifications, so why wouldn’t he keep a few blanks to one side when someone wants a little change or something quite special.
One thing I can say for myself when I’m buying a custom rod, money is not a factor. I expect to pay for the privilege of having a one off bespoke thing and I think that goes for most people custom buying. So there is money in it for builders

It’s a shame mark is keeping them to a strict configuration of 1 type.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I agree entirely. Marks configuration of those rods might be right as far as he sees them but they ain’t right as far as I see them. He’s buying the blanks and building them to his own specifications, so why wouldn’t he keep a few blanks to one side when someone wants a little change or something quite special.
One thing I can say for myself when I’m buying a custom rod, money is not a factor. I expect to pay for the privilege of having a one off bespoke thing and I think that goes for most people custom buying. So there is money in it for builders

It’s a shame mark is keeping them to a strict configuration of 1 type.
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I like to think my torrix''s are unique to me. Wasted on me of course and I will miss them when they go but being different has always appealed. I think it probably comes down to what MT considers best use of his time.
 
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