Anyone familiar with Browning Silaflex Rods from the 70's?

[czoscar]

I have been going through some old boxes in the attic and found fly fishing gear dating back to the 70's and 80's from my time living and fly fishing in Montana. 

I found a 6 1/2 foot Browning Silaflex model 332914 3 weight fiberglass spinning/ fly rod combo in perfect shape with sock and original tube.  I've tried doing some research but unable to find any information on this specific Browning.  Anyone familiar with this old fly rod?  I will put my 3 weight reel on it and try it on local ponds for Bluegills soon but curious about the rod - I do recall using it in creeks and ponds in Montana on Brookies and small Bows and Browns.

I also found the following old fly reels:  Cortland Crown II, Youngs Beaudex Coho Special by Noris Shakespear (both made in England), a Daiwa SF 706, Pflueger Medalist, and a Martin 65.  I'm guessing some of these were bought for Steelhead or Salmon in the Pacific Northwest/Alaska when I lived in Seattle in the late 80"s.

Anyway maybe someone here can add to what little I know about this old gear from the 70's & 80's.

Unable to add photos but info above is correct.

[dannys]

I can only say I have read about the Silaflex and know a little about a couple of the reels. Might try going to the Fiberglass Flyrodders and do a search for each item you mentioned. If your interest is really peaked, there are folks on that board that can likely give you a "pedigree" of them.

I have a Young Beaudex but not the Coho model.  The old Medalists are popular with folks like me who like the classic reels and rods. What model is your Medalist?

fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/index.php?sid=45fbbe4c71ba4a378c88f72dba1c413b

[czoscar]

Mar 14, 2021 13:01:56 GMT -6 dannys said:

I can only say I have read about the Silaflex and know a little about a couple of the reels. Might try going to the Fiberglass Flyrodders and do a search for each item you mentioned. If your interest is really peaked, there are folks on that board that can likely give you a "pedigree" of them.

I have a Young Beaudex but not the Coho model.  The old Medalists are popular with folks like me who like the classic reels and rods. What model is your Medalist?

fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/index.php?sid=45fbbe4c71ba4a378c88f72dba1c413b

Thanks for the reference/link.  Will check it out.  There is nothing else on the Medalist to indicate model but it is 3 1/4 inches in Dia. and 5.3 oz and a right hand retrieve with no option to change to left hand (that I can see).

[Fenwick]

Hey! It's March 30th and the remodeled Beavers Bend Fly Shop site is back up!
Danny guided you to the fiberglass fly rodders forum which is a great reference where you can find most any vintage fiberglass fly rod Q&A. fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/
As for the Pflueger Medalist you should see the model number stamped on the rim close to the reel foot.
See the historical reference about Pflueger Medalist reels here: www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part287.php
Want to restore your vintage Pflueger Medalist reel? See onepfoot.com/
The onepfoot website used to be a more robust website featuring many detailed photos of all the assorted parts available but you'll see the owner mentions he is somewhat retired and seems not glued to his computer marketing his interesting wares 24/7. He mentions parts photos are on his Instagram account and you can e-mail him for info. I distinctly recall the earlier website and it is the "go to" place if you want brand new replacement parts for assorted vintage Medalists. You could use your old Medalist as a paperweight or restore it to perfect working condition via pfoot and catch the envious eye of those in the know streamside.

My Medalist is a 1494DA paired with my 7 ft. 3 oz. Fenwick Feralite FF70 serial number J 19558 with an AFTMA Fly Line No. 6 marking.
The two piece rod flexes like crazy and a sunny will bend it into a C shape as much as a rainbow will. The beauty is in the surprising casting accuracy at short distances. You can place your fly into the trickiest spots with no problem.
The rod and reel are mint / near mint, all original packaging and not for sale.
The Fenwick was a Christmas present from my dad in 1971. We were at a local sporting goods store in Elizabeth, NJ looking at one thing and I wandered over to the fishing dept. Bob Jacklin was behind the counter. I inquired about local fly fishing and he of course was the right guy to talk to. He mentioned the Fenwick and handed it to me. I knew what they were from Field and Stream ads. My dad looked it over as well. The price was $25 which in '71 was a fortune. A few months later that Fenwick Feralite FF70 found its way under the Christmas tree as a replacement for my 1969 Sears 8 ft. L7F rod and Sears copy of a Medalist. As for a new reel to go with the new Fenwick I was on my own. Months passed and Len Codella opened his Anglers Den fly shop in my home town of Linden, NJ. He sold bamboo only, his shop in my little hometown being the largest collection of bamboo fly rods anywhere on Earth at the time. All the great names in bamboo new and vintage and he had dozens on display and more in the back. It was there I purchased the Pflueger Medalist 1494DA and Cortland 444 fly line, a bunch of Cortland leaders and tippet. Len gifted me a Wheatley fly box. That Wheatley box is bomb proof and looks as new and my rod and reel. A few months later my dad came home from work one day with a smirk on his face. Told me he visited Bob Jacklin again and produced a Browning Silaflex ultralight spinning rod and a Garcia Mitchell 308 ultralight spinning reel. My jaw dropped. That was 49 years ago. Unfortunately I was not aware at the time when my dad gave away his fishing gear near the end of his life. Bummer to have lost that Silaflex and reel. Bob Jacklin has a fly shop in West Yellowstone and Len Codella who established his name in the bamboo rod trade and once owned T&T is trading in high end and antique gear out of his home in Florida.

I have the Fenwick and Pflueger rod and reel out in front of my keyboard now as I type this. Fond memories of my youth and most especially of my dad. I'm kinda glad you bright up the Silaflex question and I hope you don't mind my recollections.  Those were the good ol' days.

[Fenwick]

I suppose you could spend a good while on this site as well:
classicflyrodforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=98&sid=f18e8b55e730e1813ebd23a1ffdfeab0

And deep into the Pflueger weeds here: classicflyrodforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=54846

[frreed]

I went through a fiberglass flyrod phase several years ago. The Browning Silaflex rods were held in high esteem and were hard to find in good condition. The spin/fly combos are, obviously, a compromise and some excel at neither. It should work a treat for pond fishing. Be prepared to experiment with line weights. most of the older glass rods were 5-8 weights. I have a Fenwick Feralite 7'6" that is rated a 5 wt. It casts 4, 5 and 6 wt lines easily. Glass is slow and you can use a lighter line to get a faster feel. I agree with the post above that glass is great for place like the LMF. Shorter casts with great accuracry combined with the slower action makes for gentle presentation and a wonderful relaxed mode of fishing. And the bend... hook into a normal stocker and the rod bows up so well. Get a bigger fish and you'll feel it all the way to the butt (of the rod). If you are used to modern rods, you'll need to slow things down a bit. Once you get the feel, it is great.

Yes, I like glass. The only drawback is that it is heavier in hand and you can feel that on a long day.

[czoscar]

Great information thanks Fenwick and Danny!

And yes the model is there - Medalist No 1494 also.

I reached out to see if Dan Hill would be interested in restoring my reel.  Would be great to fish with it once again.  Definitely needs some restoration.

I apparently bought the rod to backpack and yes it being a combo did not cast as well as I had hoped when I put my 3 weight reel on it recently.   But was fun in the local pond catching small bluegills.

I will see about picking up a vintage fiberglass rod through the information you gents provided to use with the restored Medalust - obviously in the hopefully not too distant future.

Thank you all again - Oscar

[czoscar]

Mar 30, 2021 17:38:23 GMT -6 Fenwick said:

Hey! It's March 30th and the remodeled Beavers Bend Fly Shop site is back up!
Danny guided you to the fiberglass fly rodders forum which is a great reference where you can find most any vintage fiberglass fly rod Q&A. fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/
As for the Pflueger Medalist you should see the model number stamped on the rim close to the reel foot.
See the historical reference about Pflueger Medalist reels here: www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part287.php
Want to restore your vintage Pflueger Medalist reel? See onepfoot.com/
The onepfoot website used to be a more robust website featuring many detailed photos of all the assorted parts available but you'll see the owner mentions he is somewhat retired and seems not glued to his computer marketing his interesting wares 24/7. He mentions parts photos are on his Instagram account and you can e-mail him for info. I distinctly recall the earlier website and it is the "go to" place if you want brand new replacement parts for assorted vintage Medalists. You could use your old Medalist as a paperweight or restore it to perfect working condition via pfoot and catch the envious eye of those in the know streamside.

My Medalist is a 1494DA paired with my 7 ft. 3 oz. Fenwick Feralite FF70 serial number J 19558 with an AFTMA Fly Line No. 6 marking.
The two piece rod flexes like crazy and a sunny will bend it into a C shape as much as a rainbow will. The beauty is in the surprising casting accuracy at short distances. You can place your fly into the trickiest spots with no problem.
The rod and reel are mint / near mint, all original packaging and not for sale.
The Fenwick was a Christmas present from my dad in 1971. We were at a local sporting goods store in Elizabeth, NJ looking at one thing and I wandered over to the fishing dept. Bob Jacklin was behind the counter. I inquired about local fly fishing and he of course was the right guy to talk to. He mentioned the Fenwick and handed it to me. I knew what they were from Field and Stream ads. My dad looked it over as well. The price was $25 which in '71 was a fortune. A few months later that Fenwick Feralite FF70 found its way under the Christmas tree as a replacement for my 1969 Sears 8 ft. L7F rod and Sears copy of a Medalist. As for a new reel to go with the new Fenwick I was on my own. Months passed and Len Codella opened his Anglers Den fly shop in my home town of Linden, NJ. He sold bamboo only, his shop in my little hometown being the largest collection of bamboo fly rods anywhere on Earth at the time. All the great names in bamboo new and vintage and he had dozens on display and more in the back. It was there I purchased the Pflueger Medalist 1494DA and Cortland 444 fly line, a bunch of Cortland leaders and tippet. Len gifted me a Wheatley fly box. That Wheatley box is bomb proof and looks as new and my rod and reel. A few months later my dad came home from work one day with a smirk on his face. Told me he visited Bob Jacklin again and produced a Browning Silaflex ultralight spinning rod and a Garcia Mitchell 308 ultralight spinning reel. My jaw dropped. That was 49 years ago. Unfortunately I was not aware at the time when my dad gave away his fishing gear near the end of his life. Bummer to have lost that Silaflex and reel. Bob Jacklin has a fly shop in West Yellowstone and Len Codella who established his name in the bamboo rod trade and once owned T&T is trading in high end and antique gear out of his home in Florida.

I have the Fenwick and Pflueger rod and reel out in front of my keyboard now as I type this. Fond memories of my youth and most especially of my dad. I'm kinda glad you bright up the Silaflex question and I hope you don't mind my recollections.  Those were the good ol' days.

——————————————-

Thanks for the great information Fenwick - I’m hoping Dan Hill will be agreeable to restoring my old Medalist No. 1494.  From the reference you and Danny sent looks like it might be a 50’s model but I need to do a bit more sleuthing.


You mentioned BeaversBend Fly Shop was remodeled and back up.  How is Roberta doing and will she still be running it?  I think about Coach Eddie often and it just won’t be the same without him but hoping Roberta will/has continued with the fly shop.  Damn COVID !


BTW I also found an old bamboo fly rod with no markings but in the original sleeve - I think it is a cheap model from one of the 40’s/50’s stores, Montgomery Ward or Sears but research on that is for later.


Thanks for sharing your stores about your Dad and your first fly rods.  Sad to not have that Silaflex Spinning Rod and Mitchel 308 reel 😢.  I grew up in the late 40’s and 50’s fishing those great Garcia Mitchell spinning reels on various fiberglass rods.  Sadly I never kept any and haven’t seen one in many many years.


I really enjoyed your reminiscing - thanks again for sharing.

[dannys]

This has been an interesting thread of posts--talking about vintage equipment. I have several Fenwicks from the early to late 60s and one that is early - mid 70s. Those Fenwick rods have seen trout, catfish (yes--on a fly), Guadalupe Bass, Smallies, Largemouth and just about every sunfish we have down here in South Central Texas and the Hill Country. They are my go to rods and I find them very versatile.

Fenwick--I always thought there was a rod-reason behind your board name. Now we know "the rest of the story."

[czoscar]

Apr 1, 2021 2:28:03 GMT -6 dannys said:

This has been an interesting thread of posts--talking about vintage equipment. I have several Fenwicks from the early to late 60s and one that is early - mid 70s. Those Fenwick rods have seen trout, catfish (yes--on a fly), Guadalupe Bass, Smallies, Largemouth and just about every sunfish we have down here in South Central Texas and the Hill Country. They are my go to rods and I find them very versatile.

Fenwick--I always thought there was a rod-reason behind your board name. Now we know "the rest of the story."

——————————-

Good morning Dannys - agree Fenwick’s rest of the story heads some great color and history.  Was great he shared that with us.  Great you still have those old Fenwicks yourself.

I’ve moved around too often, overseas, east coast, west coast, south, north - and lost or gave away all of my old gear.  The recent find in the attic was in a box and in storage while working overseas - then forgotten.
 
I was in your neck of the woods fly fishing early this week - San Marcos.  Fished late Sunday and most of Monday wet wading a stretch of the San Marcos downstream from where the Blanco river enters the San Marcos.  Was slow - only caught two small Guadalupe Bass on my 9 foot Echo Dry 2 weight and Battenkill I reel.


I live in North Texas now and the drive down and back on I-35 was noooooo fun.  Might not be headed that way again 😱😇🤣

[dannys]

Yeah--anytime I have to drive north from San Antonio, I leave at 4 AM (or earlier if I wake up earlier)to avoid the Austin traffic. Should have seen the traffic when it was two lanes most of the way Georgetown and Dallas. What a mess!!!!

The best way to fish down here (at lest for me) is to go with a friend and use float tubes or kayaks; then shuttle yourselves. I have had my best warm water fishing days doing that, floating about 5 miles or more of river. This allows moving through the heavily fished access points quickly and get to water few have access to. Of course there are some stretches one can wade for more than a mile up or down stream (water level permitting). Can get into some good fish that way too.

[Fenwick]

Hi guys. Yeah great fun to reminisce. Glad you liked it. Ought to start a Vintage Fishing Gear chat. I've got more stuff and so do you. Alcedo, D-A-M Quick, Mitchell 300, Pflueger Freespeed 1000, Penn, Heddon, Phillipson, even split cane deep sea boat poles with ruby red line guide liners, braided line, you know, that sort of thing. Old and way old. When you have gear for that long the people and the times associated with the gear are as integral to the story as the equipment itself. In due time all the recently purchased "still new and shiny" will accumulate its own legend and lore while your old gear already has a story to tell. That's why you keep it! Tell us about it. I peruse e-Bay every so often for the old Fenwick rods and older bamboo rods and ephemera and such (no, ephemera is not an aquatic insect) and sure enough they are out there. Thing is, when I see the photos of the old gear, always "slightly used", I can't help but think of families clearing out a passed loved ones belongings. Maybe to them what they've posted in the e-Bay site are just some old fishing poles to sell but to me, when I recognize the rod, the worn cork grips and greenish patina where the shiny metal was, the knicks and scratches on the rod tube and the faded yellowing label I can't help but think of the person who put it to use all those years ago and imagine those times. That gear is personal.

Sheesh, I ought to stop. Now I'm thinking of my grandfathers L.C. Smith Field Grade 16 gauge. Also in admirable condition. It's at my cousins in Louisville. All I have to do is drive there to get it and it's mine. My grandfather liked the stock and fit of the gun. So much so that he traded his Purdey for it with his hunting buddy in even trade. He just swapped it. A Purdey for an L.C. Smith because it fit right. See? The old equipment and the story again.

Tell us your story. In a chat that needs to be started titled Vintage Gear. This'll be great!

- Fenwick

[czoscar]

Apr 2, 2021 15:00:35 GMT -6 Fenwick said:

Hi guys. Yeah great fun to reminisce. Glad you liked it. Ought to start a Vintage Fishing Gear chat. I've got more stuff and so do you. Alcedo, D-A-M Quick, Mitchell 300, Pflueger Freespeed 1000, Penn, Heddon, Phillipson, even split cane deep sea boat poles with ruby red line guide liners, braided line, you know, that sort of thing. Old and way old. When you have gear for that long the people and the times associated with the gear are as integral to the story as the equipment itself. In due time all the recently purchased "still new and shiny" will accumulate its own legend and lore while your old gear already has a story to tell. That's why you keep it! Tell us about it. I peruse e-Bay every so often for the old Fenwick rods and older bamboo rods and ephemera and such (no, ephemera is not an aquatic insect) and sure enough they are out there. Thing is, when I see the photos of the old gear, always "slightly used", I can't help but think of families clearing out a passed loved ones belongings. Maybe to them what they've posted in the e-Bay site are just some old fishing poles to sell but to me, when I recognize the rod, the worn cork grips and greenish patina where the shiny metal was, the knicks and scratches on the rod tube and the faded yellowing label I can't help but think of the person who put it to use all those years ago and imagine those times. That gear is personal.

Sheesh, I ought to stop. Now I'm thinking of my grandfathers L.C. Smith Field Grade 16 gauge. Also in admirable condition. It's at my cousins in Louisville. All I have to do is drive there to get it and it's mine. My grandfather liked the stock and fit of the gun. So much so that he traded his Purdey for it with his hunting buddy in even trade. He just swapped it. A Purdey for an L.C. Smith because it fit right. See? The old equipment and the story again.

Tell us your story. In a chat that needs to be started titled Vintage Gear. This'll be great!

- Fenwick

Some fun back stories but a Purdy - I could never have done that.  I have a 12 ga AYA side by side I got from my Dad.  Had a few of his automatic fly reels (heavy) but lost during one of my too many moves.

Actually that’s not a bad idea - would be fun. Why don’t you copy & paste to new thread like you suggested?

[mplasterr]

First time on the board for me ... been up to fish with Peter a few times .. from plano area ... anyhow .. I grew up in WV in 60's and
my dad took us trout fishing when I was little .. I have his Browning Silaflex fly rod .. 8.5' .. 4 weight .. model 322965 ..
in the original hard plastic tube case .. never did know if it was a decent rod or not .. it is chocolate brown and in very good shape ...
appreciate reading everyone's info about the vintage equipment .. thank you ... MP

[czoscar]

Apr 9, 2021 11:49:19 GMT -6 mplasterr said:

First time on the board for me ... been up to fish with Peter a few times .. from plano area ... anyhow .. I grew up in WV in 60's and
my dad took us trout fishing when I was little .. I have his Browning Silaflex fly rod .. 8.5' .. 4 weight .. model 322965 ..
in the original hard plastic tube case .. never did know if it was a decent rod or not .. it is chocolate brown and in very good shape ...
appreciate reading everyone's info about the vintage equipment .. thank you ... MP

==========

That’s awesome.  You should fish with it in memory of your Dad - maybe some of your local ponds for Bluegills/Bass.

Oscar (Flower Mound)

[Fenwick]

Hi again. Every so often I browse around online looking for the old gear just to see the offerings and the condition of the gear and the asking price. Sure is a wide range of equipment condition and asking prices on FF70's and 1494DA's. Just this week I found another Fenwick Feralite FF70 in very good condition and then a Pfleueger Medalist 1494 DA also in good condition and made the aquisitions. The rod arrived yesterday and is in great shape. The reel arrives later this week. It looked good in the numerous closeup photos and if anything requires replacement there's always onepfoot.com. I think I'll put Cortland 444 DT on the reel to keep in line with the original. I'll keep my original FF70 and 1494DA at home and use the daylights out of the secondary rig. One may ask why I went out and bought a 50 plus year old fiberglass rod and a heavy reel when the new glass and new click and pawl reels are available. Its the story above that I wrote which clues you in.You sure can spend a lot of time browsing around for the old gear. Some of what you come across is in sad condition, other times in pretty darn good shape. I think some sellers are price gouging but that's the web market for you. Anyway, I now have a second FF70 and 1494DA.

[dannys]

Good for you Fenwick--great acquisition! I keep an eye on pricing and noticed that during the pandemic, prices of older glass rods has really gone up, but then again prices have gone up quite a bit on many things. Golf equipment and shoes have also made a big jump.  WIll be curious about the differences you feel between the Feralite and the older FF70.

[Fenwick]

Hi Danny. My original FF70 is a J series and this recent acquisition is an I series and in excellent condition. I think they were manufactured just months apart in the same year. The only difference at all is that the light color wraps on the I are a tad darker than the white ones on my original J series. Other than that they are identical in appearance and in flex. The more I eyeball and flex them for comparison the happier I am about my online find because it wasn't cheap. You'll see there are a lot of the older Fenwick Feralites offered online in assorted lengths and weights and general condition but the FF70 is very uncommon. And the Pflueger Medalist 1494DA can be found online in all sorts of condition from well worn out to nearly new but is not as common as their other 1490-whatever models. Of course with a 1494DA you'd only be interested for nostalgia reasons over practical reasons since it weighs a ton and offbalances the light rods but it IS in keeping with the era. An FF70 / 1494DA combo is just for small water so there's not much concern about the reels drag setting capability. Its a heavy duty indestructible line holder is what it is. You've got to be of a particular vintage yourself to appreciate these rods and reels for what they are. Double taper fly line too. I scratched a bug and now prowl online for more glass Feralites and Philipsons and saw a Silaflex fly rod earlier this morning but it appears to be well worn. I think estate sales are the source for a lot of the older gear. Prolly not seen light of day for decades and then all of a sudden dearly departed great granpa's rod and reel are for sale on eBay. The stories they could tell.

[Fenwick]

Well the Pflueger Medalist 1494DA I acquired via e-Bay turned out to be a disappointment, more worse for wear and missing a screw not evident in the e-Bay photos. I'll bid on another one in hopes I win a decent one cheaper than the cost of screws at onepfoot.com.

Also pondering whether to use cork filler and sealer on the grip of the FF70. The grip cleaned up well and looks new but just like on my original there are lateral gaps and canyons in it since it isn't the very best cork. Anyone ever clean, fill and seal their cork grips? I've seen the filler on cheaper grips and dunno what to think. I watched the YouTubes and the process looks straightforward but do I really need to do that? Any downsides after its done? Does it fall out of the cork after a while? Does the sealer do anything to the feel of the cork in you hand? Just wondering.

[dannys]

If you don't care how it looks, and are after functionality--try glue (waterproof) mixed with sawdust/tiny chips or ground cork. If you seal it up after, you might be able to get away with Elmer's glue for the glue part of the repair. Might be worth a try before going through the cork replacement exercise.

[Fenwick]

Thanks Danny! What you mentioned is similar to using same wood sawdust and various strengths of superglue as filler on tonewoods for guitars and stringed instruments. Should've occurred to me sooner.

The Fenwick Feralite FF70 has a decal mentioning using paraffin wax on the ferrule connection. I've been doing that for over 50 years on not only the Fenwick but all my more contemporary rods as well. One brick of Gulfwax sealing wax found alongside canning jars and lids at Walmart or Target or wherever is more than a lifetime supply when cut up into squares and divvied up among several fishermen. Anyone use anything else? Is there some "official" product to use? Seems the Gulfwax rubbed on the male end does just fine to me. I always have some in my kit bag.

I'm sure we've all experienced from time to time being absolutely unable to disassemble a four or two piece rod when It's time to pack it in for the day and get all your gear in the car for the ride home. What a pain! It seemed Hercules himself couldn't get the section to separate despite any and every technique. I'd wind up leaving the rod assembled only to find days later it would come apart with no effort at all. Go figure.

[Fenwick]

I've completely lost my mind and am addicted to e-Bay auctions of the old glass era gear. I can't stop looking. Must be trying to buy relics of my youth or something. Just picked up yet another Fenwick Feralite FF70 and have my eye on a different famous glass brand of the same era, same size etc. The older Alcedo and D-A-M quick spinning reels in mint condition also beckon but I don't really want to get back into spin fishing. There's a few Browning Silaflex rods in decent shape on e-Bay as well. Just sayin'. Hey wait, isn't the fly shop supposed to have some older nice gear available from time to time? Hmmm.

P.S. The 7 ft. 6wt Phillipson Royal Wand I was going to bid on was at $136 this morning and then went over $200 as the auction clock ticked down. Maybe next time.

[dannys]

I went through that a few years ago and finally quit when I ran out of space in my rod rack. Have you looked at the "for sale" area on Fiberglass Flyrodders? Some pretty good deals on there and the sellers are mostly well known by other forum members. Heard some horror stories stemming from purchases from some discount/auction sites.

I entered the vintage glass realm mainly because of the feel of those rods. There are also some exceptional current day glass builders. Some day, my two Steffans might be considered vintage.

[turfdawg]

Feb 20, 2022 15:52:52 GMT -6 dannys said:

I went through that a few years ago and finally quit when I ran out of space in my rod rack. Have you looked at the "for sale" area on Fiberglass Flyrodders? Some pretty good deals on there and the sellers are mostly well known by other forum members. Heard some horror stories stemming from purchases from some discount/auction sites.

I entered the vintage glass realm mainly because of the feel of those rods. There are also some exceptional current day glass builders. Some day, my two Steffans might be considered vintage.

Sure glad Shane Gray bought Steffan Bros.

[Fenwick]

Danny: I've been through that site and others. Very good reference material provided. Learned a lot about Phillipson glass today. Tried enrolling at fiberflass flyrodders but the Captcha device keeps screwing up my applications. I lost out on a bid for another 1494DA in great condition but those are fairly common. Found a rod on e-Bay an hour ago that is strictly for sale, no bidding but I hesitate at the price. He who hesitates.....
I've got the vintage acquisition bug for sure.

Bill, the flex of the rod in your photo make me think it might be a glass rod.
It's the crazy accuracy of short casts of dries to confined spaces that I'm interested in and there's more feel transmitted through them. Their flex works against you when rigged for tandem nymphing so thats where my others graphite fast rods come into play.