A very interesting thread. To live in this country and be able to purchase any of the aforementioned rods, US made or not, to either participate in tournaments professionally or as with most of us, on our two day weekends, is only one small perk of living in this great land! Quality is Quality. Competition demands it. Manufacturer's must respond to the challenge or shut their doors. All of the rods mentioned on this thread have a niche and all are fighting for their survival. Let us be thankful that Ray Scott started it all with a dream and the fierce competition between anglers, regions, states and wannabe anglers have fueled the fire to where we can now purchase a rod that has been specifically designed for the pursuit of any fish that swims with any type lure, under any conditions. Who remembers waaaayyyyy back when one could visit their local firestone or western auto store for fishing tackle. Creme worms were introduced..Mitchell 300's were the newest craze. Shakespeare, Pflueger, zebco and johnson reels were HOT. The HOT rods were Garcia Conolon, Shakespeare wonder rods in 3 or 4 models. They all seemed to do the job. We all caught fish. We laid down $25 for an outfit an expected it to perform and live up to standards of the day. When I was younger, I would "lay away" tackle and pay for it by the week! How proud I would be when I dropped by with the final payment and walked out the door admiring my newest fishing companion. In a nutshell...Isn't it wonderful that our sport has grown so immensely over the past 40 years and the biologists have managed our greatest natural resource, THE FISH, so that not only the casual fisherman, who goes perhaps once or twice per month but also the Professional angler who fish the National circuits, the thousands of sanctioned bass clubs who fish our lakes every week, catching untold numbers of fish, can still invest in a $300 reel and a matching rod for another $300 and place it in the rod locker of their $45,000 boat and know that the FISH is still out there, looking to pounce upon our first and every presentation.........Whoa.. whazzup! My hidden agenda has raised it's ugly head (writing). Let me apologize. I did not mean to write a book. Enjoy your G-Loomis's, Castaways, Powells and Texas Sidewinders...they will all satisfy SOME of you and after all, equipment aside, isn't it really the man behind the rod who brings the largest weight to the scales? Sorry for the extra chapters..../Mike)

We live in a world economy where Mercedes are made in Alabama and Dodges are made in Mexico. The real deciding factor for me when I make a purchase is value. I pay a lot for some things, less for others. However, I usually feel good about the value I received. If not, I do not buy that product again and move on. As for buying from a Christian company, I am not sure how you can tell. Guess I will just look for value.

Mercury outboards are going to be made in China. Let's start another thread.

I don't know about the crankbaits but Allstar rods always seemed a little junky to me so I probably wouldn't notice the difference...if any.

Yes sir, and I know I could get by with cheaper rods- I'm just an equipment aficionado that likes high-end tackle. What you mentioned is why the 'Is Gloomis or XXX brand of fishing rod worth the money' threads never work. There is no doubt they are better, but no one but the individual consumer can determine the utility of a product (plus you always get flanked by the 'I've caught just as many fish on my ugly stick' people . Now lets go fish

FISHING'STEELER
Jann's Netcraft has the TiCH guides in gold and silver . These are more comparable to Fuji sic. guides . Cabela's and Donart custom fishing rods will have a better price . Cabela's brand TiCH guides are the same guides made by Pacific Bay and are on sale .

The problems I've had with Fuji Hardaloy guides is that the frames will rust in salt water and Fuji dose a poor job polishing their Hardaloy rings . You will see some improvement in casting distance with Pacific Bays TiCH guides . These guides have a zerconium ring plated with titanium nitride (very slick) and the frames are plated with crome first then plated with titanium nitride (rust proof). The only guides that might be better is solid titanium frame guides but you will pay much , much more for them .

I consider the line guides more important than the rod blank you choose . It's better to use expensive guides on a cheap rod blank than to use cheap guides on an expensive rod blank . You can always salvage the guides if the rod breaks .

Let's get serious. Aren't ALL rods actually made in an hollow tree by elves just adjacent to the Keebler tree????

No no no...

All reels are made under hollow rocks by myopic gnomes with an overbite.

Rods are made by retired aerospace engineers with delusions of being fishing physicists.

TFP

I'm from china.As far as I know.
Not only for rods and reels.But also other products,like toys,furniture,clothes and etc.

China is becoming a big process manufacturer in the world.Doing much OEM business and a part business of own brand with competitive.

China man, China.