Southwell blanks

[PershoreHarrier]

I have a number of James rods some of which are in original as first sold condition and others which have been restored by either Edward Barder or more recently by John Brough.

I try and use them all at least a couple of times each year and enjoy them greatly.

I doubt that any of them are very early and it is more likely that most are mid 1960's onwards at best. However, I read fairly regularly that the rods using Bob Southwell blanks as the early James rods did are better than the later rods.

I can only assume that someone on here has used and compared the rods over the time span of their manufacture and somehow have come to this conclusion but on what basis I am unsure.

The thought of missing out on something very special troubles me a little as with the funds to buy a couple more rods over the next two or three years it is something that perhaps I should seriously consider and perhaps part with a couple of my later James rods for the earlier product using the Sothwell blanks.

Apologies if this subject has been done before and I must say that my late James Kennet Perfection is a superb piece of equipment although I accept that my late James Avocet weighs a veritable ton as I was reminded of this when float fishing on the Avon last weekend.

[Nobby]

Without wishing to point the finger, it does seem to me that the source of the Southwell cane reputation, the hot node press and the desireability of earlier, as oppposed to later, B.James rods all stem from the same source.

This source is, or was, a rod restorer who had rods of the type he recommended for sale. Indeed still there is on the internet now , is his old sales list including prices. I wonder who is paying the hosting fees on that site?



Personally I've never had the cash available to try either later of earlier rods, so I am completely unqualified to comment on their prowess. Others do seem to concur with him though, but then it would be a very honest man indeed who has spent £900 on a rod, who declared it wasn't 'all that' after all.....thus diminishing his chances of selling it again considerably.

The rods you have already sound to be some of the best, both performance wise and cost wise. Can something else really be that much better?


I have my doubts.


Having uncoverd the hot node press story to be smoke and mirrors I'm inclined to think there might be other truths to discover.

[Bob Brookes]

Wise words Nobby to which I concur, but also cannot prove.
Bob