Have you purchased an Edward Barder rod and used it?

[Snape]

Hi to all those who use Edwards rods They are great rods to use. People often write about his rods saying how expensive they are. but if you take in to account the workmanship and then divide the number of hours taken to build them the hourly rate charged. seems very reasonable. One of my Bishops rings became damaged and Edward replaced it for me. I told him how bad I felt when I noticed it broken. He said to me that when he makes these minor repairs that these things happen to all rods and he was just glad to see his rods being used and not just stored away.

Yes, indeed.
It takes about 80 hours to make a Barder rod so at £2,200 is an hourly rate of £27.50 but he has to pay for materials, rent of his workshop and pay Colin Whitehouse. He only makes about 25 rods per year. So his annual turnover isn't much and to be honest I don't know how he does it.
Whenever I visit him he takes a couple of hours out and often addresses any minor issues with the rods and has replaced broken rings for no charge.

[BoltonBullfinch]

I would think there are some who would buy a collectable item like a barder rod and put it in a rack and never use it, maybe not even be a angler.
Its no different than some rich guys who are willing to pay over half a million for a 59 gibson les paul and leave it in a bank vault because in 20yrs it will probably be worth a million or more.

Thanks
BB

[Liphook]

Very true Paul. Life eh?

[Champ]

Unfortunately i have not purchased an Edward Barder rod.I wish i had.My first list from Edward was A4 sheets pinned together with a photo of rods and creels on the front.The first catalogue i had was blue and the advert in Angling magazine told how to fix a pound coin in a piece of card which was then put in an envelope with the return address to be sent to the workshop.The catalogue came a few days later.
There were some "classic"rods listed in those days.Edwards versions of Hardy and Allcocks rods if i remember correctly.Does anyone know which ones they were please?.They rarely come on to the second hand market though must be out there in collections,hopefully being used occasionally

[Keston]

Unfortunately i have not purchased an Edward Barder rod.I wish i had.My first list from Edward was A4 sheets pinned together with a photo of rods and creels on the front.The first catalogue i had was blue and the advert in Angling magazine told how to fix a pound coin in a piece of card which was then put in an envelope with the return address to be sent to the workshop.The catalogue came a few days later.
There were some "classic"rods listed in those days.Edwards versions of Hardy and Allcocks rods if i remember correctly.Does anyone know which ones they were please?.They rarely come on to the second hand market though must be out there in collections,hopefully being used occasionally

I have a Blue catalogue and price list from 1997 , not the earliest but still 25 years ago .
Listed are the Mk1V range
The Wallis rod
The Kennet Perfection
The Fred J Taylor Roach Rod

[Champ]

I have a Blue catalogue and price list from 1997 , not the earliest but still 25 years ago .
Listed are the Mk1V range
The Wallis rod
The Kennet Perfection
The Fred J Taylor Roach Rod

Many thanks Keston.The Kennet Perfection and the FJT are two to add to the list.I have not seen the EB FJT before.

[Keston]

I have a Blue catalogue and price list from 1997 , not the earliest but still 25 years ago .
Listed are the Mk1V range
The Wallis rod
The Kennet Perfection
The Fred J Taylor Roach Rod

Many thanks Keston.The Kennet Perfection and the FJT are two to add to the list.I have not seen the EB FJT before.

You're welcome Champ

Here is the FJT listing :

[Beresford]

I don’t have a Barder rod. It’s possible I may buy one at some point. I have tackle that I’ve not got around to using yet. I don’t mind what other folks choose to do. To some they are just fishing rods to be used and for others they are works of art to be preserved and admired. I rarely buy tackle but when I do I tend to look for close to mint condition examples and when I occasionally stumble over them I’m forever grateful that somebody bought the thing and then never or lightly used it. I’d have thought Barder would be pleased that so many of his rods have been used carefully or not at all, since all the examples he re-sells as used items seem to be in exceptional condition.

I look after my tackle extremely well. To me it’s very expensive and worth taking care of.

Ask the same question of centre pin reels and I’d suggest the percentage that remain unused is very high.

[David]

Some of you have mentioned Edwards blue catalogues, I have three. Apart from his Bishop and MK1V Carp rods I also have although not made by him, a deep creel that was advertised in his blue catalogue. What I like about this creel is you can sit on it if a rest is required.

[The Glassman]

Hi all.... Over the last 30 years or so, I have bought, used and sold quite a few of Edward's beautiful rods- not to mention BV landing net, Colin Whitehouse floats and a catapult (a traditional one, of course). Without exception, they have been perfectly suited to their purpose, and exquisite, both to use and admire. Now nearing the dreaded 80, I am selling a lot of my 'trad' kit to spare my inheritors the aggro. Back in the day, Edward had the time to carry out refurbs on rods he felt to be worthy. Over a few years in the last century , before he became as busy with his rod-making as he deserves, he worked his way through (some of) my collection of old sticks, rendering them as new (in fact, generally better).
Memorable EB-made rods over the years have been a Chris Yates 'Carp Crawler', with which - and accompanied by my lovely old Hardy Altex No2, I landed several PB's. A Wallis Avon he made for me after well over a year sourcing what he felt to be the correct whole cane butt section and was christened with a carp of 18.5lbs on (the correct) 4lb line. A lovely little 7.5ft staggered ferrule 'Wallop Brook' fly rod and - my 'desert island' rod, a Walker MKIV Avon - both of which will see me out.
Recently, on a visit to the workshop, I tried out a 'black' (Carbon fibre) EB 12' float rod - and bought it on the spot. Easily the best trotting rod I've ever tried. I fish the Thames here from my Dory, long trotting to 30+yds in fast, 6ft deep water. Next bite could be a small roach, a 6lb chub, a big bream or occasionally, a double-figure carp. This rod - along with a good pin, handles it superbly, is featherweight (important at my age) and very robust. A match-man wouldn't touch it as it is best with a 4-6lb main line, but for my use, it's the 'mutt's nuts'.
Sorry - back to the main topic.... Edward stands by his products, repairs and refurbs them and sells them for you when you wish to move on. His rods hold their value superbly, will last you a lifetime and are a joy to use. Of how many products can that be truthfully said nowadays?
A true realist, he now offers rods in both glass and plastic - in models appropriate for their use. They too are a joy to own and superbly designed tools for the matter in hand. They will almost surely hold their value as well.
I will always love my cane rods, new and old - after over 60 years using them, but I feel it to be foolish to ignore or deride the modern alternatives when appropriate.
Just saying....