Does anyone know why they don’t make 3-piece fly rod blanks anymore?
They exist … what are you looking for? Weights, lengths, composition, etc.?
Here is my theory based on generalizations I’ve come up with myself. You may or may not agree.
I think that current flyfishing community falls into the 2 piece crowd, and the multi-piece crowd.
The multi-piecers tend to want the rod to break down as small as practical for storage/transport. As technology has improved, multi-piece rods can be produced with better and better actions, so it seems 3 and 4 piece blanks are becoming 4, 5, and 7 piece blanks.
The 2-piecers don’t want a bunch of ferrules in their rods because of its impact (real or imagined) in the action and 2 piece rods are also a bit less expensive than the multi-piece equivalent.
3 piece rods don’t really serve either camp well and I would suspect that they aren’t produced because demand is very low. If you are interested in more than 2, why not go with 4? Or 5, 6 or 7? I have a 3 piece that I love, but I would really like to be able to subassemble into 2 halves sometimes, but you just can’t do it conveniently with 3. I’d like it much better as a 4 piece rod.
Interesting point ol’blue…I frequently just carry my 4 pieces as two…but 3 throws a little wench in that…
What I wonder about is…if there is anything to the oscillations of odd numbered sections giving a better action…why don’t we see more odd #'ed ones.
I believe as things get more sophisticated enough people go for function so why do companies avoid???
And that is a very good reason.
I never hear voices but I always feel these oscillations. Can you make them stop? :shock:
There are a lot of 3 piece casting and spinning travel rods out there. One 7 footer I have fits nicely in a suitcase as it should. But 8-9 ft 3 piece fly rods wouldn’t fit. So, being neither fish nor fowl, the 3 piece fly rod in the most popular lengths is not in high demand.
I do believe that 3 pieces was the most popular configuration for 8 to 9 ft bamboo rods in the good old days though I do not know why.
I have 3-4 3pc rods/blanks, but they were bought 3 yrs ago. Keep your eye open, I bet they pop up on ebay from time to time. I doubt that every brand made them. Two of mine are St. Croix.
I am a fan of 3 piece 8’ rods, which narrows the market even more.
I think 3 pieces is a good compromise between overly bulky 2 pieces and overly ferruled 4 pieces, which adds weight to the equation. Just my opinion.
I found a nice selection at Hook & Hackle, great prices. China made?, yes, some. but also Loomis IMX.
Bill
I think ol’ blue hit the nail on the head, but I was chuckling to myself… the link has been posted here before. Remember watching Bill Dance? Man turns a two piece rod into a four piece rod in the blink of an eye!
Mike McFarland has three piece blanks in graphite and glass. His tapers are incrediable.