# New Loomis company



## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Has anyone heard who's gonna be carrying Gary Loomis's new blanks (new company) Northfork Composites. Hopefully he get's right with the prices.


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## fishin styx (Jun 30, 2009)

I haven't heard yet but I'm sure they'll be pretty consistant with his "going rate" prices.


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## Fishtoys (Jul 4, 2007)

*Merrick Tackle*

Merrick Tackle sent a flyer that they were going to carry them. Give'm a holler. I'd check w/Danny at FTU I'm sure they'll carry them also.


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## wading_fool (May 3, 2005)

I got a flyer from Merrick also stating they were going to be carrying them.


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## MattK (Feb 9, 2006)

Yep, heard that too. I also saw that he was doing some consulting work for TFO.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

here's a new catalog (pdf)http://www.northforkcomposites.com/nfc_catalogv1.0.pdf


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## RJH (Dec 24, 2008)

You are not going to like what I am about to say but I have it from a VERY reputable source. The new NorthFork blanks will be top shelf and the prices will be high end, at least much as the old G.Loomis high end stuff and probably higher. There will be NO discounting allowed and they intend to keep a sharp watch on that sort of thing. They have not set ANY dealers yet so any company that says they are going to be carrying them is jumping the gun. According to the best information the dealer network will be very small but spread out among highly reputable and respected companies that have been around a long time. NorthFork intends to build the best blanks for those rod builders who understand quality and performance and are not shy about paying for it. They are not going to be operating a "me too" company with "me too" products. If you want discounts or inexpensive blanks you might as well start looking elsewhere although such things are very easy to find these days.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Wow, you sound like a salesman for them...No, I'm not necessarily looking for a discount or an inexpensive blank. As stated, one doesn't have to look very far to find such. Like a lot of other builders I've built my share of rods on G.Loomis blanks. No doubt, they are (were) a fine blank. However, over the years, I've found that there are other manufacturers that build equally fine products, at usually less cost. In some respects, a superior product, being built right here in the USA. Does that, in some way, mean that they are a "me too" company? I've had opportunity to visit and tour a couple of different blank manufacturing facilities and understand the process of pre-preg, scrim on mandrel construction of todays carbon fiber (hi-mod graphite) blanks. I've also built enough rods to be aware of the warranties of some companies. Only one of which I've ever had to use. I'll just say that it wasn't one of the "me too" companies....But enough about that. ...So please, yes, when the reliable source has an idea of the highly reputable/respectable companies that will carry these blanks, please post up and let us know. Otherwise, perish the thought, I might end up being just another rodbuilder that doesn't understand blank quality and performance at any price......


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## venturarodandlure (Feb 14, 2009)

If a company offers no discounts on blanks, it usually means they only want to sell factory rods.


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## RJH (Dec 24, 2008)

You may have a short memory. Most of the companies building blanks today outside of a very few are doing nothing more than building inexpensive Loomis clones. Gary Loomis was an innovator, not a copier.

The same will be true at NorthFork. NO gimmicks NO factory made rods- so you are not competing for sales against the same company that is selling you blanks. The emphasis will be strictly on PERFORMANCE. They will NOT be for everyone.

NorthFork will produce a very fine product and will charge accordingly. I am NOT any sort of salesman for them but have been advised of some inside information and so when I see so much fluff being spread about that is not true I like to set the record straight. If you think I am making this up that is fine by me. You can take it or leave it but in another week or two you will see that I knew what I was talking about.

Or........just write me off as another kook who had no idea what he was talking about.


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## patfatdaddy (May 29, 2004)

I have never been particularly impressed by Loomis blanks. I know many people swear by them but I think those people have stars in their eyes. I have found many, many blanks that were as good and maybe even better than Loomis at a much better price. I will build on a Loomis or any other blank that a customer ask for but I have handed these customers a rod built on other blanks and they can't tell the difference.
Pat


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## RJH (Dec 24, 2008)

There is a BIG difference between Loomis blanks made by Loomis and the later ones made by Shimano-Loomis from about '95 on.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

RJH said:


> You may have a short memory. Most of the companies building blanks today outside of a very few are doing nothing more than building inexpensive Loomis clones. Gary Loomis was an innovator, not a copier.
> 
> The same will be true at NorthFork. NO gimmicks NO factory made rods- so you are not competing for sales against the same company that is selling you blanks. The emphasis will be strictly on PERFORMANCE. They will NOT be for everyone.
> 
> ...


.... In no way did I insinuate that you didn't know what you were talking about or think you are making this up. You've missed the point, and that is the condescending tone in your first post on this thread. As if anything outside the Loomis world is most likely an inferior product. No sir, I don't subscribe to that notion at all, so don't look down your nose at those of us who might require a bit more value for their rodbuilding dollar. Maybe the tone in your post was intended, maybe it wasn't. Re-read it and you judge it.......Oh, and there may be some short things about me, but memory isn't one of them.....Good wraps to you,sir,,,,Jim


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## fishin styx (Jun 30, 2009)

I'll have to build on one before I develop much on an opinion.
That said, there are quite a few blank manufacturers that have caught (and in some cases surpassed) Loomis. Maybe they "cloned" the blanks, I don't know. I've handed a few people Loomis blanks and they didn't really like them. I put those back on the rack and grab a different brand and they liked them. Then I haned them the Loomis' back telling them what they were and the loved them. Branding is a great tool.


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## RJH (Dec 24, 2008)

There was no "tone" in my post, you are perceiving it as something different than what I intended. My intent was only to provide factual information which has been in short supply where the new Loomis stuff is concerned.

No one has built on a NorthFork blank yet as they do not current exist.

No dealer can say "we will be carrying NorthFork blanks" because NorthFork has not decided who they are going to assign as dealers yet. It will not be as simple as just picking up the phone and saying "we want to carry your blanks". Dealers will have to qualify to become NorthFork suppliers.

Rod builders that have been at this a longer time will remember that prior to Gary Loomis there was no such thing as Spin Bass, Mag Bass, Spin Jig, etc., blanks. Those were Gary's inventions and his tapers. Everbody from Batson to Shikari knocked them off. Those blanks may have been the equal or even better than the final G. Loomis blanks [which had a reputation for being crooked most of the time!] but they were built on Loomis tapers. Gary paved the way for most everybody else that is popular today.

What he may or may not do at NorthFork remains to be seen but the emphasis will be on high end product which will sell for an appropriate price. If anyone is hoping to buy NorthFork blanks for $50 they had better move on along to something else.


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## Steve Gardner (Mar 23, 2008)

I for one will take a wait and see attitude to Gary's new blanks. I used Loomis exclusively for over ten years from the very early 80's to early 90's 
Finally got tired of rebuilding rods due to broken blanks and quit using them, especially after paying top dollar for "top shelf blanks"
Best I can tell the top dollar cost was to cover the replacements and still keep profits high.

Final straw came when I rebuilt the same IMX flipping stick for the third time and it broke again. I would have gotten rid of the customer, but on this particular rod. It happened to be me and I knew how it was being treated. Yes I have had other blanks from other manufacturers come back in broken, but the percentages have been far less and in most cases for blanks that cost less.

Hopefuly they will correct this in his new blanks


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## oldguy (Jul 8, 2009)

Steve X2
Paul


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## CoastalBent (Aug 3, 2006)

Karen at Bingham Enterprises just announced that she'll have a stock of blanks by mid september.


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## RJH (Dec 24, 2008)

The three Northfork distributors will be Bingham, Mudhole and AnglersWrkshop. Those will be the only ones for the first year.


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