In reply to Post #70
Some kind of connection with Daiwa would be understandable given DF's previous dealings, so this would be an entirely believable rumour and would probably keep a lot of punters happy (Ish).
By the same token, they're hardly likely to tell you if they're being knocked up in a back street sweatshop lol.

In reply to Post #65
If you're buying a product say from China work it backwards, take off VAT, duty, transport costs, profit for manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer.
If Korum or others can retail a pretty decent rod for £50 then they're knocking them out in China for less than a tenner. You're not getting them for a tenner unless you buy a container load of gear though and have all the associated hassle and the gamble that you're not actually buying from Chen-Yang tackle company but Mrs Wongs knitting shop, trust me, half of them are crooks. I speak from experience.

In reply to Post #62
Not sure how you've reached that conclusion?
I wouldn't have ruled myself out of buying a Korda rod if it ticked the boxes it need to tick when and if I was in the market for a certain type of rod, this one doesn't tick any of those boxes, the next incarnation might though.....actually, no, it probably won't.

In reply to Post #63
I've learnt that the forum seems to be full of patronising experts these days who's petty and unfunny attempts to belittle anything they disagree with is getting boring very quickly now.
Anything Korda/Nash/Bait orientated seems to end up like this.

As for an alternative reel seat, well, I don't have to choose one. Firstly, I wasn't the person value engineering this rod to extract every last penny profit from it, and secondly, I wouldn't spend £400 on a mass produced product that I don't like the look of, same as I wouldn't but a Tesla car, they might be the greatest electric vehicle ever produced but they look *****, to me.

FWIW, I've an Andrew Davis Carpathia and you could buy 4 of those Korda broom handles for the cost of one of these, but I know which one I'll still be lusting after and still using in 10 years and which ones will be on ebay for peanuts.
One is an S Class Mercedes and the other is a Kia

In reply to Post #60
Clearly I've learnt nothing in my over half a century of fishing then.
Obviously they'll have their fans and yes, most of my rods have Fuji seats, I don't own any with blingy chrome so knock the sarcastic piss taking on the head, you have no idea on what floats my boat on a personal level.
And yes, what's wrong with having a rod that ls aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well as being functional, it's not exactly hard to achieve or indeed add a line clip for a couple of quid!! I'm confident that there'd be a lot of custom rod builders
out of business if that wasn't a requirement.
Personally, I'd rather spend my money on a custom built Harrison but you guys who like them are welcome to your opinion as I am mine. All I'm seeing is a naked emperor which will no doubt be marketed very well. .
Out of interest, what's the blank then? Apologies if I've missed this bit of information?
Made in China or elsewhere?

Sea Guide rings £20
Fuji seat £5
Shrink tube £5
Probably knocked up for less than £100 and outed for £400 odd. Righto.
There's a reason why these big tackle companies can lash out gazzilions of pounds on consultants, marketing and their owners are millionaires., it's cause we're getting mugged off.
I'm not a Korda basher, I've plenty of odds and sods from them, it's just I can't see the value in these but hey, it's your money, crack on and enjoy 😉

In reply to Post #49
These rods look proper cheap and cheerful to me, no way they justify the price, they have a nasty reel seat for starters.
Side by side with a £60 Fox Horizon I think it was you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference apart from a few cosmetics.
Not even a whipped on line clip.
I didn't like them at all. Sorry lol

In reply to Post #50
I quite like the look of the Gardner 10ft GTC's, anyone got a view on these as don't see them mentioned much, they seem very well made.
They'd be on my “short” list

In reply to Post #23
Tried a FOTL one, not that great. FWIW I ended up with the Cotton Traders ones.
Managed to get them for just over a tenner each with the discount and code thing, good quality, generously sized “large”, decent length , 210gsm and some whizzy collars that don't crease as much during the wash. They all feel quality and they're the right shade of green lol.
Will see what they're like after a few months but happy so far, thank you for the recommendation.

In reply to Post #14
I rather like my Harrison 2 piece net handle.
Plenty of scope to have one custom made to suit your own personal requirements too.

In reply to Post #12
Chers Gents, not a massive fan of those embroidered things, they're not very subtle are they? Lol
The really cheapo Primani stuff doesn't last in my experience but will have a looksee through some of the other suggestions, thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

Tight lines everyone