Drennan Acolyte 13' Ultra

[sam vimes]

Is it just a coincidence that once things start to be manufactured and/or built in China; and elsewhere in the far east; reputations usually start to slide downhill?
(Japan being a possible exception to this). Lets just hope this doesn't apply to Hardy/Greys although I've already had butt liners come out on one of mine and a friends greys barbel rods which were both built in China; and something which didn't used to happen when they were previously built in the UK.

Keith

Rings have largely been made in the far east for decades. Fuji is one of the bigger brands, they are hardly a European/American company. I very much doubt that their failure is much but coincidence. The reality is that the UK brand has probably specified lower quality rings or lower QC standards, to make a little bit more money.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Lol, you just contradict everything I say for the sake of it.
The13ft MKII rods where made from diamuri carbon. Both the 2000 range and the first MKII range range had a rrp of 399.
The latter 13 to 14ft rods where 299 and made for masterline.

Not really. I have Normark catalogues and adverts in Match Fishing to consult. The first Mk IIs did have a RRP of £399 (on sale at £299) but the 2000 range didn't - I have the catalogues though with the 2ft extensions (£64.99) the total RRP for a Titan 2000 or Avenger 2000 would be slightly over £400 in both cases. The later Mark IIs (13-14) were £299 but available at £199 (I paid £149).
The Carbotecs were around from 2000 but the Mark IIs didn't appear until 2003 and I'd be interested if they have Made in Japan on them; the later Mark IIs have Made in China.

 

[tigger]

Not really. I have Normark catalogues and adverts in Match Fishing to consult. The first Mk IIs did have a RRP of £399 (on sale at £299) but the 2000 range didn't - I have the catalogues though with the 2ft extensions (£64.99) the total RRP for a Titan 2000 or Avenger 2000 would be slightly over £400 in both cases. The later Mark IIs (13-14) were £299 but available at £199 (I paid £149).
The Carbotecs were around from 2000 but the Mark IIs didn't appear until 2003 and I'd be interested if they have Made in Japan on them; the later Mark IIs have Made in China.

None of the 2000's or the 3000s I had had made in Japan on them. I have had quite a number of those rods varying in length from 12ft to 13, to 13 to 15 and some having differing in blank colours......non of them had anything
On them stating where they where made.

The first of the MKIiI rods where only made at a length of 13ft and are a totally different rod than the later 13 to 14ft MKII's.

 

[sam vimes]

the Mark IIs didn't appear until 2003 and I'd be interested if they have Made in Japan on them

Beyond the Fuji stamps on the rings, and "quality Fuji product made in Japan" on the butt rubber, there's nothing on the three I own to say. However, if they went down the little sticker on the butt that many manufacturers do, they were missing long before I bought the rods second hand.

Interestingly enough, there's been no indication of where my Browning Spheres or Drennan Acolytes have been made. The closest you get is on the Browning which says "Designed & Engineered by Browning" on the rod bag. Realistically, that means absolutely nothing. I seem to remember most modern Shimano rods and reels having little "made in Malaysia" stickers on them. Only a few of their really high priced reels still retain the "Made in Japan" marks.

Tri-Cast and top end Daiwa usually display their heritage wth a Union Flag on their rods. However, I'm lead to believe that Daiwa have dropped the flag on the odd UK made range. I have three Tri-Casts from the same John Allerton range. For some strange reason, one of them doesn't have the flag but the other two do.

 

[Keith M]

The reality is that the UK brand has probably specified lower quality rings or lower QC standards, to make a little bit more money.

Yes that's almost exactly what I mean Sam; Else the company that builds them for Greys in China may have been doing a little cost cutting themselves and lowering their QC standards to make a little bit more money on the sly; who knows? either is possible.

I almost forgot that as well as the two butt ring liners that came out of our two greys barbel rods: my son also had the liner of his tip ring on his Greys Multi-Tip Specialist rod fall out a few weeks later too. and that seems a little more than co-incidence to me.

The blanks seem fine though, its just the ring qualities that have given us a little grief and as soon as we replaced the faulty rings the rods have been fine.

Keith

 

[sam vimes]

Yes that's almost exactly what I mean Sam; Else the company that builds them for Greys in China may have been doing a little cost cutting themselves and lowering their QC standards to make a little bit more money on the sly; who knows? either is possible.

The former is more likely than the latter. Though not an impossibility, any importer would be all over a contracted factory substituting rings inferior to those specified. It's one of the reasons I look out for specified Fuji rings and fittings. They may not actually be better than omeof the no brand, or lesser brand, fittings, but I'm happy to pay the premium for Fuji bits as I've never had a problem with them.

Sadly, brands often do cut corners to maximize profits. Customers often take the overly simplistic route in blaming any deficiencies on far eastern manufacture when the reality is that they are making exactly what they are requested to make.

 

[GT56]

At the risk of going slightly off topic can I ask how long do members think Drennan will continue with the Acolyte Ultra range of rods. And probably more importantly how long after would replacement sections still be available?

 

[sam vimes]

At the risk of going slightly off topic can I ask how long do members think Drennan will continue with the Acolyte Ultra range of rods. And probably more importantly how long after would replacement sections still be available?

Unless Drennan let on, it's impossible to say. However, Drennan do have a habit of keeping to far longer product cycles than any other of the mass market brands. They are also still releasing variations on the Acolyte theme. The last Acolyte Ultra (float rod) variant was the 11'er, which only appeared earlier this year. I would guess that the Acolytes will be with us for at least a couple more years. When you consider that most companies operate on product cycles of three years, at the most, the Acolytes will have had a good innings. They've not been around as long as the Matchpros yet, and there's no sign of those being discontinued.

As for spares, I've no idea how long Drennan keep spares after discontinuation. If it's anything like the majority of brands, once it's gone from their product catalogue, you're pretty much stuffed. If you want longer term spares support, you are likely to have to pay the premimum needed to purchase a rod from Harrisons, Tri-Cast or a UK made Daiwa.

 

[GT56]

Can't help thinking in twenty years time a full length Acolyte Ultra could be worth serious money.

 

[sam vimes]

Can't help thinking in twenty years time a full length Acolyte Ultra could be worth serious money.

I seriously doubt it. Far too many have been sold. The Normark 2000s are a totally different ball game. A fair number of those that are offered for sale have tip damage. Those that don't often sell for astronomical amounts. However, the original retail prices were rather high and the numbers sold comparatively low.