Faps Hexa 14.5m

[caferacer]

I have one of these and what a pole,as rigid and light as a modern pole and a joy at 13m.Im in a bit of a quandry though.The pole has had very little use and a very easy life and is totally mint with no broken sections-not even a chip.Its got 4 top kits and several spare sections.As such Im actually a bit scared to use it as it is surely the best one in existence and a bit of matchfishing history.Anyone an idea on its worth?

 

[markcw]

If I was you I would Google the pole , that will tell you what year it came out,
weight elastic rating etc and in most cases stockists at the time and price it was new, Then google reviews for the pole and in some cases you can get a value on it at the time the review was done, these are mostly reviews by actual anglers and not a magazine write up, Take this into consideration if you are thinking of selling it, also the availability of spare sections will reflect in what you may get for it. If I was you and it is in the condition you say it is, I would be reluctant to sell it, and use it for what it is intended for...........
catching fish. You say match fishing history, if you mean it belonged to someone famous that may also reflect in the price,

 

[caferacer]

If I was you I would Google the pole , that will tell you what year it came out,
weight elastic rating etc and in most cases stockists at the time and price it was new, Then google reviews for the pole and in some cases you can get a value on it at the time the review was done, these are mostly reviews by actual anglers and not a magazine write up, Take this into consideration if you are thinking of selling it, also the availability of spare sections will reflect in what you may get for it. If I was you and it is in the condition you say it is, I would be reluctant to sell it, and use it for what it is intended for...........
catching fish. You say match fishing history, if you mean it belonged to someone famous that may also reflect in the price,

I have a limited knowledge of the Hexa,there is nothing online about them.What I do know personally from memory is that they were available in the early-mid 90s and cost an absolute fortune,especially the 14.5m(almost 2.5k in 1992!).I think **** Clegg was behind its promotion/distribution in the UK.This made them rare and the only ones seen on the bank were used by sponsored lads on top of their game.Today I had my Hexa side by side at 13m with my Maver N47(a 2k pole a few years back)and the Hexa is as rigid and as manageable.All the sections have a hexagonal profile that is as bizarre as its impressive looking.Would I stick an 18 in it and go edge dwelling,no but as a silverfish pole its the dogs.Its an unbeatable punch/worm pole.I`ll try and upload pics of it.Im sure that there are cut anglers on here that would appreciate that....

 

[nottskev]

I can't help you with the value of your Hexa, although I'm a user of vintage poles from that era myself. But I do understand the dilemma about using it or wrapping it in cotton wool. I have a mint classic float rod - a 1986 Shimano XXX 12' - and I've been torn between using it and keeping it in its pristine condition.
It has been sitting in a rack for 20 years since I bought it, but I'm coming to the conclusion that I should use it and enjoy it. After all, what would I do with the money (not that much, after all) if I kept it unused and sold it? With the poles, I use them , look after them and keep them as far away from carp as possible.

 

[markcw]

Caferacer if you sold it and bought another pole, you would have the same dilemma you had with the hexa, It would be new and would you be frightened of using it and possibly dink and scratch it, Shakespeare did a hexa and that was a stupid price at the time, I know that your is Italian and **** Clegg was the UK distributor, and later on I think Keenets became a distributor, I would rate your pole as in the tourney pro or original spectron of the era league, they like the Diaflash are collectable but price wise it is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, As I said earlier keep it and use it, there are not many dedicated canal type poles out there,

 

[caferacer]

Google Faps Hexa and you will see what my dilemma is.Its no ordinary old obsolete overpriced pole.Its the rarest of the rare,proper hen`s teeth and in the condition its in(as new and with all the spares that cost a fortune alone) I feel it should be preserved.Its highly likely that its the only of its kind left.Its a real one off.

 

[markcw]

I did Google it,thats how I found out about the Shakespeare model hexa,
I could find FAPS poles but no mention of the hexa, If you are a member of Maggotdrowners, you could ask on there about value, there are a couple of tackle shop owners on there, and they may be able to help.A friend of mine had a FAPS pole but I can remember the model, he rated it very highly and used it for all his general fishing, Kev uses a Diaflash, I am after one of those or a Shimano Aero pole, At the moment I am using a Daiwa G50, I did look for a 2nd hand Elite 88 or 66 before I got the Daiwa, the ones I heard about had been overwrapped on broken sections so I didn't bother,

 

[sam vimes]

The dilemma is that you believe the pole is especially worthy and valuable. It's entirely possible that others might agree with you. However, it's a different thing entirely for them to put their money where their mouth is.

I have shed loads of gear that I believe is, to some degree and in some way, worthy. I definitely believe it's far better than the price it would actually realise if I were to sell. This is exactly why I have loads of gear. Even if I managed to find buyers that were similarly enthusiastic about a certain item, they are unlikely to spend more than the market value to acquire it. Why would they?

Give it another fifty plus years or so and your pole might be a worthy museum piece, provided such a museum actually exists. However, that doesn't mean that anyone will actually want to pay good money for it.

 

[nottskev]

Google Faps Hexa and you will see what my dilemma is.Its no ordinary old obsolete overpriced pole.Its the rarest of the rare,proper hen`s teeth and in the condition its in(as new and with all the spares that cost a fortune alone) I feel it should be preserved.Its highly likely that its the only of its kind left.Its a real one off.

It seems you've answered your own question, then, as you think it should be preserved and not used. I did google the hexa, because i remember reading about them at the time, but the few references to them I found were by no means all complimentary about their strength and robustness.

 

[robcourt82]

As much as I hate to admit it, its probably not worth a great deal unless you can find someone with an emotional wish for one.
If it were mine then I would be out there using it and enjoying it. Life is too short to have something beautiful sat in storage or on display.
If anyone knows of a mint milo 11-11 then let me know!

 

[markcw]

Like anything that you want to sell, it is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, I think the issues with the hexa at the time were that it seemed brittle and some sections cracked, this was possibly due to the design and the way the carbon was laid on the sections, Not all suffered from this, but like the saying goes, its anglers who break poles, its not the pole that breaks itself. there is a margin pole presently on the market, some have reported the number 3 or 4 section splits when under pressure, I know people who use the same pole and have landed large carp with it, so again mixed reports on the same item, Use your pole for what it was intended for, don't lacy it up to strong and enjoy your fishing,

 

[caferacer]

Thanks lads,it may not be particularly valuable in a monetary sense but it does seem to be a real oddity and super rare but I agree with the general consensus here,I should use it.I will re laccy the 4 kits with 2,4,6 and 8 elastics and will use it only for small silvers and will have 3 rollers at the ready.I forgot to add,its a Shakespeare Faps Hexa.All the Hexas are the same,Shakespeare simply stuck on a sticker on theirs.You have to be careful when putting it away as the sections are hexagonal and can get easily jammed.I think it was this reason many sections were cracked-clumsy anglers.If it was a car it would be a 70s Citroen SM.

 

[markcw]

Caferacer it was the Shakespeare hexa that was reported to crack and feel brittle, it was around £1800 when new, As for your laccy , remove the number one and use doubled up 4, the same 6, single 10. and use other top kit as cup kit,if not got one, if you have use a single 8 laccy,
those options will cover most of everything, you will land small silvers on doubled 4. double 6 will land good skimmers and bonus fish, single 8 the same and single 10 will do most bonus fish, just because you say you are going for small stuff, it does not mean that big stuff wont rock up and spoil the party,

 

[kenpm]

They were a nice pole at the time they were available if a little fragile but they never caught on because Faps did not have a proper distribution deal with any firm in the UK only people who dabbled a little with imports then Shakespeare who also dabbled with Triana another one that went bust in the 90s.
When Faps went bust in the 90s and the assets I think not 100% sure were bought by Lerc and then later by Maver but the technology never surfaced again probably because it did not out perform the normal round mandrels.
The closest comparison I could draw which you would understand with your user name would be a Norton Rotary motorcycle,good idea not fully developed but ultimately a dead end still loved by a few.

 

[caferacer]

Very good comparison-those Norton rotaries were well ahead of their time and were winners in the hands of the likes of Haslam but everything conspired against their success.

 

[adam smith london]

I have one of these and what a pole,as rigid and light as a modern pole and a joy at 13m.Im in a bit of a quandry though.The pole has had very little use and a very easy life and is totally mint with no broken sections-not even a chip.Its got 4 top kits and several spare sections.As such Im actually a bit scared to use it as it is surely the best one in existence and a bit of matchfishing history.Anyone an idea on its worth?

do you still have this pole? i would be very interested to make you a good offer for it.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Sorry to say, I don’t think he has posted for a couple of years.


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[@Clive]

Try sending a pm. That might trigger an email alert depending on forum set up and his personal settings.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

The OPs IP address is no longer active.

 

[adam smith london]

Sorry to say, I don’t think he has posted for a couple of years.


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thanks for reply, if you (or anyone reading this) have his contact details can you please pass on my number 07815857064