South Bend 327?

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Kave
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South Bend 327?

#1

Post by Kave »

Howdy Folks,
I have a chance to buy a South Bend 327 8 1/2' Double Built. I've done some quick research on the Gxxgle machine and haven't turned up anything on a model 327. Do any of you have one of these or know anything about them? I searched by topic and key words already but nothing turned up. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks
Last edited by Kave on 11/24/22 09:15, edited 1 time in total.

Kave
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Posts: 295
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Re: South Bend 327?

#2

Post by Kave »

Sorry, wrong forum.

Kave
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Re: South Bend 327?

#3

Post by Kave »

AND, I just found it in the SB catalogues starting in 1937.

Webfly
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Re: South Bend 327?

#4

Post by Webfly »

I love 8 1/2' South Bends and are usually a good bang for the buck when you find the right ones. With that being said, Doublebuilts are generally a bit heavier and clubbier compared to the non's. A 327 should be a trout weight rod and pretty rare, I'd probably buy it if it was in excellent condition and reasonably priced. If you don't like it, it should be a pretty easy re-sell on this forum.
Photos would be great because I've never heard of a 327.

Kave
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Re: South Bend 327?

#5

Post by Kave »

The rod looks like it’s in decent shape from the pics my friend sent. I haven’t seen the rod in person. The price of $350 seems a little steep compared to what SBs have been selling for lately.
Image

Image
Last edited by Kave on 11/24/22 09:16, edited 1 time in total.

Kave
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Re: South Bend 327?

#6

Post by Kave »

Webfly, I’m also a big fan of the SB 8 1/2 footers. I have a 323, 359 (2), and a 59 which is a great 7wt. I’ve been causally looking for a 346 and a 24 and now this 327 popped up. Thanks
Last edited by Kave on 10/03/22 12:06, edited 1 time in total.

wrong66
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Re: South Bend 327?

#7

Post by wrong66 »

$350 is way steep.

Webfly
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Re: South Bend 327?

#8

Post by Webfly »

wrong66 wrote:
11/23/21 19:39
$350 is way steep.
Agreed, by a long shot...

Appears to have some dried wraps and possibly missing guides.

jeffkn1
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Re: South Bend 327?

#9

Post by jeffkn1 »

Things to consider

-Doublebuilts all have power in their butts and mids, but the tips remain singlebuilt.
-As with most of Wes Jordan's South Bends, this is for a medium weight line, a #6.
-In general, South Bends are on the heavy end of the weight range for their length; at 5 3/4oz this rod is slightly heavier than SB singlebuilts and is as heavy as many better-made 9' rods from other makers. That said, as long as you don't underline it the weight should be no handicap.

-South Bend's better grades hold up as well as comparably priced production rods of other makers. Visible conditional issues on this one are not drastic and can be rectified at modest cost. Wrapping and guide replacement are well within the scope of the average hobbyist.
-Except in cases of improper storage, it isn't common to find delaminations in SB's pre-WW II rods
-Pre-WW II rods like this have decent NS welted ferrules, securely mounted
-The reel seat is the handsome and popular 'Hardy' style
-The tapers are easy to adjust your casting stroke to, somewhat like medium action Orvis rods

-Value is subjective. This is a very uncommon model, produced only for a handful of years. For a South Bend collector, it's a nice find.

bluesjay
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Re: South Bend 327?

#10

Post by bluesjay »

Hi guys, So, a Wes Jordan rod, what's not to like?

Jay Edwards

Doug K
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Re: South Bend 327?

#11

Post by Doug K »

agree with jeffkn1 here - the pre-war SBs in general had better build quality and components than the much commoner post-war SBs. My post-war SB 359 8 1/2' is one of the best fly rods I have so I'd imagine the pre-war Doublebuilt would be a fine rod indeed.
And as Jay says, this is a Wes Jordan rod, with an Orvis label you'd have to pay much more than $350 for it..

Kave
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Re: South Bend 327?

#12

Post by Kave »

Update:
The seller and I were able to do a deal. I'll upload pics and post a new thread on a more appropriate forum after I receive the rod. Thanks guys.

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