South Bend 346-9

[DA]

Trying to confirm when my South Bend 346-9 was made. The Lite Lock reel seat has a plastic insert. The tube label says Split Bamboo Fly Rod above the "Fish and Feel Fit" logo. I've seen similar labels that didn't have Split Bamboo Fly Rod above the "Fish and Feel Fit" logo. The comficient grip has fewer grooves than I've seen on other SB rods. I've also seen many SB rods that didn't have signature wraps.

[Capt. Frank]

Taken from: flyanglersonline .com/features/bamboo/part103.php "One of the major innovations that first appeared in 1939 was South Bend's Lite-lock reel seat. The first of these had plastic spacers, but later on some of their higher grade models had much nicer looking anodized aluminum spacers" I hope this helps.

[DA]

Thanks. The model 346 in 1939 SB catalog posted in this thread fits the description except that my fly rod came in a fiber tube and has a comficient grip.

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=51833&p=478300&hil ... nd#p478300

Also, my 346-9 has a rectangular label on the butt section and although the images are small, the rods in the 1939 catalog appear to have oval labels. I've seen a 1941 SB ad that shows the comficient grip, but with nine grooves instead of four grooves. My rod may have been made shortly after WWII, but am hoping someone with knowledge of SB models will offer their opinion.

[wrong66]

This is a post-war model (1948-1952 or so), as evidenced by the later rodshaft decal. Pre-war models had the OVAL "South Bend - Quality Tackle" decal.

[jhcoffeebum]

Wrong is right! Gosh I'm glad I got to say that . Ed has quite a few catalogs and he is really good in his evaluations. Looks like a great trout weight rod. I'm a big fan of SB rods but having had Wes Jordan set up their bamboo rod division, they got a good start in the right direction. South Bend as with many high production rod companies probably built many dogs, but from with I've seen and owned, not as many as you could find!

[DA]

Thanks. I'm wondering if it was made at the beginning of the 1948-1952 time frame because of the plastic reel seat. Did 346 models made in the 1950's have signature wraps?

[jhcoffeebum]

Yes I think the 300 series did as they are the higher grade SB's

[Capt. Frank]

The 300 series were not necessarily high end. Example model 46 Trout, 47 bass/steelhead, 346 dry fly, the 300's were a dry fly taper in models: 12, 23, 30, 46, 55, 57, 59, 77,put a 3 in front of these models and you had the dry fly taper. Another quote from the source I quoted earlier: "South Bend rods made after World War II are much more common and took on a much cheaper looking appearance. Gone were the very fine silk signature wraps and beautiful down locking reel seats".

[DA]

I found a 1949 catalog. The picture and description matches my rod.

[Capt. Frank]

The rectangular label does suggest post WW II, but the silk signature wraps suggest pre-WWI?

[wrong66]

You have to go with the decal as far as dating. No rectangular decals were used prior to the war, on any model rods.

[joners]

You have to go with the decal as far as dating. No rectangular decals were used prior to the war, on any model rods.

Were there some rods produced by SB that did not have a label? I have an 8 1/2', 3/2, Model 323 marked for HEH line. I have always assumed it was original, as it looks original with SB bag and proper label, aluminum tube, which I thought was pre WWII", Comficient" grip and "Lite-Lock" reel seat, . It has green/black jasper wraps, black spacer. It has 3 (ea) 1/8" wraps above the check/hook keeper wraps, and where you would expect an SB label is the name E Prahl. On the opposite flat from the name is "323-8 1/2'. Above the name is a 1/8" wrap, then E or HEH. I guess with the original owners name in place of a decal would indicate it's not original. By the way, it's one of my favorite rods.

Cap'n Bob

[DA]

The rectangular label does suggest post WW II, but the silk signature wraps suggest pre-WWI?

I thought that, too, but the picture in the 1949 catalog shows signature wraps and my rod has orange and black jasper silk winds as indicated in the catalog. So it seems it was made in the late 1940's.

[flyfisher111]

You have to go with the decal as far as dating. No rectangular decals were used prior to the war, on any model rods.

Were there some rods produced by SB that did not have a label? I have an 8 1/2', 3/2, Model 323 marked for HEH line. I have always assumed it was original, as it looks original with SB bag and proper label, aluminum tube, which I thought was pre WWII", Comficient" grip and "Lite-Lock" reel seat, . It has green/black jasper wraps, black spacer. It has 3 (ea) 1/8" wraps above the check/hook keeper wraps, and where you would expect an SB label is the name E Prahl. On the opposite flat from the name is "323-8 1/2'. Above the name is a 1/8" wrap, then E or HEH. I guess with the original owners name in place of a decal would indicate it's not original. By the way, it's one of my favorite rods.

Cap'n Bob

My experience with SB rods has been that the 323's and 346's typically have signature wraps, while the 59's and 359's of any vintage do not. I just looked at 7 rods and confirmed that; one 323 actually has 12 wraps, including the one above the label. Those are the rods I happen to have, and memory (not as good as it was) tends to bear that out. That tends to suggest that they were SB's better rods. I do like both models, and even though I am thinning the collection, will keep a couple of each for the grandkids.