Phenix split grip in Red.

[DenisB]

Phenix UMBX 700H ( 10-20# )

• 6'8” with split grip
• Matagi Red Camo grips
• Chromed Fuji reelseat rings & winding checks
• Fuji CMNAG stripper , CLNAG +CUNAG+CLAG+ TSG Guidetrain
• TFST tip
• cutdown Fuji buttcap & a machined S/steel trim ring for the buttcap

A beautifully light in the hand well balanced combination that is quite powerful.

The guidetrain transition of types is reasonably aesthetic , keeps weight out of the tip, matching quite well in the transitions I think.
Very sensitive in the hand. I am very impressed with this combination .


Reel: Daiwa Certate 3500 with 30# PE braid mainline.




handle assembly:



CKW on the split grip
took a few combinations to get a reasonable match to the Matagi grip colours
ended up with black/silver-grey/whiteNCP/Candy apple red/silver-grey/whiteNCP underlay & a 40# mono overwrap.




Typical of most of my personal builds the thread colours are subdued at a distance and contrast & detail as you get closer.
Red scale closed chevron buttwrap
– Madeira 1781 & Gudebrod Candy apple with madeira 1810 silver-grey bands & black reverse chevron .




Guide Wrap on the double foots
some metallic brown & 1810 trim bands & a short metallic red & 1810 spiral with black outlayer in the candy apple underwrap and 1781 overwrap with silver trim.




Single foots are simple 1781 wraps with silver trim.
Most of my builds these days taper down the complexity of the wrap from Butt towards the tip, irrespective of whether I have any double foots at the tip or not.


Apologies for my usual poor photography ( images are too dark )............. I am the president of the barely adequate photography club.

[Owen]

Flasher than a rat with a gold tooth!
Those grips look like my eyes aftr a few too many bundy rums

[Capt. G]

Snazziest rod in Wollongong, bar none!

[FAT CAT]

Beautiful rod Denis. Can I join the photography club? I think I'm qualified.

[Comedie]

Looks great Denis. Sort of a young Aussie red wine color.
Didn't go with the shrink over the CKW, huh?
I think you are giving me competition for my slowest builder crown tho

On the photography thing, I've found the daylight adjusted ring bulbs work pretty nice for lighting things up for close-ups. Have one in a magnifier, and it does well enough that I haven't bothered with putting together a lightbox. Useful for me also to see if colors shift between lighting when the sun is down and I can't check easily.

[SALTYDAWG]

Good looking Rod denis

[brandonmc]

Now that's HOT! Nice work.

[DenisB]

Originally Posted by FAT CAT

Beautiful rod Denis. Can I join the photography club? I think I'm qualified.

Ohhhh ...........worldwide membership of that club.........all welcome
I'm so bad they made me president.
My limits are:-
turn machine on .........point.........shoot.
never do enough of it or have the interest to get my head around the intricacies of the photography world.

and yeah...........its hard to teach an old dog new tricks too.

[reelumin]

very very nice

[Mrsnookman]

The rod came out great, now I hope u go kill so
E fish with it

[Dohboy]

That is one very sharp looking rod

[Capt. G]

Actually Denis (and others) your photos are quite good. I am just an amateur photographer, but I have had dozens of photos published in magazines and newspapers, including a few cover shots.
I have worked with some great professional photographers here in Japan, and they tell me that a good picture is 99% lighting and composure.
Even the most inexpensive cameras are capable of taking really good photos.
That said, I, like you Denis, basically just point and shoot.
I do not even own photoshop, and do not know how to alter photos by patching in colors, etc.
But, by simply adjusting the light/contrast of a picture, it is easy to make your pics a little more sharp, and brilliant.
I did this after the fact with your pics (the top image) and the bottom image is light/contrast adjusted.