R.B Meiser Highlander CX and MKX Blanks
… We offer over 60 individual blanks from the R.B. Meiser Highlander CX and MKX series of two handed rods … The largest selection of two handed blanks in the world. These are the same blanks that are used for all finished R.B. Meiser Custom Rods.
About the R.B. Meiser Highlander CX blanks
The Highlander CX rods are by definition uniform progressive, mid-flex rods … With a fast speed of recovery.
… The Highlander CX blanks are most appreciated by those anglers that enjoy a rod action with a strong tip, and a very even, and incremental power increase from tip to butt, as well as an equally uniform flex from tip to butt.
The CXs are not soft tip, stiff butted “fast action” two handed rods. Power from the CX blanks will be felt very nicely well into the cork when under full line load.
They build up into very caster friendly, forgiving rods, and because of this, they are rods that we will often recommend to our entry level, two handed anglers … Especially to those anglers with a long previous history of casting single handed fly rods.
The lightness in hand and authoritative crisp feel of the Highlander CX rods at work is amazing. We have always considered the Highlanders to be our flagship series of rods. The benchmark that all other R.B. Meiser family actions have been derived.
We are very proud of the CX rods, and we feel that they do truly represent, and carry on the highest caliber of functional design and contemporary material use. Typical characteristics that have consistently defined and represented the R.B Meiser Highlander series of rods for over 25 years.
About the R.B. Meiser MKX Blanks
…The MKX rods are favored by those two-handed anglers that prefer an extremely authoritative, deep loading rod with a lot of top end power, and a medium fast speed of recovery …
… When compared to a comparable Highlander CX rod: The MKX rods will have 10% to 15% more energy (will be stiffer) in the top 2/3 of the blank. The bottom 1/3 will even out, or actually increase flex (will be softer) and will load much deeper into the cork. This creates an incredibly efficient rod action that will demand only a minimal amount of caster energy to achieve maximum performance. This is a very old and traditional rod action. UK Salmon anglers would call this a through-action rod. Bamboo guys would call them parabolic action rods.
Two handed rods that have actions typical of the MKX’s do without question have the best work ethics of all rod actions, and if managed correctly, the ratio of power and distance achieved in relation to caster expended energy is phenomenal. And because of these inherent characteristics, most of the world’s most successful distance casting competition casters use rods that have this action.
Considering all of my years of involvement with fishing and designing two handed rods … I would have to say in all honesty that most dedicated two handed casters will eventually evolve into anglers that will learn to fully appreciate the delivery capability of this family of rod action.
Another strong point of the MKX rods is that they are not line specific. They will deliver all correctly grain matched line systems with equal efficiency. Both Scandi and Skagit shooting heads are ideal for these rods. They have a lot of top end power, so they will un-hinge and launch massive Skagit tips and heavy flies requiring only a relaxed and economic power stroke. And yet, they do also have the subtle sweetness to down-grain into a minimal anchor touch-and-go that’ll launch a light weight Scandi with just a flick.
We’ve also seen a very strong appreciation again of classic Spey lines, this as a result of the increased numbers of more seasoned casters on our rivers. The MKX rods are brilliant long belly rods that will aerialize and efficiently manage long belly lines with ease.
We do offer our blanks to builders as individual blanks, as "Builder Kits" or as "Ready To Wrap" kits
Builder Kits
Builder Kits Include:
~ Our own proprietary blank designs, the same that we would use for our own
custom rods
~ Our own proprietary reel seats in Titanium Gunsmoke. Other reel seats can be selected as an option
~ Our own Flor grade cork rings and composite cork … The same we would use on our own custom rods
~ Our own proprietary Carbide ring TiCr stripper guides.
~ Our own proprietary marine grade TiCr snakes and tip top
~ Winding check
~ Our R.B. Meiser logo Codura case and Tartan partitioned sock is optional with the
Builder Kit: Add $85.00
Ready To Wrap Kits
What Is Ready to Wrap?
The Ready to Wrap is the rod complete with the upper and lower grip assembled and milled custom to client callouts. All that needs to be done is to wrap and epoxy the rod. The grips are hand glued ring on ring, using the same Flor grade cork, reel seats, and grip profiles that we would use on our build schedules.
Ready to Wrap (RTW) Will Include:
~ Our own proprietary reel seats in Titanium Gunsmoke
~ Other reel seat options are available for discussion (see the reel seat page)
~ Fully assembled upper and lower grips milled in profiles typical of our own rods
~ Marine grade Carbide ring TiCr stripping guides
~ Marine grade TiCr Snakes and tip top
~ Other guide system options are available for discussion
~ The rod is spine aligned with guide placement recommendations
~ All that needs to be done is to wrap and epoxy the rod
~ Our R.B. Meiser logo Codura case and Tartan partitioned sock is optional with the
RTW: Add $85.00
~ The butt section can be personalized with a signature, feather Inlay, and
matching thread wraps: Add $85.00