Anyone disappointed by the balance of MB rods ?

[sly]

Hello,

I've grabbed a MB Destroyer F5-66X Bearing Down in very good condition for a reasonable price. Not that I needed it, but wanted to try at least once a MB rod which had good reviews. It's a X-fast rod for jigs&worms.
This one has been said on the forum to be very balanced and to feel light in hand, TT said it was a "fantastic stick" which felt very balanced.

Well, I have not fished the rod yet, but after unboxing the rod and feeling it in my hand, I am bitterly disappointed.
It's truly unbalanced AND heavy for a 6'6 rod jig rod, when compared with my similar rod: loomis BCR 803, Damiki dark angel 6'6 heavy, cumara 6'8MHXF gen 1, powell max 683...and a bunch of unknown cheaper rods. All these feel so much better in terms of balance, night and day.
Since it's weight (5.2Oz) is relatively heavy for a short MH rod, and because of its reviews, I was expecting a perfect balance. Really not the case.
I guess balance and feel are always going to be a personnal preference, but I do not see myself jigging with that rod for a full day at all. It might be the most sensitive rod on earth, the tip heavy feeling spoils everything (whatever the reel, I've mounted several ones and they all feel pretty much the same).

What are your impressions on MB rods balance in general ? If some of you own this rod, what do you think about it ?

Feedbacks are welcome

[slicksouthpaw]

seems like balance is subjective also. i have a super orochi x4 f5 and its still slightly tip heavy with a luna 103. which is about a 8oz reel i think.

i had to add quite a bit of suspending strips and covered it with black electrical tape to get the balance i like.

[slicksouthpaw]

other than that the rod is BEAST. light as a medium heavy, small diamter rod but with a power of a heavy rod. can throw 1oz lure and do heavy hooksets no problem. lifting fish easily also

[Bronzeye]

weight (5.2Oz) is relatively heavy for a short MH rod

Dang--that IS heavy! I'm surprised, too; one would not expect that in a 6'6" high-end rod unless the weight were added behind the reel for balance.

[Crankbaitmaker]

I have always found it odd that MB does not list their rod weights. I was looking at their 7'11" Tomahawk untill I saw the weight on it. The thing weighs more than my 7'6" Helium II flipping stick. I think it is great that many of the JDM rod makers try to make a blank that does not twist under load. But I think that all of the different layers of material that they use to achieve this really adds the weight.

Crankbaitmaker

[JerryC]

I have the x7 super bandersnatch and the elseil and both seem very balanced and super light. The super bandersnatch is pairs with a mb IS casting reel and the elseil is paired with a Zonda.

[sly]

Thanks for the feedback.
So the super Orochi X4 F5 is also tip heavy...by the way, just to add my personnal feeling regarding balance: although some reels will feel obviously better on some rods than others, mainly due to grip size and so on,for me an unbalanced rod will stay unbalanced whatever light or heavy reel you put on it, since you are holding the reel it cannot efficiently counterbalance the tip of the rod.

I guess these rods just use blanks with thicker walls or something like that (not qualified to judge that).

I believe the recent Phase III bearing down is much appreciated by its users on the forum..curious to know what they think of the weight/balance of this rod compared with american rods of same power, and if they had to add weight to the rod handle. That's something I would find hard to swallow, on such a high end rod.
It's a pity because otherwise the build is very clean and the rod is beautiful.

[Stockinger]

The X4 Destruction was also a disappointment for me. Had to ad about 1Oz in the Rear. Felt almost balanced with a Z2020 then....

Night and Day - the X4 CoverHacking with CoverHacking is almost in perfect Balance. The best balanced combo is my Moerrum with CBR804. Balance isin the middle of the Handle-Nut..

[njbasscat]

The only one I've noticed being a tad tip heavy is my X4 Super Mirage. It's not so bad that it bothers me but it doesn't float in my hand. I would rather have a rod that is a little tip heavy and sensitive than one that is perfectly balanced and feels dead. Tip heaviness is purely subjective though as one person may find a rod too tip heavy and another may be fine with it.

[cndbasshunter]

all in all i would say the X4 aren't that easily balanced, the black elsiel balances nicely though. I actually prefer most of the XX rods because of this.

[Finnz922]

The X4 rods are my moving bait rods so my rod tip is pointed down anyway. I don't notice anything while fishing. The XX rods balance very nicely. I only have the Jig/Worm, Shakey Head, and the recently purchased Tour Versatile. I can't speak to the higher end rods. There are quite a few MB diehards on the site so I doubt balance is that much of an issue. Exclusivity or not people won't fish a rod if it is uncomfortable or annoying in hand. Just my opinion though.

[Bass1980]

Got my X4 Destruction for frogging and jigs but wow is it unbalanced. Metanium on it, forget it. Stepped it up to my curado I and it was better but not great. Good thing Exsence is on the way since that is the reel I intended for this rod. I think it should balance now.

Have also the X7 AM coming but I feel it'll be unbalanced too but I plan to use a IP79 on it at 7.5oz.

[BigG]

I find that most of my MB balance at or just above the foregrip, my NRX's are the same way. Used to bother me, but out on the water have all fish well. So I just decided that the fact they don't balance at the reel, doesn't matter near as much if they perform.

[Teal101]

Got my X4 Destruction for frogging and jigs but wow is it unbalanced. Metanium on it, forget it. Stepped it up to my curado I and it was better but not great. Good thing Exsence is on the way since that is the reel I intended for this rod. I think it should balance now.

Have also the X7 AM coming but I feel it'll be unbalanced too but I plan to use a IP79 on it at 7.5oz.

Well, putting a 6oz reel on a 7'-2" rod with double foot guides rated to 3-1/4oz is being pretty optimistic. I run a Zillion Type-R on my BJ PV which is basically the 2" longer BJ version of the X4 destruction and it balances right at the reel seat nut.

The XX series balances great. I have a Steez on my EMTF and it balances right in front of the reel.

[Bass1980]

Yeah I understood getting the rod that a heavier reel is needed. I must have mixed this thread with the other one about the X4 Destruction. Guys was using their steez on it as to why I mentioned the Metanium.

By spring I should have 4 difference MB rods so hopefully the BDX7 and AMX7 is good.