TackleTour

Looking for a rod pretty much inline with a Loomis 893 or 894 so basically a MH at least if not a light heavy, but definitely not a meatstick. I know Kistler uses them but am unsure which blanks they use for which powers... In the past Gary had problems with rating his blanks to what the true powers are.
Anyways looking at the SJ 736-1 which is rated as a heavy but butt and tip specs look more like a MH (oddly enough there's another 736 that's a MB but is rated lighter...
The other blank would be the MB 7108-1 but with a 5.7 tip that almost is as big as their swimbait rods

So any help would be awesome! Only reason I'm considering is because of the 60% sale so I figured maybe do a jig rod while I'm doing a swimbait stick too.

Super odd...as I bought the SJ 736 and the MB 7109 Xrays.

The SJ 736 is NOT a heavy. The way they label their blanks is mind-boggling. It is a medium heavy with a somewhat soft tip for the ratings. I planned on using it for T-rigs less than 1/2oz and I feel it will work well in that range.

The MB 7109 I bought as a punch rod. I feel it will serve well as a punch rod and could toss some light swimbaits.

I have not used these rods on the water, as it is winter. I do have them build up. There has been a lot of talk on here about the X-Ray blanks and their power/taper, with the SJ 736 being the most I have read about. I will post a link to a video of the rod tapers, as I feel a video of a rods taper is worth a thousand words. It will be a few days before I do that.

With the current price, they are a steal of a deal. Like I said, I have not fished them but, they feel nice.

Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:Super odd...as I bought the SJ 736 and the MB 7109 Xrays.

The SJ 736 is NOT a heavy. The way they label their blanks is mind-boggling. It is a medium heavy with a somewhat soft tip for the ratings. I planned on using it for T-rigs less than 1/2oz and I feel it will work well in that range.

The MB 7109 I bought as a punch rod. I feel it will serve well as a punch rod and could toss some light swimbaits.

I have not used these rods on the water, as it is winter. I do have them build up. There has been a lot of talk on here about the X-Ray blanks and their power/taper, with the SJ 736 being the most I have read about. I will post a link to a video of the rod tapers, as I feel a video of a rods taper is worth a thousand words. It will be a few days before I do that.

With the current price, they are a steal of a deal. Like I said, I have not fished them but, they feel nice.

Thanks would be awesome!! There's a 7108 which is one size lighter than your 7109, but the specs are almost identical. I may have to dig through their old HM "Classics" and see what I can find... But from what I remember I had this exact same problem with their old MB 705, which definitely isn't a MH is more of a medium, then it jumps clear to a MB 709 which is a meatstick

Updating this


So I’ve had the mb736 for a while did the handle but need to do the guides.

I just got the sj736 today

I’ve also got the nrx873

The sj736 is pretty close to it. On the deflection board

I wouldn’t call it a heavy though not the power of the mhx874

Here's something data from my own deflections..

blank, length, lureweight, WL(cm), RDA(g)

TR904-3-MHX 7'6" - 3/4oz 188 648
BFT Vertical Microwave 6' - 60g 146 630
NFC MB 709 IM 7' 3/8 - 2 oz 173 621
BFT Vertical Pelagio V2 5'9" - 60g 135 600
NMB873-MHX 7'2" ¹/⁴ - ³/⁴oz 183,5 575
NFC MB 736-1 (X-Ray LMX) 7'3" ¹/⁴ - ³/⁴oz 181,5 547
Bushido MB68/12-20 6'8" 3/8-1oz 165 545
MB843-MHX 7' ¹/⁴ - ³/⁴oz 174,5 527
NFC MB 795 Delta 7'9" 10-30g 193 525
G. Loomis GLX 893C JWR 7'5" 3/16 - 5/8oz 188 525
NMB844-MHX 7' -1oz 174 520
Bushido SJ72/8-15 7'2" 3/4oz 181,5 514
Okuma Helios 66M 6'6" 10-30g 171 513

It's a guessing game with NFC until we get some solid measurements, as MDF just did above. And even with that, their blanks have more variations between same models than any I've come across.

Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 14, 2019 7:57 pm

It's a guessing game with NFC until we get some solid measurements, as MDF just did above. And even with that, their blanks have more variations between same models than any I've come across.

How much of a variation have you been finding? I've only built one x-ray (MB733) so I don't have others to compare.

ogrich31 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 15, 2019 3:42 am

Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 14, 2019 7:57 pm

It's a guessing game with NFC until we get some solid measurements, as MDF just did above. And even with that, their blanks have more variations between same models than any I've come across.

How much of a variation have you been finding? I've only built one x-ray (MB733) so I don't have others to compare.

I just ordered this mbr 733 xray blank and am curious how your build turned out. What was your weight and grip/guide setup?

I am new at rod building and am looking for some ideas on how to best use this blank. This is my first "real" blank other than the cheaper ones I have done for practice.

Dave

amso4 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 09, 2020 2:03 pm

ogrich31 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 15, 2019 3:42 am

Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 14, 2019 7:57 pm

It's a guessing game with NFC until we get some solid measurements, as MDF just did above. And even with that, their blanks have more variations between same models than any I've come across.

How much of a variation have you been finding? I've only built one x-ray (MB733) so I don't have others to compare.

I just ordered this mbr 733 xray blank and am curious how your build turned out. What was your weight and grip/guide setup?

I am new at rod building and am looking for some ideas on how to best use this blank. This is my first "real" blank other than the cheaper ones I have done for practice.

Dave

I ordered both 733 MBR and SJ blanks. I actually plan on using the MBR blank as a spinning rod, so I picked up an American Tackle carbon reel seat, hidden hood nut, and plan on making it uplocking like the MB Destroyer rods. For the SJ rod, I bought An American Tackle carbon reel seat and G2 carbon split grip handle.

I ordered both 733 MBR and SJ blanks. I actually plan on using the MBR blank as a spinning rod, so I picked up an American Tackle carbon reel seat, hidden hood nut, and plan on making it uplocking like the MB Destroyer rods. For the SJ rod, I bought An American Tackle carbon reel seat and G2 carbon split grip handle.
[/quote]

I hope you get some time and post a picture of the build and the final weight. Being new at rodbuilding, this type of information is very useful.

Thanks

Dave

amso4 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 09, 2020 2:03 pm

I just ordered this mbr 733 xray blank and am curious how your build turned out. What was your weight and grip/guide setup?

I am new at rod building and am looking for some ideas on how to best use this blank. This is my first "real" blank other than the cheaper ones I have done for practice.

Dave

Here's mine. I never put this rod on the scale. Wasn't too concerned with weight, but if i was going for the lightest possibly rod, there's no question that I'd go with a Tennessee handle. Grips are cork grips from Matagi, reel seat is a Matagi painted Fuji VSS. Guides are Fuji titanium sic, built with a KR concept guidetrain. KL-H 20, 10, 5.5m, KB 5.5, then KT 5.5's to the tip (size 5.5 titanium torzite Fuji KG tip). 9 guides plus tip.

Just wanted to mention this as well but, this thread is a year old.

ogrich31 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 10, 2020 2:00 am

amso4 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 09, 2020 2:03 pm

I just ordered this mbr 733 xray blank and am curious how your build turned out. What was your weight and grip/guide setup?

I am new at rod building and am looking for some ideas on how to best use this blank. This is my first "real" blank other than the cheaper ones I have done for practice.

Dave

Here's mine. I never put this rod on the scale. Wasn't too concerned with weight, but if i was going for the lightest possibly rod, there's no question that I'd go with a Tennessee handle. Grips are cork grips from Matagi, reel seat is a Matagi painted Fuji VSS. Guides are Fuji titanium sic, built with a KR concept guidetrain. KL-H 20, 10, 5.5m, KB 5.5, then KT 5.5's to the tip (size 5.5 titanium torzite Fuji KG tip). 9 guides plus tip.

Just wanted to mention this as well but, this thread is a year old.

How does that blank fish? I ended up going with the SJ732

Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:55 pm

How does that blank fish? I ended up going with the SJ732

It fishes very nice for an all around spinning rod. I've used it to drop shot 1'-50' deep, although I'd personally go with a lighter powered blank if I needed a dedicated dropshot rod. I've also used it to throw 3" swimbaits up to a 3/8oz jig head in 40' of water and it did that very well. Excellent blank, very sensitive and powerful for how light the blank felt. Since I'll only carry one spinning rod with me, I needed a little more power than my last rod (for all spinning techniques).

It's paired up with a 16 Vanquish 2500S with 15.2lb Hitena Silky braid with 6lb tatsu leader. If I went with straight flouro, I'd probably have a better feel and can give more insight on the blank, but I got tired of line twist. So braid to leader it is.

How's the SJ732?

amso4 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 09, 2020 5:39 pm

I ordered both 733 MBR and SJ blanks. I actually plan on using the MBR blank as a spinning rod, so I picked up an American Tackle carbon reel seat, hidden hood nut, and plan on making it uplocking like the MB Destroyer rods. For the SJ rod, I bought An American Tackle carbon reel seat and G2 carbon split grip handle.

I hope you get some time and post a picture of the build and the final weight. Being new at rodbuilding, this type of information is very useful.

Thanks

Dave
[/quote]

I'll post some pics when they are finished. I have light charcoal silk thread that I am going to wrap the guides with that I will make translucent. I'm going for a grey ghost look. I'm definitely not the best wrapper, so I have found this to be a good way to make them look professional.

ogrich31 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 10, 2020 8:00 pm

Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:55 pm

How does that blank fish? I ended up going with the SJ732

It fishes very nice for an all around spinning rod. I've used it to drop shot 1'-50' deep, although I'd personally go with a lighter powered blank if I needed a dedicated dropshot rod. I've also used it to throw 3" swimbaits up to a 3/8oz jig head in 40' of water and it did that very well. Excellent blank, very sensitive and powerful for how light the blank felt. Since I'll only carry one spinning rod with me, I needed a little more power than my last rod (for all spinning techniques).

It's paired up with a 16 Vanquish 2500S with 15.2lb Hitena Silky braid with 6lb tatsu leader. If I went with straight flouro, I'd probably have a better feel and can give more insight on the blank, but I got tired of line twist. So braid to leader it is.

How's the SJ732?

The 732 sounds like it fishes lighter than yours. Definitely wouldn't fish a 3/8 oz jig with it. Tip is very soft, relatively whippy, and can protect light line well. In stock form, it's pretty close to a BFS type of blank - at least right in the middle of that and a power finesse type blank. It fishes lighter than my K2 683ml.. Caught me a little off guard. I actually trimmed 3.5" off the tip. As it is now, I'd estimate somewhere between 250 - 270 grams of power. I'm a bit surprised your blank is so much different, but that's NFC for ya. I probably should have grabbed the 733 instead. I fish various baits between 1/8 and a quarter on it, 7 lb fluoro.