Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)
Senior Member
I've got a John Wilson Avon too, as well as the TP Connoisseur rod. The first one is dark green and the second one is a sort of burgundy colour.
I've got a John Wilson Avon too, as well as the TP Connoisseur rod. The first one is dark green and the second one is a sort of burgundy colour.
Better well hanged than ill wed —Søren Kirkegaard
It's a great quote, especially if you know anything about Kirkegaard and his times. He wasn't excatly known for his sense of humour, but here and there he did let it shine through.nei, hvordan kan en god norsk gutt skal sitere en dansk dikter?
I believe the Wilson Avon I had was one of the first type. Dark (bottle) green blank, cheap rod rings, ridiculous abreviated EVA handle and black metal sliding reel rings. The EVA compressed quite rapidly, which lead to slack rings and insecure reels. One of the very few rods I've damaged (accidentally stood on) and not cared a jot.
I think the EVA handled version was actually an upgrade from the original. I bought one of the MK1's from the man himself when he had his shop in Norwich but he had to get about 6 out before I found one that had a straight tip. In its quiver configuration,for its day, it wasn't a bad rod but the avon top was just horrible. Cork handle,rubbish rings and utterly horrible sliding reel fittings. I loved that rod....then !
As you say its changed so much over the years the current version is a million miles away from the original but I still think there are far better rods of that ilk out there now...and have been for some years.
The Shimano Specialist was a cracking rod that is a twin tip. I have a pair and they are very versatile.I may be wrong but were they not the first "twin tip" rod ? Great idea and still going but [as I've said before] I've never yet found a twin tip that was "good" in both configurations. Usually the quiver tops are by far the better. I can honestly say I've never used the "avon" top on any of my so-called twin tips....and I've got a few !
I had a go of a mates Bruce and Walker fibreglass match rod I think it was a CTMa. Bloody awful compared to a modern rod, floppy and heavy, yet in its day it was regarded as the dogs dodahs
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