I need your opinions.

I’m building another rod and in kinda torn between three styles of grip/reelseat combos. The cork is a reelseat that is used on some JDM rods, maybe the Presso in one of its offerings. I’ve looked long and hard to find the exact one on those rods but I don’t have resources to find it. I’ve seen JDM rods have it in both eva and cork and would prefer the eva for this rod. The blank is green and the guides are black and tall. Thread colors are still in the thought process too.

The eva grip is thinner but the same style, the new version of the other one. Weight isn’t too different (I think) but I’ll weigh it before I get started. Either one is nice in its own right and comfortable enough to spend some time with.

The third is the minimal style I used on my 5’6” build that you’ve all seen in pics a bunch of times. They don’t come much if any lighter and that has become my rod that I reach for without thinking. I have to remember to leave it alone and give the others a bit of play. So a lot of you have more experience with different rods and I’m just looking for input. Please step and give your thoughts, good or bad, and let me know what you think might be the one you chose if it was your build.

Mr Moderator, please don’t move this to the rod building forum for a week or so. I need a bit more exposure before it goes there. Thanks.
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How comfortable is that minimalist grip on your 5’6” build ?
I’m a lightweight fan , the lighter the better and if that felt good , I’d go with that one . I like the looks of that one .
If you could fit a carbon piece in the middle, I would think it would make it more comfortable and increase the sensitivity. I know they make them for flyrods .

They do have em but as I remember they don’t fit the components just right. If I was to get it off center I’d be tweaked. When I put pressure on a bigger fish it’s usually with the heel of the hand and that lands on the threads so comfy enough. Thanks for the input.

with me the looks are a little bit of the what is me on the like it thing , but to be sure the feel is the end game .
something that feels really good can be a bit short on looks as far as I am concerned ,,,,just saying

That’s my hard part Ketchn, I like all of them. I have some that fill your hand like the cork one does, and others that are slender but they all feel good to me.

Hard to beat cork. Foam always got slimy and slick when hammering fish

I like cork, and I like Light too, the St. Croix UL is the lightest rod I own, and all the rods you have shown look to be very nice weight and component wise :ThumbsUp I have thought about trying to build my own, Have done bass rods in the past, but looks to me when you start building as little and light as possible, I'd have to "scale back" on doing guides:Doh:rotflrotfl

MT, don’t intimidate yourself into not doing it. It takes a little practice and a bunch of YouTube watching but it’s not hard. And best of all, no one’s keeping score. If you don’t like the way something turned out, pull it off and start again. Talk with Jamesdean some, he’s just getting started too. It’s good fun and a hoot catching fish on what you built. I caught a five pound ten ounce tilapia on the minimal built rod in the pictures, and it was fun beyond belief.

Skeet, I don't know anything about rod building, but I know which handles I like most when holding and fishing them. Some told me this MC rod handle is called the cigar style, and it seems that's what your cork handle is. It's my favorite handle to fish with thus far if this help.Attachment 464441

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It does LV, and thanks. I’m still searching for a grip like that but I haven’t found one yet. There’s a fat style like my cork made from eva that I also like, haven’t found it either. The nut on yours with the decorative stuff on it is another I’m searching for. I think it would be more comfortable than the basic nut that I have. Good input. Now I know what rods to look at when folks say they don’t know what it looks like.