The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I will be most grateful if any member can please advise regarding the B. James Avocet, my question is in two parts.
The 'Avocet' became popular as a prize given by Bernard Venables and The Daily Mirror, it was a three piece, whole cane butt with built cane middle and tip. It has been said the built cane was prepared by Bob Southwell hand planning the cane sections. Photographs of the Avocet, and I have to admit not having owned one, indicate a built cane butt, middle and tip. My question is when did the change from a whole cane butt section to built cane take place, it is easy to assume the change occured after Bob Southwell finished supplying B. James and if so, why change from a whole cane butt section?
The implications of the change from whole cane butt to built cane alters the nature, balance and action of the rod; in effect I would propose it is a different rod.
Comments most welcome.

I have two built cane b James avocets they are my tench rods I like them very much but have never handled a whole cane but one I don’t think the whole cane rods were made longer than a couple of years as for Southwell ones mine have onion shaped handles and mk4 carp rods with onion shaped handles are advertised as Southwell blanks so all later built avocets could be Southwell who knows mike

I found this site a very useful source of information about the evolution of the avocet http://www.inthenetuk.com/pages/Vintage ... lution.asp
Geoff

Thanks for the link ep I enjoyed that mike

Cheers, the link was a great read. I have a mystery unnamed Avocet, possibly due to an earlier restoration job where the label was removed (I speculate so) but the taper is an exact match. Anyways, it's proved a great all rounder, not that I have yet caught a barbel with it. The cane certainly is steely and it's now my go to rod.