Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (Booman2) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:35:14 GMT

If I recall correctly, I bought #1997, 1998 and 1999 ( all M-40's) new in 1974, for less than $300 each. That means that they were probably built about 1973. IMO, rods built a few years earlier (1000-1400) were finished to a higher degree.

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (seabass14) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:02:16 GMT

Thanks for all the input on this guys. Bob, this is an all cork reel seat with a cap and ring. I guess it must have been a special order if it is a 39H. I don't have a scale that is sensitive enough to weigh this rod but sounds like that wouldn't be a sure thing anyway with the cork reel seat. This is a great looking rod and casts both 5 or 6 well. Much appreciation again for all the helpful insight.

Seabass

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (DrakeBob) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:01:34 GMT

I agree... beautiful Simroe era rod. It appears to be in great shape. Thinking aloud now... I'm inclined to also agree that it's a 39H but the cork reel seat (with what I'm assuming is a cap and ring, or is it a screw lock?) gives me pause. Although, that doesn't necessarily eliminate it as a 39H; it might simply have been ordered that way. If you're not accustomed to Leonard, seabass, it might be a bit slower than you're used to and it could very well be the...

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (Trout120) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:54:36 GMT

Beautiful Simroe era rod. It's a 39H with those purple tags in the wraps.

Trout120

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (seabass14) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:49:28 GMT

OK, the rod has arrived and it is in excellent condition. I just lined it and cast it with a DT-5-F and a WF-6-F and I think it handled the 5 perfectly but it could easily be fished with a 6 also. I have tried to take pictures of all the important parts (i.e. ferrules, reel seat, serial number etc.). I am looking for approximate date of manufacture? What do you think Bob, 39? or 39H?

Thanks for the help on this one.

Seabass14

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (DrakeBob) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:49:39 GMT

Seabass, pictures will be great to make sure we've got the right era and to ensure that the rod is "whole", i.e., original and not "parts." Unfortunately, pictures won't help with the model, so I'm going to do some early guessing here. With the 7 1/2', 2/2 configuration and a general idea of the year, my guess is that it is probably a model 39, a very popular rod. You see a fair number of them around. If it were slightly earlier, it might be a model 65...

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (seabass14) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:50:43 GMT

Thanks for the information Bob, I do not have the rod in my hands just yet but it should be to me by the middle of next week. I will take pictures and post. The rod is a 2/2 rod that is 7 1/2 foot. I am not sure of the line weight of the rod either as there is no label on the tube. Next week I will post pictures of the rod and see if I can get more input from people.

Thanks again,

Seabass

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (BobS) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:18:41 GMT

Thanks, Bob. I appreciate your help.
Bob

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (DrakeBob) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:45:26 GMT

Hey, Robert... There was no serial numbering of rods for some time after the fire. As I recall, Ted Simroe began sequential serial numbering of the rods in '69 when he joined the company, so your first two rods are low serial number rods, but not immediately post fire. At least, that's my best guess without seeing them.

Your second question is jogging my memory now. Your 39M-6 with a three digit serial number would be early Maxwell era. He joined Leonard in '77....

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (BobS) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:49:47 GMT

Thanks, DB.

I have a couple 3-digit Leonards, one 4XX, the other 8XX. There is no other information on these rods and no info whatsoever on the tubes. I gather it is safe to assume they are early post-fire rods and that they were built in the order their SNs suggest.

The question: I once had a 39M-6 with an SN of 3XX. Both these identifiers were printed on the rod. There was nothing on the rod to suggest year built, and nothing at all on the tube. The 39M-6 would...

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (DrakeBob) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:07:38 GMT

Okay, it's Friday so I'll take a shot and then I can hide for the weekend if I'm wrong. This is an oft discussed topic around here. They did not start serial numbering the rods until some time after the fire. Based on the low four digit serial number I'd guess date of build to be early '70s, maybe late '71 - early '72-ish? To the best of my knowledge, when this serial numbering scheme was used there was no way to link the serial number to a model as the rods...

Re: Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (BobS) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:42:49 GMT

Good question. I'd like to know answer, too, so bumping this up.

Dating a Leonard rod by serial # alone

feeds@yuku.com (seabass14) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:28:18 GMT

Just curious if it is possible to find out the date of manufacture and or the model number of a Leonard rod by serial # alone? The serial # is 1215 any ideas on when this might have been made and what model this might be?

Thanks in advance,

Seabass