Paul Hightower?

0 Kudo

Author	Comment
Chuck441	Paul Hightower?		Lead	[-]
Posts: 32 04/22/2009 19:38	Tags : None Hi there. Back in the 80's I purchased a set of ferruled but unfinished rod blanks from Bob's in Denver. I believe they were made by Paul Hightower. They made a fine three piece 7 1/2 foot rod that casts either a 5wt. or 6wt. line with authority. My only reservation is that the midsection is a lighter cane than the butt or either of the two tips. Doesn't affect the function, but it does look a little funky. I think I paid something like $40 per section at the time. They also had blanks for a three piece 6wt. rod, also at $40 per. Oh, how I wish I had parted with that extra money! Do any of you know what taper might have been used? Just curious. The rod has helped me catch a lot of trout since I finished it, and it's not going anywhere without me. It's not pretty, but neither am I! Chuck
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Flyman615	Hightower rods	#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3202 04/22/2009 20:17	Hi Chuck: I have a finished rod which, though unmarked, has been attributed to Paul Hightower during his tenure at Bob's Tackle Shop. My varnished rod is also a 7 1/2-foot, 3/2, and looks to me to have been assembled from Granger or Phillipson blanks. The sections are of uniform color; the wraps are very well done and it lacks a swelled butt. The most unique feature is the "Granger-patented" uplock reel seat that sports a very attractive modification--a walnut insert between the lower, up locking reel foot pocket and the stationary upper pocket. Ernest Schwiebert obliquely referred to these rods in "Trout" as "Granger DeLuxes", obviously made by Phillipson. While I doubt that assertion, Mr. Hightower was evidently responsible for earlier Phillipson reel seat designs, so the wood barrel modification to the Granger u/l design may plausibly be his work. The rod came to me in mint, unfished condition with a gold, Phillipson-style tube. Just another interesting Colorado "mystery" rod! Regards, Flyman Last Edited By: Flyman615 04/24/2009 09:32. Edited 4 times.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
bobbeegee		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2600 04/22/2009 20:44	I would suspect that the tapers were either Phillipson or Granger. Paul Hightower was for many years the chief machinist for Phillipson rods, designing reel seats and other hardware. Garnered this information from "Colorado Classic Cane" by Dick Spurr and Michael Sinclair. In his later years after the demise of the Phillipson Rod Company, he established the Pioneer Rod Company with Betty Malara, also a former Phillipson employee, in Denver. They produced rods with a hodge-podge of components and cane. Cane not being of the same color, ferrules of different manufacture, etc. Rods made for fishing not eyeballing. "Most fishermen just want a good rod to fish with" was their mantra. Bob p.s. Flyman, that is one way cool reel seat! Go Heels!!! Last Edited By: bobbeegee 04/22/2009 20:46. Edited 1 time.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
afgantrout		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 520 04/22/2009 23:03	Great discussion. I frequented "Bob and Betty's" during the 70s and early 80s. I believe it was Paul Hightower who selected the ferruled blanks I purchased for three rods. Two of them were Phillipson blanks and the one rod I still own is a W&M Granger 'Waterseal', the impregnated model. Ah...those were the days! In a recent Lang's auction I noticed a Hightower rod made for John Gierach. My aforementioned rod is still in service...as shown below. BTW, it's 8.5' , 3/2 (all sections matching) and throws a 7 or 8. During that period I recall they offered both W&M and Phillipson blanks. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Petri heil! Kindly take a look at my angling art (and classic ephemera) www.michaelsimonanglingart.com
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
firehole		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3862 04/23/2009 00:29 Local user	Great posts and I agree I like the reel seat on Flyman's. Dennis
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Flyman615		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3203 04/23/2009 12:58	Hi again Chuck: I forgot to address your original question in my above post. My 7 1/2-foot "Hightower" is definitely not on the Granger 7633 taper. I'm guessing since Phillipson didn't make a 3/2 7 1/2-foot rod, to my knowledge, the blank for my rod is a slightly shortened Granger 8040 or Phillipson 8-foot 3/2. The fact that my rod doesn't have a swelled butt would seem to substantiate that theory. My rod also throws a DT-5 or WF-6. I hope this helps! And thanks guys, for the comments on the reel seat. I sure wish they'd have made more of them that way! Regards again, Scott Last Edited By: Flyman615 04/24/2009 09:30. Edited 1 time.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Chuck441		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 33 04/23/2009 22:25	Scott- sounds like we have similar rods. Only mine's a two-tone! Good fishing stick, though! Chuck
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
JHolton	Paul Hightower	#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 106 04/23/2009 22:28	You might contact Rick Gottdenker at Ricks Rods (ricksrods.com). Paul worked for him after Bob's closed down and Rick bought much of the stock. Rick and Marilyn knew him pretty well and speak very fondly of him. Jack
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
bluejayee		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 736 04/25/2009 11:19	Hi Guys, I, too, bought a two tone 8', 3pc. rod from Bob's in the late '70's. I finished it out and used it but sold it in1980 to help fund a Payne. Around that time I recall a couple who had a fly shop in Greeley who had bought a bunch of ferruled blanks from Bob&Betty and were finishing them and selling them. The wood/WM reelseat may have been something they did, I don't specifically recall. Betty'd know. Jay Edwards
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Chuck441		#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 34 04/26/2009 20:31	Here's a pic of the rod I made from the blanks I described in my first post. Only my second cane job, but I think it came out all right. You can easily see the color difference between the sections. Chuck
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Yuku free message boards

Paul Hightower?

Paul Hightower?

Quick Reply