off the rack vs handmade

[Bryn]

Guess i'm lucky here in that all i've got to do for a new board, stock or custom, is pop down to see Crox or Tony. Visited last Saturday and there was a good 10+ boards both new and used right there from 5'9"s to 6'3" semi guns! The custom option also easy as Crox keeps all the templates so tweeking a previous shape is simple and enables us to keep records of our own 'model'. Plus the shaping house is just down the road. Add to that pads, bags, fins, leashes ,wetties, even wax. Kinda feel spoilt! Always like a visit to Santa's grotto, never fails to put a smile on the face. Good coffee too!

Always nice to be able to stand and look at a variety of boards and from time to time something interesting comes in secondhand. In fact my first ever Flashpoint came back from wherever it's been, was nice to see it again and if i had the cash would've bought it back for sure!

I'm lucky in that i'm a straight medium wetsuit right off the rack. Suits are so good these days can't really see the need for custom at all.

Cheers
Bryn

[jamie]

kAVA,
I stand by my earlier comments.
Your poll asks the following question ?
Boards mass produced, by a noname shaper for a well known shaper or surfshop.

Who are these guys ?
While i have heard of Romonsky and Cleary - I doubt that either of them make enough boards to get a ghost shaper to do their boards.

What has anything that Al Meerick(am) does, or that he said got to do with kneeboards being shaped - custom or stock.

By virtue of checking this site, its fair to say that 6- 10 guys make 80 % of the kneeboards shaped in the world.
I suggest you check with half of them at least and ask them if they put more than 5% of boards they shaped last year into shops.
Ask them if they think that kneeboards(more than 10%) have been or will ever be mass produced.
Start with Hart, Buddy,Parkes, Crox,Schoelkopf.
Sorry I missed putting in someone from SA - the only guy I remember was Spider Murphy and i think he does mainly stand -up boards.

[Jon Manss]

HEY Martin I have blanks in my shop.

[KAVA]

mass produced, by a noname shaper for a well known shaper or surfshop. should be cheaper but most items off the rack are usually marked up. vs custom made how you like it by the shaper in question.

jamie;
as for romo and dean cleary i dont know if they do this or not (but they make great boards). I was under the impression all shapers/surfshops did it. but what do i know i couldnt shape a board to save my life! i am asking for a choice. would you rather have a custom board or a generic board . when there is a poll you pick one or the other or dont pick at all or you can pick your bum for all i care lol

(see initial post)

[KAVA]

I went by The frog house today and they had 1 romo board there. I asked the guy behind the counter (tk wasnt in yet) and he said they usually stock 6-8 romo boards before clark foam went down so???

also they stock the romo deck pad for $39.99 for those interested

[Dane]

I've just finished with "my shaper", Mr. Neil Luke at Island. There was extensive discussion and analysis about height, weight, waves, riding style, designs and more. He went away and did further research and there was even more discussion. After a few days when the order was placed I knew exactly what I was getting and why.

The alternative with an off-the-rack board is you pay around the same price as a custom board and paddle it out hoping it has been worth the investment.

On that note...standby for a variation on a successful design from Neil. Pics will be posted.

Wetsuits...try before you buy.

[rooster]

I would definately be hesitent about an OTR board. I like to have at least some say in things even if its just color and sticker placement.