 HOW THE SHAKESPEARE UGLY STIK® In the 1940s, fishing rods were manufactured from either hollow or solid fiberglass. Hollow fiberglass rods were lighter and less expensive than solid ones, but they were also more inclined to break, particularly at the tip. While solid rods were stronger, they were also heavier and more expensive than the hollow ones.
Shakespeare developed a process that combined the benefits of each type of rod by joining a hollow fiberglass base to a solid fiberglass tip. With developments in graphite in the mid 1970s, Shakespeare added a graphite core to the base of the rod, making it even stronger. The tip remained solid fiberglass, which is both strong and flexible.
Shakespeare patented its invention and for years was the only manufacturer of fishing rods with a hollow graphite base and a solid fiberglass tip.
Because graphite is naturally charcoal gray and fiberglass is naturally clear or "whitish translucent," Shakespeare's rods had a distinctive appearance when compared to those of its competitors. While Shakespeare was at first troubled by the aesthetically unappealing two-toned rod, their customers seemed to like it. Shakespeare sought to capitalize on its appearance, deliberately marketing it in its natural two-toned appearance so that consumers could recognize the graphite base and solid fiberglass tip, and calling it the "Ugly Stik" - the name by which their two tone rod blanks are still known today. |