JC,
I don't think our ideas are mutually exclucive. But I think all the features offered on a rod are always market driven. The high end market wants high mod graphite, high grade cork, and a slick reel seat, so thats what you find on high end rods-- great quality on that end.

What the market doesn't demand are better guides - ceramics on heavier wts and single foot wires on light weights. My guess here is that by-and-large most fly-fishers don't know about the benefits of ceramics, or the benifits of weight savings on light rods.

I think there is also a lot of poor quality wraps on rods, even high end. Again, I would say market driven. How many fly fishers you you see inspecting the quality of the wraps at your local fly shop? Probably not too many. Last time I did that, I saw about 1/4 of the high end rods had the guides showing between the thread - not just poor, but slopy thread packing.

No, I wouldn't say any major company is trying to screw us, their just meeting the demands of the consumers, while trying to stay in the black.