Not to confuse the issue, but if you are looking for "bang for the buck" take a look at www.sierratradingpost.com before you actually spend anything. Go to outdoor gear and outerwear, go to fishing and go to fly rods. STP is a great source for anything outdoors at good prices, and their customer service has, to my experience, always been very satisfactory. You may get into a warranty issue if you buy a rod from them - but if you are careful with and easy on your equipment, that is a secondary consideration.