I doubt you will be upset with the blank and fishability of the rod in the end. Are they a top end $1500 rod? No, probably not. But most often even those $1500 rods aren't $1500 worth of rod either:^) I mean listen.....I've cast many a rod that cost $100....that cast just as good as any top end Winston or Orvis or whatnot.

Would love to hear "and see" how the rod comes out. OH....and by-the-way.....those old Monties are still selling on EBAY. They must have been a decent rod too:^)