Yeah, I completely understand where you’re coming from regarding the risk and cost. But you have to make the decision from the outset whether to put it over the mantle or take it out on the water. I just find fishing a small boo rod on the intimate Front Range streams in the Rockies is one of my favorite things to do.
Sage ZXL 9’, 5wt, 4 pc.
1949 Orvis Battenkill 9’, 3/2, 6wt.
Winston Binney 8’, 2/2, 5wt.
In that order… to date.
St. Croix Legend Elite 7 Weight, original model with brown blank.
This rod has the guts to cast heavily weighted flies and a wide range of sinking/sink tip lines while feeling as light as a six weight rod.
Pre Trout Bum Orvis Superfine Trout Bum. Its the full flex 7’ 4 piece 4 weight with the brown sanded blank and black hardware. That rod is absolutely remarkable. I had to sell it way back when because I needed the cash. Problem is now, I can not find one to replace it. Would gladly overpay if one becomes available…
Rods I own currently. the Superfine Touch 7’6" 4 weight is a pretty slick little trout rod. I like it a lot. Honorable mention goes to the pre IPC 6’6" St Croix Avid 4 weight. Needless to say, all my trout fishing is on smaller creeks.
I have a beautiful Tigereye rod custom built by Kevin Proctor. He was gracious enough to customize it for me and gave it to me after I left my rods in the Chattahoochee River about a year ago. Not only is it the best looking rod I have every own it is also the best casting, it is the first rod I have ever used that I can say helped my casting (which still needs help). It is a 4/5 weight 8 ft. graphite.
Wow Uncle Jesse, that is a nice looking rod!
The color of the rod and the grip and reel seat really go well together.
Brian
I love the rattan grip, Uncle Jesse.
For 90% of my fishing I prefer my Pocket Water Rods 7’, 2/1, 4 wt. bamboo. After that…one of a few. A South Bend 323 I am told is from the 1930’s, big water a #20 Heddon and there’s an Orvis Madison Far & Fine that sees use. The graphite and glass rods I own haven’t seen use in a decade.
My favorite:
The rod that is in my hand when I am fishing and enjoying God’s Creation.
Dick xfishcop
Scott G 904 2 piece built in San Fransisco in the late 70’s. Pure delight. If you can find one… Buy It. Been fishing it for over 30 years.
The last one I got…or the next one I get. 
My favorite rod is a 1950 Heddon 8’ 5wt bamboo that a dear friend, who has since passed, gave me as this one needed repair and he had others. It still fishes like new. My everyday go to rod is a TFO 7’6" 5wt 4 piece.
Most of my fishing is warm water for bluegill, crappie and bass with poppers and streamers. My go to rod for this fishing is a 9’ 5wt Scott G2.
For trout on most streams and tailwaters, my favorite is a Winston BIIt 9’ 4wt.
For smaller streams and when I just want to go light, it’s an 8’3" 3wt Scott G2.
Jeff
For freshwater, it’s my Sage XI3 5wt, for salt, it’s the same rod in 7wt. I also like to use an 8ft 8wt Scott when fishing tight in the mangroves.
My favorite dry fly trout rods are:
Graphite- Winston WT 8’6" 4 wt
Fiberglas- Fenwick FF79
Bamboo- Don Recker built PHY Perfectionist
Slower rods really appeal to me because I like being able to feel the cast flex near the cork. The pace of these rods let me choose the direction and the rods do the rest. These rods have fished small creeks as well as the larger rivers of Montana and Idaho. My wife prefers her unsanded Far and Fine, and if I owned that rod it might be one of my favorites.
Cortland 8’ 4wt Brook series.
I recently picked up a Sage ZXL 9’4wt on clearance. It is a wonderful instrument.