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massbass, to me the single most important reason to get a custom rod vs a production rod is that the rod you want isn't available the way you want it as a production rod, which isn't always true in recent years. COF designs have been replaced w/ NGC and LR designs, which lightened rods and made them more responsive. rod grips have come a long way since the old EVA or plain-jane cork tape designs. distances of where reel seats are located are more realistic today. i can see that as one of the major reasons to get a custom today as not everyone is built the same. the other item to consider, and it's a big one, is rod warranties. those are rarely considered when buying a rod until the day the rod breaks. guide frame and ring materials now are relatively inexpensive, light, and much better quality, but that is another thing to consider - what is the rod manufacturer using for rod materials? fuji? pacbay? other? quality comes with a price.
i'm not even adding in guide wrap colors, butt wraps, cork ring grip options, etc.
in your case, with a rainshadow, i don't even think they make production rods, so you would have to go custom.
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