I find the taper of the 11' Century model that I have to be much more like the taper of the All Star GSW 1267/2 than the XRA 1322.
It's the version rated 2-5 oz, and I disagree that it'll be too fast to fish for long periods. It loads really easily, and it's like the St Croix models in the respect that less is more, when trying to get the best casting performance out of it. I've jigged with it as well as thrown plugs at breaking fish.
rphud, the catalog ratings on the GSB blanks are the biggest jokes in the rod building industry. The L blanks should be rated 3/4 oz to 3-1/2 oz, and the M's about 1-1/2 oz to 5.
Also, the continuing preference for the GSBs over the XRAs over the last decade, IMO, is due in main part to all of the internet hype about XRAs breaking. I see 1322s get abused almost every tide, along the Canal, and have formed the opinion that they're not at all that easy to break. But once a blank gets tagged with the "fragile" label, it's hard to break that, but in point of fact, the 1322 is the most powerful 11' blank that Lamiglas makes, at least in their one piece models. I've owned all 3--the 132 1M, the SSU 132 1MH, and the XRA 1322. I sold all of the 1Ms that I've owned and the one 132 1MH Supersurf. I've kept my two Arras, though.
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