I absolutely loved my first. I broke it (my fault) and got a second. I had some concerns about the second, and the company's communication was not good at all. You can see the difference in the photos. I asked several times about the discrepancy in the rods. In the second photo, you can see where the blank is exposed. I buy from small companies because I find they normally stand behind their work, but I communicated my concerns via email, phone, and warranty, and finally received one response that said it was normal and they would replace it if it started to unwrap (which it clearly has). I asked follow-up questions and received no response. I don't think I will buy another, not because of quality, but because of the service. If I support small companies, which I try to do, I expect some issues, but solid communication is a must. One email response to several questions about a $250 rod isn't acceptable, if you ask me.
