Jeff Miller wrote:

seems to me your test here is narrowly-focused on utility. what works
best.

Yep. That's my test.

knowing you in passing though, i believe you to have an
appreciation of art. bamboo rods surely ain't mystical, but their
history and creation does give them a "soulful" quality for anyone who
appreciates individual craftsmanship - and i think you do.

I've acknowledged that.

it's not a
crock to esteem and value such things, or even to prefer to utilize
them. it may be a "crock" if one pegs the value only on utility...
but, if that were the case, you'd be chunkin a wal-mart spinning rod
into silver creek wouldn't you?

No, I wouldn't. I prefer flyfishing, and in fact flyfishing is the
superior method in places like Silver Creek. (BTW, I'm leaving for
Silver Creek this morning.) I just don't like to handicap myself with
inferior equipment, and I'm not into antiques or replicas of antiques.
If someone else is, that's fine with me, but they aren't going to
convince me that their obsolete antiques and faux antiques are better.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.