To keep their edge on the market price, the blank manufacturers have things fixed so the cost of a factory rod versus the price of a custom rod are the same, once you buy the components and pay for the time of a custom. A custom rod should get you better quality, as well as custom color wraps, monogramming, and other frills. One way you can get around that is to find a fly shop that has a selection of "blems". These are factory seconds that didn't make the grade to sell them as "firsts" from the factory. If you look carefully at the seconds under very good light, you can usually find the blemish in the blank. First, figure out what blank you want...I'd recommend a 9'-5 wt also...then sort thru them looking for the blemish. Look for a blem that would be covered with epoxy under the handle, or in the top 1-2 inches from the tip, so it can be cut off without affecting too much performance. This is really the only way you'll come out ahead ($) on a quality rod.
For me, Sage is the way to go.