i've seen them on sale at joes for under $40 and for that price, i've put plenty of them in my garage...although not one of my go-to rods, they have accounted for hundreds of salmon and steelhead and have yet to be let down..i did have one break on me when i lifted to get my lead bouncing again- it must have gotten damaged prior to that because a nice bluegill would have been enough to finish it off..as for the guides, those one pieces have been great for me- don't have to worry about the inside popping out... they're great rods for the price and i don't have to be anally paranoid about lending one to visiting friends and family who don't have or forgot to bring a rod