I fish the AllStar 1262 and it is a decent rod. Great summer rod as well as a good rod for brats but it is a tad light for Nates and bigger rivers.
The AllStar blanks are an excellent blank for the price, they are light and about as sensative as a GL2 but I have noticed problems with their compents. I've seen little fished rods come back because the handles spin and I had the ceramic in my tiptop pop out after just a few months of use. Plus you can just tell when you pick up the rod and feel the cork that it is soft and cheap. Plus I have seen rods come in where guides are totally missaligned.
You do not see that sort of thing with lightly fished Loomises...although Loomis componets have gone downhill since the Shimano buyout. Anyone notice the new reel seats on the GL3's. They are those crappy grey ones...atleast they are still a through the handle handle.
Shimano should publish a book called
How To Turn the Best of the Best into MediocorityGloss finishes??? What a ****ing joke!! Grrr...it is kinda sad to tell you the truth.
Dont get me wrong though, when it comes to gear rods and certain bugrods, it is pretty much all I fish. Because they are still the best, just not as good as they once were.
Anyways...
[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: RPetzold ]