Brian, I have read LOTS of good things about the Calstar 800XL on this website and others. I've often heard it described as "if you are going to own one rod for local SoCal saltwater fishing, this is the rod." But, I have noticed that there are different versions of this rod. Is the 800XL you refer to the same as the graphiter series which includes the GFGR 800XL (Offshore Rods) and GFDH 800XL (Deckhand Series)? What are the differences?

It seems that this rod generally sells for $205-210 online. Are there cheaper places to buy this rod (i.e., tackle stores, sporting good stores, etc.)? Is it better to buy a factory rod or a custom rod?

Thanks for the advice...