No mass production in China with these
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiH9edxvbKc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiH9edxvbKc)
I bought a Sage SLT 9 foot 5 weight in New York 10 years ago for around 500 dollars - no way could I afford that now. I broke the tip a couple of years ago and there was none of this trying to sell you a new rod crap - I handed it in to the Glasgow Angling Centre and it was sent off with £25 and a month later the rod was delivered to my door with a new tip.
The rod is a joy to use!
I believe they have a new rod that came out last year, Sage Mod I think it's called. Similar in action to my Sage ZXL, that is faster than a Circa but not quite a Z Axis or an XP and much lighter weight. The #4 weight is about 2 1/2 oz. Silly money though at over £750. As you say though Ali the rods are a joy to use.
I was given a Sage XP, 8 1/2 ft, 5wt, 4pc I think about 15-20 years ago. I hardly use it beacuse it such a great rod to use that I worry all the time that I might break it. Then I would get mad at having broken a lovely rod that I hardly use because it is too good. Sometimes my brain spends a lot of time in a frying pan.