I dont care for the split spinning, the way I hold a spinning rod I like the seat.

On the split casting, I built two identical rods, both MH power mag bass blanks. I split the seat on one and not the other. After fishing the split seat rod, it ticked me off that I didn't split the other one. The blank contact is amazing, the sensitivity is outstanding. I don't understand the dis-comfort with the split seat at all. Even guys I hand the rod too for the 1st time and let them fish with it, all really like the feel of the split seat. I do round all the cut edges and make the seat "smooth" to your hands.

DR

I think there was an article in rod maker last year or later that tom wrote regarding sensitivity and how it may be determined on an individual basis. To me, a rod that has a lot of flex can be just as sensitive as a rod that is rigid and has little flex. If I remember right, there was a point made in the article that a rod that is being used by a catfisherman on the bank would likely be considered more sensitive if the tip has a lot of flex allowing the bite to be seen in the rod rather than felt, as the rods are often left in rod holders while fishing for catfish from the bank and the need to feel bites isn't as necessary as say drop shotting for bass in 30+ feet of water. When ice fishing, I may use a spring bobber that allows me to detect bites that may go unfelt by hand. In this case, there are no detectable vibrations sent through the rod blank to the hand. Using an identical set up minus the spring bobber, the bites would not be felt. This is an instance where adding weight to the tip of a rod increases the sensitivity of the rod...devils advocate, I know. That being said, I prefer the lightest combo possible weight wise when fishing regardless of species or techinique, open water or ice.
just some more input to ponder on the thoughts on sensitivity...

I very much prefer spin rods for the pond and small lake bass/bluegill/crappie fishing I do up here in Iowa. I primarily fish from small boats and do tons of finess casting to cover by the bank. 6' and smaller med light rods are my preference and I have evolved to a Tenn handle split grip. The reel is attached close enough to for-side of the handle that the index of my 'two- fingers- in-front of the reel' touches the blank or line at will. This aides the sensitivity factor. The lightness of the Tenn/Split grip, simplicity of the build, reduction of cost, custom fitting of the reel attachment accomodating my two-fingers-in-front style makes the Tenn/ Split my handle of choice.

Trinity,
I think that maybe before we can have a rational discussion about rod sensitivity we need to agree on a definition. Unless we have a common definition or at least understand how each other uses the word then exchange of information or a rational discussion is not possible.
I will argue that rod sensitivity is a function of how well a rod transmits to the fisherman's hand any energy that occurs at the tip of the rod. The fisherman detects this by the displacement or movement at his or her hand. It involves the fisherman's hand and no other of the fisherman's senses. It has nothing to do with his or her sense of vision or smell or taste or hearing. It only involves the sense of feel.
I will certainly agree that a fish's bite can be detected by the movement of the tip of the rod or by the movement of a bobber but I will agrue that has nothing to do with the rods sensitivity. If you want to use movement of the tip of the rod as a definition that will mean that the more flexible the rod is the more sensitivity it has. Flexing of a rod requires energy. That energy is momentarily stored in the rod and therefore does not immediately get to the fisherman's hand. So the stiffer a rod is, for a given mass, the better it will transmit vibrations to the fisherman's hand or the more sensitive it is. From this I think that you can see that your use of the word sensitivity is in direct conflict with how I am using the word and from how I think that it has been used in the past.

Yeah, I was just playing devil's advocate, and agree that a less flexible blank will deifnitely transmit vibrations better than a soft noodle of a blank. However, the ability to detect a strike is what determines the sensitivity of a rod is it not? Therefore, at some times, as I stated above, a more flexible rod may be deemed more sensitive than a rod that doesn't flex much at all...