Just to clarify, I do not build for the savings of it, thought that is part of the equation. I am retired, so I have the time. I build 4 piece fly rods. I enjoy catching a fish on a rod I built, as there is a certain satisfaction to that, the same as with a fly you have tied.. The other great part of DIY is one can customize all aspects of the rod with components you like or colors you like vs off the rack.

So if you do not like the Core 8 looks but love the rod, go ahead and build one to your liking. Otherwise I would just buy a finished Core 8, as with the blank, don't forget you will need a sleeve and rod tube, which is another $60 or so. So unless you want or love the experience of building a rod and a Core 8 in particular, I'd build from a different blank, as you will get far more bang for the buck and probably be surprised to learn just how good some $125 to $400 blanks can be -- as in world-class.

Gotcha Mike.