Got money to burn? Sage will help you get rid of it...

For all of you who think the Sage ONE rod series is ridiculously expense, be aware that Sage just raised the stakes. They now offer a special 9' 5-wt ONE dubbed the ONE Elite. Ceramic-lined titanium guides, two rod tips, custom reel seat, etc. Price tag: $1,295

http://www.pitchengine.com/sage/sage-ups-the-ante-with-the-one-elite

I think I'll wait for the One Ultimate Elite that has a platinum reel seat, four rod tips and comes in a composite rod case made with stealth technologies. (The idea of a second tip is a really nice idea, however).

Going back a few years. But didn't rod makers have the two tip thing. I know when you got a Bamboo rod you go two tips. But who can afford a good bamboo rod now a days.

They're insane and greedy.

Don't buy it!
The One.1 will be out shortly afterwards and render the One.0 obsolete.

I thought the Sage I purchased in 1989 was
a stupid price at $320, but after 20 + years
it is the my go-to stick with the best customer
service of any rod company I have delt with.
Are you just cranky because you can't afford One?

Dave

It's smart to have a flagship luxury product like this as a small US based manufacturer. Sage caters to a wealthy demographic. I bet there is a large percentage of their customer base who probably make over a couple hundred grand a year and dropping a thousand on a fly rod is no big deal.

But nah, lets all just exclaim how STUPID it is that a US manufacturer in our own backyard is getting creative and putting out a damn nice product.

It's also smart marketing to price a product at a significantly higher level than their core offerings. They may not even intend to sell many of them. Its main purpose may be to set the price bar higher in consumers' minds to make the rest of their products (One, ZXL, Circa, etc.) seem less expensive. After all, an $800 rod is 1/3 less than a $1200 rod.

Translated into household economic terms: "Honey, I know $800 is a lot of money, but it's a really good value since their top end rods are $1200".

+ 100

dk

A nice retirement gift or special award for exemplary service. What a beautiful gift it would make for that kind of occassion.
Presentation grade bamboo can be 3000. to 5000.
It is all relative not greed on the part of Sage.
I hope when I retire my son John will buy me one, one.
jesse

Buy a LL or SP instead....

Expensive rods does not make a good caster. Technique does. That said Ive spent way way too much over the years

LL and XP still rock, along with the slt and xi2

I could afford a 200.00 snickers bar,but I wouldn't be pigeon enough to buy one.

Well, there is that saying about not being able to take it with you........

Lets face it, everyone has their own number. I think there were some Ugly Stick fly rods made a while ago, but I do not see anyone fishing them. The custom cane guys think 1200 is a really reasonable price. Good for Sage offering us something different. If no one buys it, they will discontinue it and the market will remain efficient.

The real proof in the puddin' would be casting it and comparing it (with both tips of course) to comparable rods and determining for yourself if it's worth all that dough. At this level it's the sort of rod that would have to be tested with --the perfect reels-- to balance - not just one. It would be interesting to see how much patience there is in the staff at various shops with all the particulars that I would consider necessary in considering this purchase.

Even a year from now, when all the financial after-effects of my divorce have passed, and I am debt free with a good deal of discretionary spending $ -- I will still not have Sage high on my list except maybe when it comes to their waders or the 3xxx series of click-pawl reels. IMO there's a TFO or St Croix out there that has the action that I want and I don't need a whole lot of "fancy" in my rods. They, to put it simply, cast line and catch fish.

Among my too many rods I've got a Scott,a Winston and a Ross and I love all of those rods,but forced to choose one,the Ross would be my pick.It cost me less than a fifth of the Scott and a Third of the Winston but the feel is just there.I don't think price matters a whole.

Not sure who you directed this to, but I made the original post not because I'm cranky but simply to share information.

For what it's worth, I own a ONE (same config as the Elite -- 9' 5 wt) as well as several other Sage rods, which all share space in the safe with a bunch of Orvis rods and reels -- among others. I agree price is relative to time, and durability and quality must be considered when selecting new products.

Couldn't agree more. Another example of this: Just saw an incredible new tent from Sierra Design at the OR trade show. Carbon fiber poles and an cuben shell fabric (material used in America's Cup-style racing sailboat sails). Full-sized, free-standing 2-person tent under 2 pounds. Costs $1,800. Only making 50 or 100 (can't remember which). But the bigger news is that, while designing this ridiculously expensive tent -- which they did just to see how light they could go -- they developed techniques to cut weight in reasonably-priced products.

Innovation always costs more at the initial offering, but eventually the innovations bleed out into the mainstream of a category and prices drop.

$5,000? That's up there, but not yet at the ceiling. Among living cane rod makers, a Brandin goes for $6,000-$6,500 typically. Buy a classic cane rod from the late great Gillum, Garrison or Dickerson and it's easy to go north of $20,000. $32,000 for a Gillum is the most expensive I have seen.

But those rods all represent pinnacles of craftsmanship and long hours to produce, plus are simply rare and have a small and finite supply. A plastic rod at $1295 that Sage could theoretically produce in large numbers is pretty extreme. By the way, Scott started this mini trend last year with their M series at $975: http://www.scottflyrod.com/catalog/view/M

Alternatively, for exactly $1295, you could instead give (or get) the gift of bamboo with a Thramer Signature cane rod, for starters: http://thramerrods.com/signature.htm. A Thramer and other cane rods around that price would be special and worthy of the price tag if you can afford it.

I don't think the point of the Sage One Elite is the rod because you can buy the same rod with the extra tip option for way less. It is in the presentation.
I have a wonderful Dickerson taper bamboo rod that was lovingly wrapped by ME. It is of average quality aestheicaslly. It casts and fishes great. Would I offer this as a gift for a special ocassion to a special person. No!
It is not worthy.
I have a friend that retired from 50 years at one employer his retirement gift was a $20,000. shotgun. It was a memorable gift that was given and will be treasured for the rest of his life.
This is a special deal for special moments.
jesse.