I've built two rods in the last few months - a 7'6" 1 wt. on an RDP blank, and a 7'10" 00 wt. Sage TXL (the original one; not the -F).
Here's the RDP rod.
I like this one. It's a medium-fast rod. I've used it to catch 12"-15" trout, but with big flies - a #6 slumpbuster that's about 3½" long.
The second rod, the TXL, was an exercise in lightness. I have the factory version of that rod. It weighs more than you'd suspect for a 00 wt. - 2.48 oz. That's almost exactly the same as the Sage 8' 2 wt. ZXL. Anyway, I set out to see just how light I could build this one.
Starting with the reel seat. I had two to choose from, an REC cork slide band, and a Strubel wood slide band.
Just guessing, I thought the cork would be lighter, but I was wrong. The REC seat has steel hardware while the Strubel has aluminum. The Strubel weighed 169 grains; the REC 224 grains.
Next the grip. I found that here's where you can save/lose a lot of weight.
There wasn't much to choose between the plain cork grips - a few grains. But, the burl grip weighs almost 2½ times as much as the plain ones. That's a difference of about 256 grains or 0.6 oz. So, the burl looks nice, but not for this project.
I chose Fuji ceramic 1-foot guides. I've used them before on other rods and like them. They don't save or lose any significant weight over other options.
So, adding up the components - seat, grip, guides, blank - before assembly, the total was 743 grains (1.7 oz.), a good start compared to the factory rod.
Here's the finished rod next to its factory brother.
So, how did the weight come out? Good in my opinion.
Wrapping added very little weight. The finished rods weighs 777 grains (1.78 oz.). So, wrapping added only 34 grains (0.08 oz.)
Compared to the factory rod, all the weigh savings is in the butt section. The only concern I have is that the rod may be slightly tip-heavy. But, given that the whole rod only weighs 1.78 oz. and that the reel will sit closer to the butt of the rod compared to the factory rod, I doubt that will be a problem.
Next up, a 1 wt. TXL-F 4 pc.