QED

That's an excellent reason. I'm lucky in that I was able to keep my gear from when I was a kid. My mom threw out all my music media stuff when I was away at college but fortunately she didn't throw out my fishing gear.

Very early 80s in my case. They show up occasionally on ebay but the pricing tends to range from high to stupid high.

The old Shimano colfor (cold forged aluminum alloy) carbon fiber casting rod series were pretty awesome back in the day. I'm still using them now. [edited to add additional photo]

The gearing feels a bit smoother. I like the cosmetics of the older model better. Not really a necessary upgrade but it's fine if you want to try it. The slightly shorter handle is a downgrade though.

2022 Aldebaran BFS vs 2018. Newer one is on top.

Nah, I mostly fish UL/BFS for bass, except for places like Lake Amador, CA where it is full of sunken trees and hence requires heavy gear.

I received my FK 1000 over a month ago. Availability seems to be better now and there is always the option to pre-order or back-order.

I use those lures very frequently and have never gut hooked a fish with them. Catch and release works fine for me using those baits. YMMV.

I like the Custom Lite much better, but I'm a stickler for low mass rod and reel combos, preferably around 8.25 oz or less.

I have several poison adrenas and can't recommend them highly enough. Love the carbon fiber handles.

Those are outstanding rods and super light. Highly recommended.

Right hand version has shipped from Japan!

The only difficult issue is to make the re-wrapped guide cosmetically identical to the rest of the guides. When I had a similar issue with my favorite rod, I just had a great local custom rod builder double re-rewrap all the guides, including the rod tip.

Sorry, not trying to rain on your parade. Just trying to set realistic expectations which you seem to already have. Best of luck to you.

Excellent condition mid-tier stuff is pretty common, so don't expect to sell at a premium.

I have the 6'3" JDM version (163M). It casts slightly heavier weights just fine but excels in the 1/4 - 3/8 oz range. Really light rod - highly recommended.

You disparage my favorite rod based on nothing and then you ask me for advice? Welcome to my ignore list. You get the honor of being the first one!

There are high end rods that you obviously haven't experienced. That's on you.

Now you're just speculating based upon no experience with the subject rod. Not useful info for anyone.

Quod erat demonstrandum.

None of that changes the FACT that Shimano was making and selling casting rods back in the eighties that were designed for bass fishing and were specifically designed for 4 -10 lb test line and 1/16 - 3/8 oz lures. That would be considered BFS now. Backbone enough for 14 lb stripers.

The shimano "colfor" casting rods from the eighties (and possibly even as early as the very late seventies) ranged from UL to heavy and were definitely bass rods. I caught a 14 lb striper using a colfor UL casting rod and 6 lb test. Doubt you could do that with the typical UL rated trout rod. So BFS gear was made and sold into the USDM before the BFS nomenclature was even invented. The better shimano bantam reels from that era handled light lines just fine.

Were those USDM or JDM reels?

Sorry I don't know, but @bulldog1935 would probably be able to shed some light on that. Or google it - I seem to recall reading some history on it in some specialty BFS sites. The one I pictured is specifically designated as ultralight and became at some point part of the Bantam line.

Not a great picture but it's all that I have on my laptop right now. Still using it but with a modern Steez CT SV TW 700 XH with 6 lb test. Was my first casting rod!