Saw these rods tonight & they are quite nice for $30, the Berkley Amp rod.  Only bummer was the Amp spinning rods the store had were 2 piece, I want the 1 piece.  But they did have a 6'6'" M b/c rod that I think I found the rod I want for my Shimano Calcutta 51 for drop shotting.  This rod almost feels like a ML than a Medium action.  I wanted the Shimano 6'6" b/c drop shot rod, but just a bit more money than what I wanted to spend.

The guides on this rod are chrome SS guides, but works w/ this rod.  The rod feels quite sensitive, your fingers are on the rod blank, not partial like on some exposed reel seats.  It's very light too & glossy or matte black finish, I don't remember.  It has a hook keeper also.  The reel seat as I said give you a very exposed area on the bottom on the rod blank.  I was checking out the 6'6" M b/c rod & the action on this rod is perfect for drop shot/crankbaits/topwater lures.  Amp rod is lighter than the Lightning Rod Shock.

Also the store had the Okuma C3 spinning rods.  Very nice, but doesn't really match well w/ the new Shimano Symetre reel as I thought it would.  I do have to say this rod is a bit heavy compared to other split grip rods.  I think cuz it's the graphite handle & butt section plus the reel seat.  But when you match it up w/ a spinning reel over 9 oz, it feels balanced.  The store didn't get any of the b/c rods in...yet.  I am so waiting for those to come in.

I got a chance to play with the Amps today too, the are a matte black color.

I too, was really impressed with them, especially for the $30 price tag. They compare favorably everything out there that I have seen in that price range. I almost bought one, before I remembered I dont have enough reels to go around on the rods I have in the closet already. Just maybe though, its a pretty sweet setup!

The Amp blows the Shock out of the water as far as I was concerned. The tip on the Shock is much too soft for my liking

where did you find the Calcutta 51? i can only find 50s could someone list a website that has the 51s? thanks!

-Jason

I had the chance to handle the C3 rods last weekend and my first, very quick, impression was that they felt heavy.  As soon as I lifted it off the rack that weight became apparent.  I must say, though, is that it was a beautiful rod - nicely finished, very attractive, and the grips were particularly nice.

Dbassman15, I bought the Calcutta 51 a few years ago.  Shimano doesn't have the Calcutta 51 in their lineup anymore.  I switched out the stock short handle w/a Shimano Cardiff 101 longer handle & it rocks!  I've had thoughts of selling this little reel but not sure....smallest round b/c reel out there, that's for sure!  These are hard to come by nowadays.

Getting back to the Berkley Amp rods, I bought one and I'm amazed at the $30 price. I stood in the store for 30 min comparing it to a Carrot Stick and it is a great bang for a buck rod! I suggest pick one up for a spare and give it a toss. This rod is the best $30 you'll ever spend...

It's a bummer that those C3s are heavy they look pretty sick. Did they seem to have good craftsmanship?

It's a bummer that those C3s are heavy they look pretty sick. Did they seem to have good craftsmanship?

Yes!  That was more noteworthy than the weight.  They were beautiful rods.

which stores will/do carry the C3's?

Saw these rods tonight & they are quite nice for $30, the Berkley Amp rod. Only bummer was the Amp spinning rods the store had were 2 piece, I want the 1 piece. But they did have a 6'6'" M b/c rod that I think I found the rod I want for my Shimano Calcutta 51 for drop shotting.

They do sell the amp in a one piece.

http://www.berkley-fishing.com/prod.php?k=134134&sk=0&p=PURAS562L%20(1139457)

I bought a one piece 7' M Amp spinning rod a few weeks ago... They really fish pretty darn well for the price! Very sensitive, and comfortable rods. I think they're rated kind of light, and I use this rod for my 10-12" worms and crankbaits sometimes. I have had a few problems though, I was putting a different reel on it one day and the part of the rod that screws the reel on cracked pretty bad. The handle of the rod also took a nice beating from a sliding battery in the bed of a pickup truck... After some pliers and electrical tape, it's back in business for now and still seems to be the best bang for the buck.

I put a Shimano Sonora 2500 on it and it seems to be balanced pretty well! I think I'd definitely choose one of these over a Lightning Rod or a Shock or similarly priced rods.