the rods that "everybody talk about" are actually by no means the absolute top end - the top end belongs to the full custom jobs, particularly from Fisherman and to a lesser extent, Carpenter and then Ripple. A rod like this from Fisherman could easily cost you close to $,3000 if you opted for all the premium options at current exchange rates. The chameleon paintwork finish from Ripple is something like a $500 option.
By entry level, we're referring to price. As you have no doubt already found out, most gear simply won't hack it against big GTs on heavy braid. The GT Special is the cheapest rod on the market that will actually do the job. That said, the rod is considerably heavier than the more premium offerings. The more expensive rods have lighter blanks and premium components. As an example, if you look at a rod like a Fisherman R10, you can those beautifully shaped grips.
I really don't see the rod as having any weaknesses per se - it will do the job and do it competently but it will not feel as nice to use as one of the premium rods.
