Try a phenix 965, I believe it's the same rod and you'll save a few bucks. I was told at the time when I bought mine that Phenix was making them for Loomis. The only difference was the two was the label. Not sure of the legitimacy of that story so don't hold me to it.

What I can tell you is that I've been fishing mine for 11 years. I went to the factory in Orange picked up the blank. I think I paid $60 for it. I wrapped it and was fishing it by the second day I had it. As I recall I broke it in on a Winter time calico bite at Santa Cruze Island. Since then it's caught halibut, seabass, yellows, tuna, Dodo's, and of course bass.

I use it about once a week and I've used almost exclusively as a light line stick for fishing the Socal local coast and islands. I finally decided to retire it after last season. I have several rods in the same class but I still prefered the 965 so I decided to wrap another one and let the original retire it's on the wall of fame. The 965 is on the drying rack right now and I'm going be taking with me in the morning to go fish some coastal calicos. I can't wait to break it in. I fish 12lb on mine and I would recommend it to anyone who's in the market for a 12lb-15lb stick.