Please yourself with your work first as we are our own worst critics. If your friends like it, and they probably will, then that’s great. If not, it’s their loss. I built a rod from a $15 blank from mudhole, a house brand blank, and it’s an ultralight with a pretty parabolic action. Softer in The lower portions than I really care for but it does a fine job. All in at about $75. They have other blanks similarly priced that have different actions and may better suit your needs. Do your homework, it pays off later.
Creativity is just intelligence fooling around