Yup, I took the class at DRO. Bill knows his stuff, that's for sure. It is my understanding that the other guys in the area who teach rod building classes learned from him. I built my first rod in the class, and I've built two more since. I can't wait to build my next one.
*Warning #1* If you thought fly tying was addicting, wait until you build your own rod. You'll never want to buy factory built again!
*Warning #2* If you thought it was exiting catching your first fish on a fly you tied, then thought it was better yet whan you caught your first fish on a fly you designed & tied, then catching your first fish on a fly you designed and tied on a rod you built yourself is the best yet.
Here's the advantage: you can use any blank you like with any brand/type/style grip, or reel seat, or whatever. The rod you build is the rod you built for yourself - exactly what you want, nothing you don't, and you might even save a couple of bucks too.
Downside? Many factory warranties only cover the blank if you build it yourself - If you break your rod tip, they'll send you another tip blank, and you can cut your guides off the broken one (or buy new ones) and start over. A small price to pay for a truly personal custom rod, I think.