It depends on how seriously you take your sport...  "serious" may not be the best word but you can just buy a Bond rod from the warehouse and scoot out on the briny... Now, no doubt, some good fish have been caught on these Bond rods but I would gather that the fishing experience would not be one you would remember as being the most pleasurable you have had fishing.. Not because of their value but because of their makeup...
 In saying that, I bought a couple of rods a few years back that everyone on here was extolling as the best thing since sliced bread..  My enthusiasm and TAS took over...  The consensus was that these were incredible rods to use but I had exactly the opposite experience.. I would go to say that the "complete opposite" was the case for me and a Bond rod may have been a better option/purchase. .

So in short the rod that works for YOU is the best rod...   that trial and error just as Myself and Muppet have had over the years and finally found  (rod and brand)  works well for him and me..  Just they simply may not for others..  For ME my Synit is right for me and a 120 odd buck rod marked down from on high that was recommended to me by flyfisher is my next go to rod...  Doesn't have to be the most expensive,  just what works for you, feels right in your hands.....
Too many variable to nail down..   rod weight ... length.... construction.. and so on.. I personally prefer lighter gear.. catches more fish...
Simplictic I know...    then again I like bling and shiny things that sparkle..

Personal Preference 

PJay - you get good service out of your cheaper rods. But don't you own quite a few of them? Maybe the workload is being spread.

Fair call PJay. Generally cheaper rods are made with cheaper components (thats how they keep their profit margins). I have a few mates who I would only recommend cheap gear too (rough & slack on maintenance). Yak fishing or exposed boats, where gear is likely to be exposed to alot of salt water would be the other case.

YEEHAA 703 softbait rod

AG Nexus or Veritas are sweet as rods. I now have the nexus with a Stradic c14 on it... does the bizzo

i would at a guess say, most rods are the best ones you catch more fish on....
the more you pay for them the more fish you should catch...

yeah right, sound like the guy behind the counter...

truth be known,
some like a firm rod so its easy to strike the hook home,
others like the fish to pull the tip over before striking,
you might also like the feel of when twitching the rod to entice a bite,
or it could be how the rod reacts when hooked up to something decent...
then there are those who just like to have the most expensive so they can say look at me...

in the end it is what you want and how much your willing to pay....

i see a lot of reply's are pushing what i use and that is fine but just remember not everyone else are you, meaning what your fishing from, how you fish, or even the strength in your arms or weight of your body, plus the depth of your pocket, all these things can have a effect on what is deemed as a good rod for someone looking to start S/B fishing...

go out with someone that is really into catching fish on S/B and see for yourself...
even go out on wavedancer and get shown the ins and out's of fishing without smelly baits, its worth the money in the long run and very enjoyable as well....

   

I have seen a heap in this thread about the rod itself but I believe Smudge has raised what I find a basic 'rod selection criteria' - the reel. I don't buy a rod without taking the reel with to select the rod. And the reel is spooled with the line weight I intend to fish. When selecting a rod, I try and look at the overall balance when matched with reel. As an example, take the same rod and swap between the Trini 10A & the Curado 300G and feel the difference.

I find with the reels I have had to spend a bit to get something that will last. I was using Penn Affinity reels for a while but the bearings in them come to an end quickly. so if you can spend a bit more and get a good reel. I have had a stradic c14 for over a year now, I go out every week and its still good as new!!