In my opinion, Century rods are over priced including the Excalibur rods.
However, you should be able to pick up a second hand rod for about £300.
I got a c curve and used it for the first time today, really like it, does the business.
I would suggest that you try to get someone to let you have a go of theirs, some tackle shops allow you to try, so try before you buy, otherwise it could be an expensive mistake.
They say the c curve is the least stiffest of the three, however the actions between c and j curve are different as name suggests. the butt of j curve is stiffer but the tip is less stiff compared to c curve.
Good luck