As your rods get longer the extra length gets to be a problem that can't be solved completely, but it can be mitigated a bit. If you buy yourself a blank and use some of the new guides and finishes the custom bass rod guys have been using for a few years now it sure does help a bunch. I've built that blank using the new systems and it sure makes for a whole different rod in your hands.
To much to mention here, I can help you along by email if you like, spoonplugger1@gmail.com. Some further research that will point you in the right direction is to see what the bass guys have been accomplishing with micro guides on many of the bass sites. They're using guides that weight 1/4-1/5 the weight of the guides on the factory rods.

I have a Calais 200DC on my 9'2'' with graphite grips and it balances perfectly.

Balance, sensitivity, lots of terms are relative to the person asking the question, that's why I thought it should go off site. He may want to get his balance close in the horizontal, you, like me, may want the rod to balance in my natural fishing position. His, mine and and your fishing positions are probably not the same. Getting on the same page takes time, questions and space, to much for a forum format maybe.

I would say 99% of fishermen consider a "balanced" rod to be one that, when held/balanced on one finger at or just in front of the reel seat, it does not tip forward or back. If that's the case, I think we can discuss how to achieve this on this site.

Curious to see the weight of the Calais 200DC as I am also using the 9'2" with graphite grips.

Any other suggestions out there would be great. Thanks. NCD.

Calais 200DC weighs 9.5 oz. About the same as my Curado 200DHSV, and it also balances well. Switch to the Curado 200E, though, at 7.8 oz, and the balance goes to poop. That is where I am stuck...I don't want to fish DHSV's forever...

Guys,
Really all we can do here is balance the rod. The weight of reels varies quite a bit. What you might do is take your rod into your local tackle shop and see which reels balance out the rod to your liking.

Did a little more research on my own and found what looks to be a good solution.

John - I am glad you weighed in on this as it may be food for thought on future product development. The solution below is an after-market fix, but there are things rod builders can do to make this kind of fine tuning possible in the rods they sell (see below). Rod balance is such an important issue in terms of rod sensitivity and arm fatigue that I am surprised this has not gotten more attention before now.

Solution was actually suggested to me by a Shimano reel rep. Get a gimbal cap from a saltwater rod building supply compay, make sure the inside diameter will fit your chosen rod butt (gimbals come in lots of sizes). Fill base of gimbal cap with enough washers (quarters also work) to get the balance you want then slide over existing butt cap. More permanent solution comes from Fuji - a butt cap that screws into the base of the rod and has washers inside that can be removed or added as needed. This would have to be done when the rod was built.

Just ordered up some gimbal caps and will report back on how this method works. All indications are that results will be quite positive.

BTW...Shimano defines a properly balanced rod as one that "will cradle in your open hands at the (reel) grip without tipping up or down."

You can do the balancer route but it takes away some of your sensitivity as all things that raises a rods mass will. Being at the back of the rod will not be as bad though. The graphite handles add a bit of weight also in the back that helps. You can also just remove your buttcap and install a fighting butt like the Herzog 10 footers have.
The best way is to decrease the weight up front. It's easy you don't really do anything your not already doing, cheap and increases the performance/sensitivity of the rod also. Makes a much "livelier" rod.
I build my rods like the innovative custom bass rod builders have been doing for years, it's not new to our rods either, most just haven't noticed it's been around for 20+ years and no factory has advanced it past the examples out there to heavier powered rods though it works beautifully.
Europe has used the match spinning system on their rods for much longer so the newer guide's ring sizes are nothing new to us or anyone else. Japan has had them for a very long time and it's where I had to buy them till a few years ago, now a local NW company builds and sells them. Angler's Workshop is where I get mine.