While I think I understand the concept guide system, I see a contradiction in my rod building catalogs and suggested concept guide charts. If what I understand about the concept guide system is right, from the choke guide to the tip you are using uniform sized guides...say size 8. You then may have two or three larger guides below that first size eight to "funnel" the line down. That gives you a total of 3 or 4 different sized guides. Why then, in the rod building catalogs, do suggested concept guide sets come with six or seven different size guides? That seems more of a traditional setup to me?

You cannot buy a pre-determined set of guides that will provide you with the New Guide Concept System. The guide sizes and spacing are going to be unique to your particular rod and reel set up.

The reason you see these types sets is because the term "New Guide Concept" is all the rage right now and it's a great selling tool to get you to buy a set of guides.

Yesterday I attended the Greensboro Bass and Saltwater Expo. I saw many rods featuring the "New Guide Concept" and on every single one them the line would have to make several course corrections, sometimes between each and every guide, before it got to the tip. Not a single one provided anything close to a straight line path between the butt guide and the choke guide. But nearly all had some manner of "New Concept Guides" installed, and thus as far as the maker was concerned, they had the "system".

The only way you're going to get the New Guide Concept System is from a custom rod builder (you) who is well versed in the concept and how to achieve it.

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