I was looking at an image of someone's guide wrap, a very nice wrap. I noticed that the wrapper had inserted some fine trim rings, in pairs. Another of my hobbies (have too many) is bonsai.

In bonsai, very few things are done in pairs. Multiple tree bonsai never have an even numbers of trees, except for twin trunk bonsai. Even branch layering is done in odd numbers. It's said that the eye can spot even numbers of "things" and that odd numbers of "things" are softer looking and more eye appealing.

So in the design of thread wraps, if I add some tinsel spirals, I always do odd numbers of turns (1,3,5). More eye appealing to me.

Has anyone else thought of their accent wraps in this way? Odd numbers of Chevrons (or other designs) for example, on butt wraps?

Jeff Shafer

I have never thought about that but I checked the spiral rings on my guide wraps and they are done in threes; as an example, I will do a wrap of five turns of white and spiral white and red with three white spirals showing and ending in red.

Dale clemmens suggests an odd number of any type of trim whether it be in a grip or a wrap.Said this is because it looks good....

Fred

Jeff,
I'm a wannabe bonsai guy. I love bonsai, but I have a black thumb. I can kill a silk flower (except for the dieffenbachia I have in my office that only gets coffee, never water)

I may have a bit of compulsive behavior thing going on but whether it's odd or even, I like things to be symetrical. If a size 10 guide has 2 inlays of 3 threads each, the size 8 guides have to have inlays of 2 threads each. As long as the entire rod "flows", I'm happy.

For me, utility over aesthetics. For my bass rods, I use the number of trim rings in the butt area as a code for rod length. Single rings = 6' or less; double = 6'6"; triple = 7'. (And I use the color of the rings as a code for rod power; gold = medium, etc.)

Dig deeper into the mysticism / oriental culture and you'll find some other interesting things... Never "4" when written the character can also be "death". 7 is also a "bad" number and dishes/plates/cups etc. are never bought/sold in sets of 6 (not sure about that one)...