Any unique ideas for something to go between the graphite skeleton components. Something unique and not too expensive is what I had in mind.

Burl cork, exotic burl cork, plastic inserts, wood, bone, marbled barrels, decorative thread wraps.

Or maybe nothing at all. Cut the barrel out and fashion some nice end pieces and let the blank show through.

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This is jut a piggy-back of what Tom mentioned, but here are some ideas. Turn a cork insert slightly smaller than what you need. Then give it a coat of epoxy or permagloss. Then wrap thread over the top of it, in the same pattern that your guide wraps are done. Finish it just like you finished your guide wraps.

Cut two varying colors of wood into thin strips (i.e. I cut mine into 1/8" X 1 and 1/2" X 12" strips). Now glue these strips up in an alternating pattern--I use gorilla glue, as it will bond nearly anything. Clamp tightly. Now cut your reel seat blank(s) diagonally from the resulting block of wood. When you turn these, you get really nice daigonal striping. A couple combinations I've used are maple/walnut and padauk/yellowheart.

Turn two thin trim rings out of your favorite wood. Butt one against the rear hood of the seat, and butt the other against the front hood. There will be a resulting spot of bare blank between. Do matching thread wraps in this spot.

Wouldn't a bare section b/w seat hoods be a little uncomfortable in the hand for a long session? Novelty at the cost of serious hand cramp.

I need a good idea for the cobra finish 16 Fuji skeleton. I'll be turning an ergo-insert for it (got the method for sizing it up right at last!).

Looking at tht cork insert idea, I can do it in plain wood, then wrap and coat. Black with a silver spiral and trim. Hmmm.....

I like the look of skeleton seats for FW rods, these rods have a very polished custom appearance. I have used high grade cork, composition cork, and wood for inserts. The rods that looked best to me were the models I used rosewood and teak inserts on.