Greetings.

Read a couple of times that some have used guides in place of a regular tip top.

What are the advantages of using guides in place of tip tops, and the disadvantages?

(For the titanium Titans, the advantage is that one can use titanium guides as the top as they do not make a titanium tip top yet. )

Thanks!
Mo

Yes they do MO. Check out [www.amtak.net]

The Titan tops are stainless steel, not titanium.

Mike

Your right Mike Sorry Mo I jumped the gun.
What about Fuji's ? All I see so far is a 5 tube on the fuji's as there smallest ?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2005 10:51AM by bill boettcher.

I recently did a rod with a tip top made from a BNLG-25 top. Bent one guide foot over to parallel the other, and wrapped. Though I was careful with the asthetics the size of the guides and top made the rod look ugly as heck. His belief: The bigger the better for distance. Still, could not convince the owner that this was completely unnecessary - showed him one of my old sportcast competition rods (small guides), he was still not convinced. As long as he's happy I am happy, though I hope he never tells who built the rod for him.....

Lou

Mo Yang,
The tips and the small guides that preceed it do not line up when using most guide types. The hole in the tip sits lower than the hole in the guide. This results in the line having to change direction a little at the tip. If a single footed guide is used as a tip instead of a conventional tip this problem can be eliminated.

The only disadvantage I've had happen to me on the one rod I have like this is that if my line is getting a bit curly on me, it tends to hang up on the guide worse than on braced spinning tip tops. Not terrible, but a bit worse, Mo.

Putter
Williston, ND

Thanks to all who responded.

A couple of follow ups:
1. Is it difficult to wrap the tip using a regular guide? It seems like the tip will be very 'floppy' when being wrapped.

2. Best educated guess: Would a wrapped fly guide (i.e. size 6) be about the same as a tip top?

Thanks again!
Mo

Do any of you guys who have used a guide as a tip have pictures that you could post? I'm curious to see what this actually looks like. In my head, it seems that this would be unacceptably ugly.

Thanks,
Peter

Man, I built that rod in 1986. I don't know if I'd want to post a pic of it... I could email it to you if you'd like. Email me and let me know...

Putter
Williston, ND

Just received my new single foot guides in the mail, for a 9' 4wt. I am fixing to do just that. Use a single foot guide instead of a tip top. Haven't figured it all out yet but the last 3-6 guides will all be #6 ceramic single foot guides....including the tip top. I think these guides keep line more distant from the rod blank itself and the centerline of all the last guides, to include the tip will all be the same distance to the rod, clear out the tip as well.....all on the same plane. I am sure this is not the case if I used a tube tip top. I think the #6 ceramic single foot equates to a #1 wire double footed shake guide. If it comes out ugly.....you won't be getting a look at it...........<grin>