I am building a 12wt fly rod for saltwater and want to use Fuji's titanium concept guides. However, I wanted to use a size 20 as the first stripper - Fuji doesn't make a 20 in titanium frames (at least for their concept style). Wondering if anyone has compared the finish on the ICMNSG titanium coated guides to the solid titanium guides. Are they similar enough that I could use one as the first stripper? Any info appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian

I wish they made T-MNSG's, but they don't. So on my Insore SW rodswhere I want to use Titanium, but need a 20 stripper, I do exactly as you are planning. TEH finish on the ICs is a shiny dark chrome color, the titanium LN's are a matte grey color. THre is a difference, but not enough to really matter. If you need to use a 20 stripper, then use it, don't be put off because the colors re a drop off. Not one singler person has noticed the difference on any of my rods, or the rods I've built for 2 other people with this set up.

I don't build fly rods but I don't thin an MN is the right guide choice, as it is a fairly "large" guide for a fly rod. Maybe look into a T-SVSG (if one exists) or a T-NSG (again, if one exists). Take it for what it's worth, I dont' build fly rods.