Sometimes I analyze things too much and the New Guide Concept is no exception. I've found that the center axis of the spool spindle on my Shimano 4000 spinning reel has a 4 degree upward angle towards the rod blank with the mounting foot parallel - and Shimano technical service confirmed this. And I looked at two other Shimano reels, one smaller and one just a different model, and they too appear to have the same 4 degree angle. I checked out a friend's Penn 440SS and side by side with mine it appears to be the same 4 degrees. So I'm wondering if 4 degrees is some sort of industry standard? If so, the only major difference would be the overal size of the reel - with the center axis of a 4000 reel being further from the reelseat compared to a 1000 series that would be a bit closer.

The center axis on my 4000 size reel intersects the edge of the blank at just over 66" from the front end of the spool. As Tom had agreed with ealier, this intersect distance would be the same regardless of the overall length of the rod blank.

It would seem to me that instead of balancing a reel over the edge of a table, a long piece of paper with a straight line (with a few parallel lines to align the blank) and another line angling upward at 4 degrees could be used like a template to determine guide size needed and placement. All you would need to to do would be slide the blank up and down the straight line and align the reel's spool spindle until it overlays the 4 degree angled line. Even if different spindle angles exist, one could make several templates in 1/2 degree increments for the various manufacture's spec's. I think this would allow one to have a better idea on what size guides to order (if the height info is available) without havng to order extras.

One last question - my current reel has a 50mm spool and a 25mm stripping guide spaced out correctly will be 28"-29" from the face of the spool. A 30mm guide would be considerately closer to the spool as well as closer to the rod's fulcrum. Which would tame the line better when casting - larger and closer or smaller and further? Thanks.

The thing is, 4 degrees isn't standard. Some are a bit more, others much less. A feel reels have almost no upsweep at all.

On a reel of the size you mention, I'd go with something high enough to move the butt guide a bit closer than 28 to 20 inches. If you can do this with a higher frame then a 25 ring might be fine. If it takes going to a larger ring to get the extra height, a 30mm ring will be fine.

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