My friends and I have been building some rods. My one friend just finished building a spinning rod and I noticed he placed all of his guides with the feet facing the tip of the rod. I have never seen a rod like this but he hates to rewrap everything if he doesn't have to. I thought perhaps someone on this forum would know if other than looking strange it will hurt the rod to leave the guides with the feet facing the tip of the rod. Thanks for any help.

Shouldn't hurt a thing that I can think of. Don't think I'd want to try to take it out of a rod locker. Some of the Japanese in country factory rods have the first guide put on that way.

The line is concerned with the ring, not the feet or legs of the guide. It won't matter. The only possible thing I can think off that might be even slightly detrimental, is that near the tip by having the guide reversed, he's actually putting that weight a little bit further out on the tip area, which means the rod will be slightly less efficient than if that weight was just a little bit farther back. But overall I don't think in this case it's going to make a great deal of difference.

..........

Thanks for the input. My buddy will be happy to know he doesn't need to rewrap anything.

Thank you. I feel good about having several opinions to share with my friend and I know he will be delighted to not rewrap the guides.

He just needs to make sure that he tells everyone that after much research/experimentation and test casting, he has come up with a dynamic new concept and if he catches a lunker, he will have everyone building them like that!!!!


Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I have a couple surf spinning rods that I purposely put the first three guides "backwards", and the top guides "forwards". It doesn't make a difference to me. Youre friend will have to field a ton of questions though..... Why are they backwards???

Suggested responses:

- "... I thought it didn't look right, want to buy it?"
- " Actually, the guides are fine, the handles on the wrong end"
- " its custom built for righty's"
- "you wouldn't beleive how well it casts"
- " the guides didn't come with directions"
- " its the Inversionation Method Theory...IMT "

Thanks guys. My friend will have some fun with those responses. Have a great day.

NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
the response has got to be
@#$%& are you on about (examine there rod closly) then emphaticly state you have been building rods for more years than you care to remember tut very loudly look skywards rolling the eyes and that its HIS rod that is wrong and that he shouldnt buy cheap taiwany imports look at the make of the rod then very authoritivly tell him his rod was made in the back streets of taiwan probably a plastic composite NOT what it is stated of being made of mass produced for the market and that they dont know how to build rods cos they get the kids to do it offer to prove it to them ..... snap the tip off and offer it back telling him to examine the fibres closly and that it was a good job you were there as his was probably dangerous..........

offer to build him a new one (backwards) at an extortionate price watch em start to think

Actually, for stripping guide on a fly rod, I prefer the guide to be placed that way-- you can haul to the side and the guide feet won't get in the wat. Thomas and Thomas is the only fly rod company that I've noticed to do that for all their rods.

There was a post here a while ago about a company that had turned the butt guide around on there spin rods, said it added to casting distance ??? yea and the checks in the mail !!??

Tell him it is a _ unique modified stylish setup. Made to keep the balance and sensitivity of the rod. Your unprecedented set up is unmatched and will enhance the sensitivity and performance characteristics of the rod ????!!!!