I am in the process (static) of determining position of guides on a DC FT 907 - 4 (FT 9', 7wt) which is a "tip action" rod.
I don't know how much "flat string" (my term - but you know what I mean) area to tolerate.
I know it is a compromise between flat areas and too many guides. I could get a more pleasing curve by adding a guide - but also more weight.
All of my 9' factory rods - and that is alot - have 10 guides + tip top. Is there ever a time that you will go to 11 guides?
I know about the extra "stripper" in front of the "normal" stripper - so don't count that.

Also, intuitively I would think that guides get closer together as you proceed from butt to tip.
But on my Winstons, they start to get closer until the mid point then take a jump in distance apart before they start to get closer again as you proceed to the tip. Comments please.

Herb Ladenheim

The tip flattens out once you move past a certain point, so having a lot of guides positioned close together nearer the tip is not as necessary as we might think. However, the danger is that if you do not have enough guides there near the tip, and you high stick the rod, the bend the tip area is put into may well cause failure before it might have otherwise.

This is why I wrote the article on the online library page and suggested doing the static placement in three stages or degrees of loads. It allows you to tweak the rod in sections with the load moving down further and further into the rod as the load is increased.

In your case, I'd just try two set ups and see which you like best, 10 or 11 guides. More weight can hurt performance, but so can having not enough guides. Try it both ways and see which feels better to you. You will not destroy the performance of the rod with just one more guide. You might be able to tell a difference, but I'd try it and see.

..........

My rule of thumb, is for every total foot of rod you need a guide plus one. An example of this is. An 8ft. rod, would take nine guides. Some rods do to there design may take less or more. This can be determined after a static test.
Good Wraps Bob

One of the things that you might consider is the addition of a second stripper guide (a.k.a. choke guide) four inches in front of the first stripper, and one size smaller. If you get a big fish on and it runs, you'll be glad you added it.

Jim