I recently built a fly rod using H & H single foot snake guides, they have black coating. I've used the chrome guides before and really liked the look as well as the way the rod performed.
On this rod, I get a high pitch resonence, like a violin string, when I strip line. Obviously the line is rubbing on the guide.
The question is, is it roughness on the inside of the guide, maybe the coating? Or is it the way I wrapped the guides or some other problem? If I'm getting that much friction it can't be good for the line and it sure won't help shooting line. Besides that, it's just plain irittating.
Thanks for your response.
Kim

Kim,

This is funny, I have exactly the same problem with one 9'6 wt7 that I built two months ago, I first thought that it was the line (too old/dirty?) so I have used another one ...the noise has slightly decreased but i can still hear it., like a vilon string thta's exactly how I would describe it.

The single foot guide that I've used are traditional ones ...

Frantz

Frantz,
When you say "traditional ones" what kind of guides do you mean? Do they have inserts or are they wire?
Kim

Kim,
I don't remember exactly the brand but according to me they should be stainless wireframe (loop Style) Super Hard Chrome, they are very close to those sold by PACIFIC BAY or American Tackle.

Honestly I wish the noise was due to the line because I really don't want to remove all the thread and the guides so as to change my guide sapcing, or even worse to change my guides.

Frantz

Ahmen to that. I almost hate to ask because I'm afraid that re-wrapping is the answer. The real question is; is it the guides themselves or what. When I have someone hold the rod and rub the line across a guide, it sings. AND it's more than one guide.
Kim

I have used the same guides before and I have never faced such a problem ... maybe there is a way to "clean" the guides if it's due to a substance that cover them...or maybe this the lack this substance that causes the noise...
It sounds like we really have the same problem because I have made the same test than you and it also sings!!

Have you tried to clean the guides with something like "White Spirit " or "Acetone" (taking into consideration that you have to be very carefull with Acetone because you can seriously damage you coating).

Frantz

I havn't tried that. Maybe denatured alcohol? It works well to remove epoxy without hurting the blank, so it might not harm the guide coating either. I think I'll try it.
Kim

Let me know how it turns out

Kim,
My guess is that what is probably happening is that the line is rubbing against a guide or several guides and the friction between the line and the guides is resulting in a vibration in the guides. But the movement in the guides would be so small that I doubt that you could hear it. But if the vibration is close to a multiple or harmonic of the resonance of the rod then the whole rod will be vibrating slightly and this you could hear.
A cleaner or smoother line that resulted in less friction should help. If not then one or more of the guides may have to be moved so that there is less friction between the line and the guide. Or if all else fails you could try ceramic guides.
But first you might try this to see which guides are giving you the problem. Put a small amount of tape around the inside of the guides where the line rubs the guides. Now one at a time remove the tape and pull the line over the guides. At some point it should start singing to you again and that will tell you which guides that something has to be done with.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2006 01:41PM by Emory Harry.

I've run some Pac Bay black SF wire guides before, even on long mono spinning steelhead rods out near the tip (sz 3) to save weight. I noted the black wears off on the inside of the wire guide eventually. The hard chrome ones hold true. I also know that microscopically some of the higher end fly lines (Cortland 444 lazer line) have distinct peaks and valleys but they are more abrupt like sharp edged platous. This is to reduce friction (and give a place for dirt to hided which I was not happy about) This would have a tendancy to resinate upon the wire guides as it passed through. I'd check to see if the black plateing wears off and what happens then, You could identify the guides as indicated above and under wrap the offending culprits.

you could also try cleaning your line too. go for the easy, cheap solutions before doing something like changing guides.

eric
fresno, ca.

Kim:
Not sure, but it could also be that the stripper guide is to close to the reel. Creating angle that is a bit sharper then you want
That angle could be what is causing the problem.
Thread the line on the blank with out going through the stripper guide and cast it a few times. If that’s it ,you only need to move that guide a little forward to correct the problem. Let us know your results on this and Emory’s suggestion. Others might find it useful

mmmmm well you could always give it to a musician and ask him to "tune it" at least that way it will be a pleasing high pitch wail LOL
saying that i have 2 daiwa 7ht`s which "sing"when theres a fish on at first it got on my nerves but now at 200 yards i amaze people when i say immediatly after striking half a turn on the reel yup its there .. their like mmmm whatever you cant possibly tell at that distance you should see there faces when fish lands on beach..
if you can put up with it leave it try it in the right enviroment IE the waterside you may find that its escallated in the quiet of the building room.

Allen