I just recieved an order of BMNAG guides, and noticed a higher gloss & what seemed to be a heavier finish on the guides. I also noticed a little bit of grinding on the end of the foot (I've noticed this on some of my Japanaese ordered guides as well).

I thought you meant thread finish!

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Nah, no need for ANOTHER finish on teh market, there's already too many. It seems like Fuji might have changed their production process to "keep up" with the other guide companies.

It seems that FUJI is feeling the presure to upgrade some of there processes due to the Advancements of such companies as Batson Enterprises - Rainshadow/Forecast/ALPS. I have heard that they will be changing a few things as we have worked ourselves into a position that puts our components on the same level as them and in some cases we have been able to surpass what our so called competition has done. I also noticed they have put the Ribbing system that we developed for All of our Blank Exposed Trigger Reel seats in there new 17's, it feels good to have such renown companies follow our LEAD. I guess they have decided they cannot just live off the FUJI name anymore.. NICE...Fuji has been a great company for the industry, But know that you do have a CHOICE when it comes to Quality Components...
Be looking for our new products to be released in July, More Quality Blanks And components coming your way- Exciting times for our US Family owned and operated company..
This all possible due to your support. THANK YOU>>>

Bill Batson
CEO
Batson Enterprises
Rainshadow/Forecast/ALPS product lines.
www.batsonenterprises.com
batson@batsonenterprises.com
877-875-2381

Bill - not to hijack the thread, but I heard rumor that Batson is developing a line of ice fishing blanks/guides/etc. Can you confirm/deny? :-)

BIll, I'm glad you chimed in on this as you probably know a lot more about it than I do, lol. When I opened the package, I honestly thought it was a Batson guide with that "high build" finish it had.

Anyone have weights of the new "higher gloss" guides for comparison with those reported on Mike Barkleys site? [rodcomponents.koolhost.com] I dont like higher gloss - hope they didnt create more weight as well.

How much heavier could they possibly be? A 1/4 gram? lol. If you're concerned with too much weight using a BMNAG guide, you are really splitting hair's to the billion-eth degree.

I'm going to start taking into account the salt spray which accumulates on my rods when I am fishing.

Can someone recommend a Batson alternative to each of the
BLNAG 16, 12, 10
BYAG 30, 16, 10, 8 and
BUNAG 7, 8 and
BLAG 7, 6
guides from Fuji?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2007 12:49PM by Steven Libby.

Good point Billy, I guess, but i'm curious just the same...with the weight of the guide, not your salt spray. I guess I'll eventually find out myself anyway.

Considering that most all the companies out there have copied EVERY guide and reel seat EVER MADE by Fuji I would think they would want to be careful about saying anything about Fuji copying them on ANYTHING.

Fuji reel seats have had interior ribbing for at least twenty five years now.

Steven,

Go to fishsticks4U on the left hand side of this page and click thier "guides" listing. It's pretty self explanitory, shoot me an email if I can help, all I use is Bastons.

DR

Rich:
We have lookied at the ice fishing blank market very closely and have decided that our current "Private Label" customers that order them in large quantities have it covered at this point in time. They also use our current cataloged guides for there applications.

Billy V:
The ASTM-B117 saltwater testing that we do on all of our guides has been a great tool for us to better our products. We know what is needed in the Harsh environments of the salt water markets and have been able to capture market share with our advancements. The New SS316 has also been a great advancement for the substrate material in guide frames for this market. We are the only company using this substrate as of now. I have sent you samples of both the Double Black Chrome ( DBC ) Plated guides and also the SS316 with Titanium Carbide (TC) plateing and I am positive that the harsh salt water environment will not be an issue with both. (DBC & SS316).

John Sams:
As I stated in my original post " Fuji has been a great company for the industry" I am not by any means saying ANYTHING negative about them. I am just pointing out that folks have a CHOICE when it comes to Quality Components. If you have seen a Batson Catalog lately you will see that we have many UNIQUE items that have been developed by us and our manufacturer that are different than others in the industry. If you would like tro discuss this further please feel free to contact me directly. 877-875-2381.
In regards to the (Ribbing System)/Built in Shim Design, I might not have worded that correctly in my original post, and I appologize. We are the ones that developed that design. See page 61 of our 106 pg 2006/2007 color catalog for a picture. This was developed to eliminate the need for an shim in that area, and I did notice that Fuji is now using the same design on there new #17 blank exposed trigger reel seats. (It could be a coincidence ).

As I have stated many times: You now have a CHOICE when it comes to Quality Components. We are here for the Industry/Art of Rodbuilding and will be for Generations to come.
Thank you for the support of our US family owned and operated company..

Bill Batson
CEO
Batson Enterprises
Rainshadow/Forecast/ALPS product lines
www.batsonenterprises.com
batson@batsonenterprises.com
877-875-2381

BIll, the set of ALPS guide I put on a rod adn gave it to my friend back in October, I havent' seen teh rod but I'm sure it got abused pretty good over teh past 6 months. I just wrapped that 3-piece with teh VS3's, and added a Fuji & Amtak 1 foot guide to compare each after a season of fishing in teh SW and not being cleaned. I also wrapped the guides with white thread, to make it easier to se any corrosion.

Those sound like guides that were destined for an OEM and had been slightly prepped. I've somehow managed to find a few of those in shipments I've received over the years. I've also gotten a few now and then that had a slightly shinier finish on them than others. I would have no idea if Fuji has changed anything in the finishing process. I sure that Carl or Don at Anglers Resources could give you the straight scoop on that.

..............

I have some Fuji boat seats numbered DPS that have heavy internal ribbing. They must be between ten and fifteen years old. I have reamed some out to give me enough diameter to directly fit the rod blank. Not sure if this is the same thing or not.

FWIW, I hate prepped guides. I've never seen one that was well done and I have to go back and reprep them. Sometimes it's harder to redo somebody else's bad work than it is just to start from scratch on a fresh and unprepped guide.

I ENJOY the pre-ground guides!

Sure they may not be perfect all the time, but what is? It usually takes me very little to touch them up.

DR

Ken, I wholeheartedly agree with you. But these guides are being sold more to "commercial custom" rodbuilders and to factory rod wrapping factories, so the prep must be good enough for them. I know I just tried to wrap pre-ground Batson guides & an AMtak with size A thread...it was like trying to make a midget dunk a basketball, lol. However, I'm sure in the component Manu's gand sceme of things, they sell a heck of a lot more guides ot the previous mentioned customers, than to people like myself.

Fuji guides coming into the U.S. as a custom rod building component, are now pre-prepped. Not all are this way yet, but they are headed that direction. We are already starting to see the arrival of these pre-prepped guides in out latest shipments.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

I recently recieved a set of Fuji HNSG guides that were pre-ground guide feet. Nice!!



Sean Endres
North East Rod Builders
New London, CT