I just read Vol 10-Number 4's article on New Guide Concept System for spinning rods and followed the instructions for an 8ft Graphite USA blank rated for 20# line. The reels spool lip (Shimano Twinpower 8000) measured 58.42mm and following the procedures in the article, the choke guide should be placed 1577.34mm from the face of the spool. Well, using the mm to inches conversion, the choke guide in inches should be placed 62 inches from the reel face or 13 3/4 inches from the tip. My choke guide is a size 10 so I end up with three size 10's. The reduction guides start as a 40 ( at 26"), a 30 (at 35"), a 25 (at 42"), a 20 (at 49"), and a 16 ( at 56"). This is all on paper only as I have not done the actual placements on the blank nor testing. The reason that I am writing is to ask one question that was not answered in the article. What happens when the blank is shorter in lenght and the choke position is past the tip? I ask this because my next build will be using the same reel but the blank is only 6.5 ft long. I even have another blank that is only 5'10" long. These shorter blanks will be used for rods for vertical jigging. I suspect that this system is not meant for shorter rods with saltwater big reels.

In such extreme cases, where you're pretty much building a short "stand-up" rod for use with spinning gear, your choke guide will be the tiptop.

Other than that, I wouldn't waste too much time setting your rod up on paper - those guides you list aren't going to work once you do a practical implementation. You'll see what I mean once you get under way.

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Thanks Tom. It's really a learning experience to read the article and follow it through. It's on paper so that I can refer back to it while away from the work bench. I also have a drawing of the straight line from the spindle to the choke and measurements along the way in 2" increments just to see the lay out and how it works. Btw, I used a string tied to the spindle and tied off to the choke guide to represent the straight edge. This really helped in setting up the quides along the blank. I have also found that if I have the guide heights all recorded on paper, then I can do the layout on paper and order just the guides I need. As you can see, I just do my own wrapping and have too much time on my hands. Thanks for all your help, for this site, and for a great magazine.

Very good, hope it works out well for you.

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