First let me say that I'm a new rod builder, only built 6 rods so far. But, with all of the positive feedback of the NGC (old and updated versions) I wanted to give it a try on my next rod.

I've been reading all I can on the NGC in both the magazine and in the library and on the message board. In the information in both the magazine and the library (I think) there are graphics that show the line path where, with the old method, the line follows a kind of roller coaster path and where, with the NGC, you have only the single change in direction for the line to follow. That seems really clear and seems perfectly logical. So, I have a 7' spinning rod that I laid out the guides using the updated NGC and it seems to works really well when test casting it. When I was looking through the guides to see how they were lined up I noticed that looking through the guides to the choker guide that I was then looking at the blank instead of looking all the way through all of the guides through the tip. I grabbed one of my other rods that is not setup with the NGC and when sighting through the guides I could see through every guide all the way through the tip. After seeing this I took a wood dowel and put it through the old rod and it showed a straight line path from the tip right back to the lower edge of the reel spool but with the rod setup with the NGC the dowel intersected with the blank well before the tip.

What I'm wondering, and I'm sure you guys have responded to this exact question but I couldn't find it in my search, is how is the NGC a better line path than the "old way"? The diagrams in the magazine seem logical enough but when the guides are spread over the length of a rod using the old method it seems to create a straight line path due to where the guides are located. Again, I'm a newbie that wants to learn the latest and greatest but I have to be missing something with this.

The NGC system is better on nearly all counts. The line will make one course correction at the point from the intersection guide to the next running guide, but that's it. With the older Cone of Flight Method, the line changes course on nearly each guide. Remember, the line will lie in the bottom of each ring so your cone of flight set up may not be as good as you think. Plus... it's almost guaranteed to be heavier so some of the energy you're imparting to your cast is being wasted starting and stopping that extra weight.

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You also have to take into account, the line does not come off the spool in a straight line. The NGC gets the line under control quickly and then slips though the running guides very smoothly. Witht the old method, the line is still for better terms, looping around and can be hitting the blank and taking away casting distance. But over all as Tom said, there is less weight added to the blank, so you get a better performing rod.