Hello, I'm replaceing the stainless steel guide set (grooved after one year) with Fuji Hardloy guides on a 5' UL Ugly Stik Lite spinning rod. I sized the old guides and got the same size in the Hardloy, 25-16-12-8-7. I also spaced them the same as the old ones,from the tip top, 3.5", 7.5", 12.5", 19" , 27.5" . Being pretty new to this hobby does anyone see any that could improve the feel and handleing of the rod ? Would changeing from a 12 to a 10 do anything different ? Do the larger 25,16,and 12 help the line flow better than say 20,16,and 10 ? With the reel on and line ran threw the guides, the line followed the arc of the rod very well with no sharp angles. Just looking for any advice before I finish the wraps. -Thanks, Mike

For a short rod like that consider downsizing the first guide and not using so many different sizes of guides. Much is being learned by those who move away from traditional commercial spinning rod set upsl Take a look at this picture and see the reasons why.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Mike:
Check out the Library page up and on the right. Read the New Guide Concept Primer and Static Guide Placement articals.

I struggled with this as well, you will learn that its not the ring size that really matters, but the height of the guide off the blank.

You initial guide size is usually determined by what reel is on the rod and you get it down to the smallest size practical as soon as possible.

Just as an example 25 20 16 12 10 7 tip is probably not the best setup you are usually better off going 25 16 10 7 7 7 tip

Also you might want to read about micro guides, I have really no use for them right now but I learned a LOT about guide sizes and placements by just reading the discussions (pros/cons) about micro guides.

Remember there are ( 3 ) guide heights out there. Regular guides, concept I think most popular and the ( M ) guides, which I think are way to high unless you like a small ring size. The concept guides are usually the right height for the ring size. If you are using a small reel and UL light line 2-6, a 20 butt may be your best to start with. When you set them up, I always take the spool off and use the center pin to line up the guides and rings. That is just the way I do it.