I built this rod last year. I used Sage's recommended guide spacing and guide sizes. I opted for single foot guides and used tich guides.
I'm going to change the guides to REC recoil titanium/nickel single foot guides (because I feel like it -before you ask why) and I'm looking for suggestions as to what size to use.
Sage uses qty 4-1/0 (thin), then qty2 -1(thin), then size 1, 2, 4, and 12 stripper. I think they use Hopkins and Halloway guides. They seem to favor very small guides compared to other manufacturers.
For their 9' 5wt 4 pc. GLX rod, ( and all other model 9' fly rods) Loomis uses the REC single foot guides in the following sizes- qty4- size3, qty3- size4, qty1- size 5, and size 10 and 12 stripper.
St. Croix uses very similar sizing.
Custom fly Rod Crafters and Fly Fisherman Magazine list the following guide sizes for their 9' 5 wt rod:
1-1, 2-2, 3-3,4-4,5, and #12 stripper.
I cant see any pattern to this guide sizing, and it all seems a little vague, so based on that (nothing), I've come up with the following sizing pattern:
2-2-2, 3-3-3, 4-4-, 5, and #12 stripper (currently on the rod). This is a bit smaller than Loomis and St. Croix sizes, quite a bit larger than Sage, and somewhat larger than Custom Rod Crafters and Fly Fisherman Magazine.
All kidding aside, I'm looking for comments and recommendations.
Thanks in advance.

Sage uses what works best IMO, others use what is economically easier. If you can use the same guide combo over a wide range of rods you have less guides left over. You have better control of your inventory. The smallest REC SF I think is a size 1, they worked on my 7 wt Sig V Dan Craft just fine so they'll be no problem on your rod.

Even the heavy wire version of the Recoils are VERY light weight compared to other guides on the market so you can use a slightly larger guide if you want to without it really adding much extra weight .

I would be extremely surprised if a heavy wire size 1 Recoil snake wasn't lighter than a thin wire size 1/ 0 H & H chrome plated snake as the size 1 Recoils feel almost weightless compared to most chrome plated guides.I would use the heavy wire Recoil over the thin wire Recoil for most rods as they are a little quieter and not as hard on a fly line,but are still extremely light weight and the gauge of the wire matches the tip top better.

A size 1 Recoil single foot guide is a pretty darn small guide.I used them on a 5wt a while back and wish I had gone with 2's now.If I were using snakes I would go with the 1's but I would lean towards a size 2 for the running guides if using single foot's as it matches the standard Recoil tip top size perfectly and clears most knots and factory looped fly lines well enough.

You don't need all those different sizes. If you've settled on a 12 for the stripping guide and 2's for your smallest runners, then just do this: #12, #5 and then as many #2's as you need. All those in-between sizes are just wasted and do nothing but add a little extra weight.

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I thoroughly agree with Tom; I build almost all my rods with this kind of configuration. I'm not sure why the decreasing guide size gradation is still around, except for traditional appearance. Also, for what it's worth, I think that Sage uses guides on their fly rods that are too heavy.

Jim

Stonefly Custom Fly Rods
20 Vaquero Rd
Santa Fe NM 87508

www.stoneflyrods.com

Looks like a very good approach.
Should dampen faster, react quicker and cast further.