Greetings all,

I build predominately for my own pleasure unlike the Pro's builders amongst all of you.

Heres my question; I build, largely, NGC spinning rods and that activity has centered upon FUJI guide components.

Please understand, I am completely satisfied with Fuji offerings. However, I would be more inclined to use the 'equivalent' guides from other brands if I could be more acquainted with them in comparison to Fuji offerings..

For example, these include: BMNAG, BYAG, BLAG, BMNAT.

My question is:

Wanting to know the nearest equivalents for each of the Fuji guides (if need be provide choices of 2 or 3) for the numbers of other brands that 'I might encounter' whenever I might visit the sites such as: Batson/Forecast, PacBay, AmTac, and Others. And how & where are these equivalents published.

I am hopeful that these equivalents are readily available in some publication.

Have nice day,

Bob Marie

All the companies that you have mentioned are as good if not better --- and at a better price --- IMHO

One example is the American Tackle Titan and ring lock guides Check them out.

Do you read this board often ???

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2010 04:05PM by bill boettcher.

I think what he's wanting to know is which of the other series match the Fuji series in style, height, ring type, etc.

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

Sounds to me he is stuck on the Fuji Name ??

Bill - willierods.com

No, he is wanting to know what the approximate series in other companies offerings are to those in the Fuji line.

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

No, he is not asking about size, etc, he is asking if the other guides are AS GOOD. Then he can judge if the size/style/color/etc meet his needs.

Robert,

I generally choose Batson guides for my personal stuff, and really like the options from AmTak I've used as well.

Most manufacturers offer similar frame types, so take a look through a catalog, and you can get a pretty good idea what the options are.

From Batson, the Alps XY frames are similar to the the Fuji BYAG. The Batson F series are like the Fuji BLAG. For double footed guides I like the Alps LXN, and the XN is worth a look for heavier applications. The H (hard aluminum oxide) rings from Batson make a great guide, but the Zirconia and PVD Zirconia rings are very nice as well.

From AmTak, look for A frame type guides to compare to BYAG height, and their fly type guides to compare to the BLAG. By the way the Titans with Gold PVD rings that I put on a rod for a friend are great.

If in doubt, give one of the sponsors to the left a call and ask directly. Many of them will take the time to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have.

On this link you will see an introduction to the Batson guides with a Vicker's Hardness chart that shows the hardness of a variety of ring materials. Alconite may well be somewhere between Batsons H and Zirconium rings.
[www.batsonenterprises.com]

From Darrin Heim at AmTak, he expresses the reasoning for their choice of materials at AmTak, and why you can find such a nice guide at a reasonable cost.
[rodbuilding.org]

Hope this helps a bit.

Joe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2010 06:03PM by Joe Vanfossen.

Robert,

The overwhelming majority of freshwater guides, including Fuji, fall under only a few categories:

M or A frame--very tall spinning guides, typically single foot
Y frame--medium high frame, typically single foot
V frame--single or double foot (some actually have three), shorter than Y frame. Frequently called "universal" guides.
Fly frame--single foot, close to the blank
"Micro" frame--very small guide, very close to the blank, single foot

Beyond this you'll have to figure it out for yourself. There are too many out there to give a summary of all the equivalent models. Try not to get hung up in the model numbers and look at the frame type in order to make comparisons between different manufacturers. There's a long list of vendors to the left where you can compare guides.

Jason Cosby
Cos Rods

I highly recommend the Alps line as well as the Amtacks
I find the polished stainless alps guides to be much more asthetically pleasing than similar chrome ones of other companies and the quality meets if not surpasses those of other companies as well.

Jason,

Thank you. Robert does not appear to be asking if other guides are as good Fuji. He simply wants to know what series match those from Fuji. In other words, what is the equivalent Batson series to the Fuji BRAG.

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

Hi Robert,

Speaking for American Tackle’s line up, we have several corresponding frames from a general design standpoint. Some heights may differ slightly and you’ll find that we added bracing and frame features to enhance durability. Likewise we also increase frame material quality to reduce weight, add flexibility and protect against corrosion. We also vary insert selections as well as employing some assembly/manufacturing elements that we believe add longevity to our product line. Here are some equivalents to the models you mentioned. All can be used in the NGC applications.

BYAG = NBA or NBRLA (the NBRLA is a Ring Lock version with no Fuji equivalent)
BLAG = NBRLF
BMNAT = This is a patented Fuji w/no direct equivalents, (we’ll a snagless version however there will be no wrap-able foot)
BMNAG = NBRLS This a new guide being introduced this summer, it is our Quad-Leg design Ring Lock spinning guide. Will be available in stainless and titanium with a slightly thicker gauge material w/8-40mm ring sizes.

Not mentioned
BLNAG = NBRLC This is our Quad-Leg Ring Lock frame w/6-20mm ring sizes.

Note: The above AT guide models feature Nanolite rings which are more of an SiC equivalent then Alconite.

Hope this wasn’t too confusing. Everything should be on our web site with the exception of the NBRLS’s which have not been released yet. To my knowledge there are no complete charts comparing all similar styles and models from varying companies.

Best Regards,

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company

Fantastic. Thanks, Darrin.

...........

Greetings again,

!) Bullseye!, Mr Kirkman

2) Your perceptions Mr Boettcher are fair enough but were not my intentions, My first reason for the posting was that it was often a matter of choosing Fuji to save the review time. It consumes more time to seek details about each guide family and hence in haste, I'd choose Fuji. Now, if I had reliable info which compared the most common guide families....while 'that' apparently doesn't exist, it sure might be handy speaking only for myself.

And to be sure, I visit 'often', here as you ask Bill ( Mr Boettcher).

3) I visit this lively forum frequently enough and have self-built frequently enough to notice forum chatter about an inferior guide family as you mentioned Mr Hansen. I believe it is very fair to say that there has been none to notice, really !

Probably because there are many 'GOOD' guide families. ALL share a level of quality suitable for multple seasons of life.

Very rarely I've seen a tiny bit of 'rust' or a ceramic-filler lost from an errant 'whack'..
An occasional and luxurious wipe with 'Armor-All' never hurts IMHOP.

4) You come closest to 'why', I would ask (re: material hardness) for equivalents. where you noted zirc or nanolite and the rest vs. alconite, etc.Mr.Vanfossen. Mainly, I hope whatever guides survives, saltwater, fishing on jetties, and 20-30-or-40# Power_Pro, multiple seasons.
Would 'do' just fine! IMO

And initially , I have asked one manufacturer [one of the sponsors to the left] a similar question: without beating the @#$%& out of the basic question. I merely wanted to know {I will share whatever that response becomes}.

5) "There are too many (I guess you'd be meaning guide families) out there to give a summary of all the equivalent models" is exactly why I would be asking, Mr Cosby.
In short, (and no offence intended) its nicer if the documented results just 'sailed-in' in my door (& in yours).

6) I'll need to take a look at the Alps line.

In all I just intended to give all guide families a fair appraisal without reinventing anything. Good idea?

Thanks to all for your 2 cents and I'll share all that I ultimately receive,

Bob Marie

.

Thanks Darrin I am looking thru your response ; Looks VG

Bob Marie

Robert,
Really the best thing that you can do when learning about other guides is to either go to a place where you can see the various guides, or simply buy a guide of the type that you are interested in looking at.
If you choose a medium sized guide, it will generally be reasonable in cost but will be large enough to be able to easily compare the differences between the guides.

Catalogs are fine, but it is tough to beat the feel and touch type of learning.

Good luck
Roger

You can not be closed mined. Yes Fuji make a fine guide -- but with all the companies coming out and - there are a lot making guides -- equal --- to The name of Fuji you can now get guides equal and if not better then.

I have built many rods with that Gray colored guide ring - as soon as they see them - o gee Fuji - There are many companies making guides BECAUSE

The cost of a guide does not make it better.

try a search of this site and see how many select other guides other then them. Time to realize there are other guides out there.

Bill - willierods.com

You can not be closed mined. Yes Fuji make a fine guide -- but with all the companies coming out and - there are a lot making guides -- equal --- to The name of Fuji you can now get guides equal and if not better then.

I have built many rods with that Gray colored guide ring - as soon as they see them - o gee Fuji - There are many companies making guides BECAUSE

The cost of a guide does not make it better.

try a search of this site and see how many select other guides other then them. Time to realize there are other guides out there. Fuji is not the only game in town .

Bill - willierods.com

Bill,

He is not asking for comparisons or opinions on Fuji quality against other companies guides. He asked for the relative model or style numbers between Fuji guides series and those of other companies.

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

Robert,

I hear what you're saying. It would be nice to have a master chart somewhere. I would have appreciated it when I was getting acquainted with what's out there. But, the guide world is a moving target that is constantly changing and it would be difficult to keep up. It can be enjoyable to acquaint yourself with everything that's out there if you treat it as a class. My recommendation was based on the fact that it's easy to get swept away in the alphabet soup of the naming schemes. You'll find that the frames of many guides from different manufacturers look like they came from the same machine and that's why I keep them straight in my head by frame style. For example, if comparing the BMNAG, I know that I want to compare a fairly heavy three or four foot casting style guide and will look at the Alps LXN and XN, the AmTac Virtus and NIC, Pac Bay DPL and T, etc.

I'll first look for a height chart, as that easily eliminates some from the start. I wouldn't be overly concerned with the ring material, as any modern ceramics will survive. I do look closely at how the ring is secured, though. Most of the manufacturers have move to a deeply recessed ring, which is important. Frame material is also a big determiner, especially for the salt. As far as quality, I've never seen reason to justify the expense of Fuji guides and have shied away from them for that reason. I don't believe that Fuji has anything on any of the major manufacturers quality-wise.

If you're honing in on jetties and 20-40# PP, frame material is very important. The only material that will be corrosion free is titanium alloy. It's also the most expensive. Next would be SS316, which will survive a good long time or indefinitely if it's rinsed. In my opinion, the nicest guide out there for a conventional rod, and they're not the most expensive, is the Alps XN and LXN. The LXN through 20# and the XN for 30-40#. They are very light for their strength, come in zirconium (no worries there), look almost like jewelry, and I believe more resistant to fisherman abuse than anything else out there. I prefer the polished stainless, as there's no coating to wear off. They also make a great choice for big catfish, muskie, sturgeon, and the like. The XNs are truly tanks. My summer will include going after cow tuna with them, if that helps put into perspective how stout they are.

Jason Cosby
Cos Rods