I am working on a new project with a Croix LES63MXF blank. This is my first extra fast action blank and I am wondering if there are any guide spacing tips anyone has with this type action? It seems to me the first couple of guides would need to be a little closer together since there is a lot of bend in the first 8-10 inches. I plan to use micros for the top running guides and using the X standard (is it 27X I do not have my notes?) for the intersect guide which will be pretty close to the tip on a 6'3" blank. Probably a total of 7 guides plus tip. This is a medium power spin rod for 6-8 pound line and mostly 1/8 to 5/16 ounce jigs and plastics and maybe some dropshotting.

If you're using a 'bass' sized spinning reel, your choker will be pretty close to the tip on that rod. Seven guides sounds about right. On X-fast blanks like that, I usually have my 1st guide at around 3.5" from the tiptop.

jeremy

Bill
I have built several of these rods, and whether it is built as a spinning or a casting rod, I think that the spacing is something like this
tip, 3 inches, 3, inches, 3 1/2 inches, 4 inches for the first 4 guides to get around the corner. You are right - this rod has an exceptionally fast tip and I agree that the tip guides need to be pretty closely spaced to correctly load the fast tip.

Take care
Roger

Thanks guys I will set it up as suggested! Yes it will have a "2500" sized reel, Shamino to start so I plan to set it with an intersect somewhere between a Daiwa and Shimano 2500 spool diameter. I used that setup on a 7' ML Croix and it is the best casting spinning rod I have! I have mini guides on it too and it appears to me the combo of the guides and spacing is just "right on".

Bill Tune your post brings to light a very interesting subject.

Important on extra fast blanks.

Does the convention of progressive guide spacing, i.e., increasing distance for guide spacing the furthur you get from the tip, lead builders to using more guides than necessary?

Do we place guides where they belong or where they "look right"!

Bill,
You do bring up a good point.
Basically - dealing with your very question, I have been wrapping some very fast action blanks recently where the first guide will be 4 inches from the tip, but the next two guides will only be 3 inches apart, and then the 3rd guide will be 4 1/2 inche from that.

In prior years, I would likely have placed an extra unneeded guide near the tip, just to make the rod look right. This issue seems to come up more often when you work with very fast blanks where the first few inches is actually stiffer than the location further up the blank.

Roger

What is the saying - if it looks right...? I agree that is not allways the case and that is why I tape them on and adjust spacing based on stress tasting. I know most blanks will flatten out at the tip when stressed making guides at the tip much less important. The extra fast tip may change that but I will wait and see how it reacts to loads. Maybe some have already done testing and know, will the extra fast tip section flatten out under load as well? I try to protect the blank at the hinge point to avoid large angles between the guides and humps in the blank.

I just set up an X-fast casting rod on the Rainshadow XSB802.75 just this AM. 3mm micros for most of the length, I ended up 3 inches apart for the first 4, then started opening it up progressively. It looks good, will test cast when the wind goes down. I used the method Tom Kirkman has published using two lines, one to the tip to load the rod, and one to the reel with just a little tension on it to see what the line will look like going through the guides with the blank loaded by the line to the tip. I get line touch to the blank when stressed (guides on top), but no crossover, and the angles all look good.

If anyone has a better plan for this blank, I'm all ears. this is my first micro casting rod.

There is no recipe on the Rainshadow site, but similar blanks with conventional guides show 4 " from the last guide to the tiptop.