In your opinion are Fuji guides the best? Its all I use, having looked at other guide manufacturer's, there doesn't seem to be the detail and quality to match them. Now Shimano's Sea-Guides are another story.. I see posts and there are plenty of people saying all guides these days are similar in quality but I don't think any come close to Fuji IMHO.

Have you tried the Kigan guides?

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

What is it specifically that you find about Fuji's quality that you don't find in other guides? I find the high end guides from Alps/Batson, and Amtak equal to Fuji guides in both design and mfg. quality. Fuji has a great quality perception but I've had them break and rings come out on occasion just like the others.

Terry

If I'm selling a rod, I'll usually offer Fuji since it's what people know.

On my personal rods, I use whatever manufacturer makes a guide I like for a specific application.

Each manufacturer has their good and bad guides.

I primarily use Fuji products - 75% of my guide purchases and 95% of my reel seat purchases. However, there are some truly special products not to be overlooked ... Microwave guides, RECoil guides, Kigan "Z" guides and Pac Bay Channel Lock reel seats. All of these are found in my stock as well. Like Aaron, it is application, or client, specific as to the proper choice of product.

Agreed. If a customer requests it, I'll certainly use them and they are great products. There is a perception that if you are using fuji guides and seats that you are not compromising quality as a builder. If a customer is not drawn to Fuji or doesn't care, I may or may not recommend them depending on the application. I was just trying to learn if Rod saw something specific or if it was more of the general Fuji Brand and a quality reputation. I worked at a large company with a great brand reputation that always wasn't deserved so I understand the marketing behind promoting this. Fuji does as good a job as any of the brands in this regard.

Terry

Only wanting to know how many builders use them in general. I read Dale Clemens books many years ago and was sold on Fuji from then on. They seem to have great detail in the manufacturing. I have some Alps XN's that I am about to use on a build and side by side to HB's they appear to be a much lighter material even though the HB's are rated only 30#. Having said that since those books were written there have been a few more company's producing guides. I only build saltwater rods I must admit so haven't had exposure to other brands.

I mostly use American Tackle. I find little, if any, difference in quality between any of the manufacturers. As competitive as this industry,a bad product wouldn't survive. I'm also curious just what differences you see.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Yes I agree they are all good quality, I can't comment on AMTAK as i've not used them but from comments I've read they get a good rap. The general question I was asking how any builders use Fuji compared to other brands. Living in NZ we are at a disadvantage when it comes to choice. There are rod companies here that use ALPS (SYNIT for one although the blanks are produced by Kilwell Tubes, and a few others such as JigStar Rods) these companies import ALPS directly so are not available to rod builders. Fuji is the only one readily available, so you tend to have a bias towards them.

G'Day Rod we have much the same problem here in OZ although we can source Alps guides locally along with Fuji, but don't forget the suppliers on the left .I now use them almost exclusively & the time between placing the order & receipt is much the same as if I ordered them locally . True the freight charges can be a bit steep but to my mind the savings more than compensate for that

Regards Baz

Bundeena
NSW Australia

I have been using Kigan's for a little over a year with zero failures. Six of the rods I have built are being used in B.A.S.S. tournament fishing with no failures at all.

David Dosser
Coshocton, OH

Most Fuji products are great, but at this point I avoid Fuji trip tops like the plague. I have had way too many rings pop out of Fuji tips, Kigans are way superior for ring retention.

ATC guides seem fine to me. No idea if they are the best or not, nor Fuji. But the better guides from each company all seem fine to me.

I'm a proponent of the American Tackle Ring Lock guides. For spinning, the durability, strength, and quality of the A-Frame guides are hard to beat. Nothing against Fuji or other manufactures.......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2012 10:17PM by Fred Trahan.