I have a 2 year old Calstar Grafighter 600xl conventional custom rod that has a slight bend downwards at the second guide from the tip (only apparent when you look along the blank), the guide is a size 10 fugi mnsg. Is it possible that the guide feet were not quite streight and this has caused the bend, and if so would removing it streightening the feet and rewhipping get rid of the bend, (the guides are underwrapped)

Regards Gary

More likely that such a big guide is adding enough weight to make the tip sag a little:)

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

You can still see the bend with the blank on its side or upside down, it is also one of a pair the other is ok.

Regards Gary

Removing and replacing the guides isn't likely to change anything. Few blanks are perfectly straight and many with much or even some glass content can take a set after a bit of use.

The span between the guide feet isn't large enough to cause a deviation of that sort, unless they were terrible out of alignment, and even then it's not likely. Can you confirm that the bend is directly in the middle, between the guide feet?

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

Only mentioned it because a friend and I had 800xl's built at same time. I went spiral with one 10 and all the rest 6's. He went old school conventional. The difference was large and his tip had a definite sink to it.

Just curious, what fish/fishing style do you use it for? There is one out there at an attractive price and I'm tempted but tend to like a little longer rod.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

They are my light (for me) tackle trolling/livebait rods I use them with 20lb mono on a tld15,they handle sails no problem. I actualy think I would have been better going with a 600L blank as I think these are slightly slower in action (fast as apposed to very fast) the 600xl has a very fast/soft tip and is very stiff for the remaining 75% of the blank (as it is suposed to be) I think a 600L would have given me a biger usable range ie 20-30lb mono.

I just had another look and it is actualy the third guide aproximatly 1ft from tip it seems to be directly under the foot on the side nearest to the tip

RegardsGary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2012 11:48AM by gary chesters.

I would suggest at a guess of course that the when the rod was first built the reel seat wasn't aligned with the backbone of the rod when it was glued in place . Therefore the guides are out of alignment with the backbone of the rod also. This is the most common cause of rods developing bows near the tip of the rod . A good way to check for this is to put the butt end of the rod on the ground with the guides facing down . Then hold the tip with one hand and with the other hand about at the 2nd guide under the rod and just push up until the rod is completely off the ground. If the rod spin around then clicks into a place that is not perpendicular to the ground the rod has been built without the builder paying attention to aligning the seat and guides to the spine of the rod .I would get this second opinioned by a rodbuilder but I would be leaning towards this as the cause of your problem

Let me know what eventuates
And hope this helps