I just got my first sets of AmTak microwave guides. The rod I'm building is a saltwater spinner (built on a live bait rod blank). The microwave guides just "looks too small" . Wondering = has anyone used the microwave guide as the SECOND guide in a layout? I think it will still work as it's supposed to because there is nearly zero flex in the blank near the handle. Please let me know if anyone has done this before. I'll post up findings after the rod is finished and fished.

I have built a dozen or so rods with the Microwaves. I haven't ever tried adding a guide before it. How big is the spool on the reel your going to use? I know they look small, but I have tested these things with reels as large as a Shimano 6000. They worked great with it (with braid, I have not tries mono). I did move the first guide away from the reel a couple inches more though. I think The first guide was almost 24" from the front of the reel seat.

I am about to do the same on a 12-25 lb inshore rod, but won't have the guides till Monday. Tape it up and give it a cast, then report back...

I have a quick question about the guides themselves.

Looking at a microwave guide I see the center ring placed inside the bigger guide ring. What I dont get is why they didnt just put the smaller ring on a normal size guide frame. Why do you need the bigger guide ring on the outside of the smaller center ring? Is this center ring pushed back behind the bigger guide ring and that somehow allows the line to coil from the big guide ring into the smaller one?

Very Interesting thread! American Tackle should come up with an elighting video with regards to this new guide system, similar to the one Fuji released on the KR concept.
Does anyone know if they did already?

Phillips Hot Rods
C Y P R U S
[phillipshotrods.wix.com]

[www.youtube.com]
Good video , just digged it up,really impressive!!!

Phillips Hot Rods
C Y P R U S
[phillipshotrods.wix.com]

Hi guys,

Ken, we tested large and smaller ring guide combinations including 16mm, 30mm & 25mm. We found that with this series there was no reason to go larger than the 20mm primary ring to achieve the best results. We were also able to reduce the overall size of the guide as well as reduce the weight of the entire set with this sizing. Heavy monofilament might dictate a larger ring but lighter mono, fluorocarbon & braid was ideal in the 20/6 combination.

The use of a larger ring guide in front of the 20/6 would defeat the purpose of “instant” line control. More than likely it would just equate to added weight to the rod and a loss of efficiency by taking a system that controls line in one guide to a system that controls it in two. Hope this makes sense.
If used as directed it will outperform all others.

Matt brought up a good point regarding spacing modification. We offer suggested spacing that will work however some modification can improve (or hinder) and allow wider use of the system.

Chris, we are working on several videos including a lot of interesting stills. We found that there is so much going on with our current system and some additional research on expansion that one video would not suffice. Instead we might just release everything we have (or are making) bit by bit as kind of an ongoing process type of thing. I am a HUGE fan of the Fuji video and find it correct in validating the theory of rapid choke. The difference between what they depict using 3 guides and control by the 4th guide and what we offer is that our MicroWave system gains control in the first guide. Can’t get any more rapid choke than that…..

Adam, check out the previous thread, I posted which somewhat answers your questions. Let me know anything doesn't make sense.

Best Regards,

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company

Perhaps a little more info will help. The blank I'm working with is an American Tackle AXLB70H (30-50lb line / 1-6oz lure). Clearly not a typical freshwater bass rod blank. The blank has tons of "beef" in the butt section then begins a rapid transition to a "quick, responsive tip". The "break point" or location where this rod actually begins to deflect measurably is about 47 inches from the butt I understand that those terms are highly subjective and no, I did not do a CCS rating on the blank before I started - honestly because I don't think it would matter for this rod (and fishing conditions - flipping/casting to 20lb breaking fish in rips ). Given that the face of the reel (a 4000 series) will be 34 inches from the opening of the microwave guide that leaves a lot of "open space" (name, rod information, abalone or butt wrap room if you will). This "open space" simply put looks odd or out of place so what I did was put an American Tackle NCRLA-30 in the gap. Another concern was that a relatively small reel diameter with a large distance between the fore grip and the microwave guide might have let in some line slap BEFORE the microwave picked it up. I have not cast the rod yet but will do so on Sunday. Before then I will wrap another absent the NCRLA-30. There, of course other options like moving the microwave guide down closer and using more of the microwave micro guides (7 I think were included) or I could have inserted other NCRLA's after the microwave guide. Mostly I was looking for ideas from anyone who had been using them more / longer on heavier rods.

I built some microwave for personal use because the initial unit was too large and heavy for my needs. I built mine using titanium guides and modified them. So far, I have not noticed any real difference in casting high performance ultralight rods and 2 lbs fluoro or mono casting 1/32 o r 1/16 lures. Has not hurt casting distance either, Could be that 2 lbs test is a bit mod flexible send has less mass (momentum) so that it shows less gain.

But obviously if these work well for higher test lines, or perhaps my test is faulty, it will really be a boon for Amtak since there Doug has a patent on this concept. If it works very well, I wonder how Fuji and other makers will respond. It is one thing to make micros where there is no patent. It is quite another to have a totally unique design. Will be following this interesting concept.

Mo



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2012 07:17AM by Mo Yang.

Perhaps the 20-6 setup is too large for the size reel line and lure you are using
You might try a 16- 5 or 4 Two guides together and see if that helps

Bill - willierods.com

As I stated a couple years ago when the subject of the MicroWave system first came up, how much increase or difference you're going to see depends entirely on what you're comparing it to. The better your current system, the less gain, if any, you should expect. On the other hand, if you're coming from a system that isn't close to optimum to begin with, you'll probably notice a measurable increase.

For the cost of a set, I'd hope guys building spinning rods will at least try it. It's not much of an investment just to see for yourself what difference it might make on the type rods you build. And once you've tried it, you'll be able to communicate with your customers from a standpoint of actual experience.

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Ever notice how well the old Zebco 33's handled fairly heavy mono? Squint your eyes when you look at a Microwave and you can almost see a Zebco 33.

Tom, I remember you mentioning some time ago that a properly setup 27X will perform very similar to the microwave setup. Those weren't your words verbatim, but that was the gist of the statement. Is this still true or has the microwave been tuned to be somewhat better?

Thanks,
Chad Huderle

Huderle Custom Rods
Prior Lake, MN

I haven't found it to be measurably better, but that's just my personal experience. Again, it depends on where you're starting and what you're used to. Also remember that different lines and their related characteristics will perform differently with various systems.

What I think you will find with the MicroWave system, is a very quiet and smooth system that works exceptionally well with a wide variety of lines and reels. As I said above, it's not costly to try a set and decide for yourself.

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Another thing to go on my buy list Got to try a set

Bill - willierods.com