I need to replace the original double foot wire guides on my old trusty fiberglass fenwick FS56 spinning rod. Reeling 4# test for the last 37 years has cut deep grooves almost clear through these guides. I would like to replace these with similar guides to keep the original form and function. Fenwick said they have no records any more for this model, understandable. How do I determine the correct size of guides to order, and what brown and white thread to order to put this baby back to original condition? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

Gudebrod NCP chestnut and white would be my guess, measure the inside of the guide ring to get the size.

Thanks. Measure diameter in mm or in?

Hi Jason,
mm is the size guides are measured in.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

If they look like the ones at the bottom of our "Hot Specials" page, we may be able to help you.
Please note that they are no longer being made in that exact style, and that we are out of some sizes.
There may be someone out there who can also help?

Here is a link;
[www.schneidersrods.com]

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Jason, having recently rebuilt my beloved old 5'6" UL Fenwick spinning rod.....which had those old foulproof type guides.....all I can say is a set of new style ceramic insert guides layout in the 27X style made a very nice difference. The rod certainly cast longer and darn sure feels like it can handle a bigger fish now.

Now if are sold on keeping the old look....meaning ceramic insert guides are out of the question.....but don't mind cheating a little for superior performance, take a look at REC recoil guides.

P.S. Not sure if I kept my old guides....but measure yours and post sizes and if I have them I'll be glad to send them to you.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Thanks for the advice, I will measure and post the oem guide sizes for this rod, out of town at the moment. I am seriously thinking about the recoil guides, I like the black ones. Do these last? I have caught some hogs on that light rod in my younger years growing up in Oregon, 8# crane bow, a couple 12# steelhead, one small chinook and a couple small 8# silvers all on 4# test, so I am confident in the original design and I am excited about getting this rod back into good working order.

The other thing I am thinking about changing is the cork grip, there are two copper slide rings that secure the reel, but they don't stay tight so I added a leather shoe lace to hold it together. It would be nice to have a better reel seat. Not sure if I will go that far with it.


Jason

Jason

Is there any way you could email me a pic (or post on the photo page) of one the guides you are looking for? I have a bag full of old "foulproof type" wire guides sitting unused in my cabinet. From about size 50 down to about size 6. 2 different styles.

Rog

Correction, Rod model is FS55, 5'-6".
Measered the guides from butt 25, 15, 10, 5, tip top is ceramic and in good order.
Unable to figure out how to get photos up, I took a few photos and can email them..

Thanks,
Jason

Correction, Rod model is FS55, 5'-6".
Measered the guides from butt 25, 15, 10, 5, tip top is ceramic and in good order.
Unable to figure out how to get photos up, I took a few photos and can email you.

Thanks,
Jason

Jason I think you need to take time to consider your goal(s). I understand the rod has out-performed for you over the years. The original guides are no longer made. I will see what I have. IMHO you would be better served using newer/lighter guides and a more of them. That is what I did and the improvement is beyond doubt. On the other hand maybe you care more about keeping the "look" the same?

The black REC's are top notch stuff. They are also a lot of money. Minima 4 guides would strike a nice compromise of price/performance/weight.

BTW if you ever stumble across one of the boron fenwick blanks pay what you must.

FWIW, I'd say my most "special" catch was a keeper grouper (must be over 18" in my waters)....and yes it was on 4# test. Still amazed at how I was able to get him out of the rocks in 60 feet of water. Also caught some rather large barracuda when using the rod to catch bait. The cuda decided they were his dinner and not my bait!

OH, grip/reel seat. Funny I should forget this as a loose reel seat was what prompted me to touch mine. I didn't intend to replace the guides....but one thing lead to another and the whole job would have gone better if I commited to a total strip and rebuild at first. Anyhow mine had an original anodized bronze reel seat which I kept. Yours has a Tenn. handle which is best for an UL rod. The ultimate solution is to wrap the reel on with guide thread and apply epoxy guide wrap finish. 3M scotch 33+ electrical tape is my second choice. If the cork is too far gone to keep, I'm a fan of carbon tubes mounted on graphite arbors. If you don't mind the weight, and it can help balance the rod, I like the aero reel seat for use with spinning rods. There is no need for any grip ahead of the reel but you may want something for looks.

Best of luck and I promise to rummage through my stuff and see if I kept the old guides.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

You might try tommy tape (silicon tape sold at Home Depot under stretch &seal name). I have cut rigs off before and ten secured the reel with the silicone tape, and it has worked ell for me.
Gary

Hi Jason,

I also am a big fan of the Fenwick FS 55 having bought my first one in 1965. I've fished with it in more than 25 states and caught some impressive fish on it. When I wore out the guides I replaced the Aetna Foulproofs with more Aetna Foolproofs because the alternative at the time was ceramic ring guides and they were just too heavy for this rods action. I can't emphasize enough that whichever set of guide you use as replacements must not weigh more than the set of foolproofs that you take off. Any more weight or a change in spacing will destroy the action that you so dearly love. Take it from one who has tried this and failed. I also worked at Fenwick for 20 years and we did offer the FS55 with Fuji aluminum oxide single foots for two years. It was just not the same rod. I now work at PacBay and you could come closer to the original with Minima guides but you need to stick with the same number and spacing and ring i.d's. Also be sure and use a 6 ring or smaller tip top.

Good luch on restoring your rod to it's former glory.

Vic

May be I lucked out in a strange type of way. I had once ordered a decent amount of titanium fly rod style guides. They were destroyed in the mail. It was advised I cut my losses and move on. It wasn't worth chancing on my normal salt water rods.

One weekend a few months back the right combination of yhings transpired; me happening upon those guides, my daughter being out of the house for the weekend, a cheap grab bag of cork grips, and being sick of the epoxy bound that had failed on the old fenwick.

For me the new guides worked out great and were a big improvment. i actually wished they were a little smaller.



P.S. I have been looking for the old guides but haven't located them so far. They were something I knew I wouldn't use again....yet something I was too attached to have just tossed them in the trash.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.