I tried, but this would not post in response to the spiral wrap and how many guides and the sizes. So here I go again, for what it's worth:
(please bear with the length)

Dave,
Several things you need to take into consideration prior to knowing exactly how many guides your blank will take for the spiral wrap:

First, you'll determine by which method you'll want the spiral as various modifications have been used by particular rodbuilders.
Personally, I follow the idea of allowing the guides to help me determine the angles as to the best direct line path through the spiral guides. This alone may take maybe 4 or 5 guides to the to the smaller ones at 180, and THEN you'll want about 4 more out to the tip.
So, we are talking about at least 8 guides and probably about 9 for your 7' rod. There is a method which Ralph O'Quinn describes and I guess my 'modification' follows this course of thinking.
I like to call what I do a progressive direct line path spiral, but I sometimes use long terminology. Maybe I'll just shorten it to an acronym such as DLP spiral or something of that nature. All I know is it works best for me and improves casting performance, as well as stability and a list of features already known about the spiral wrap, by whatever name you want to call it.

As for size of guides? Just think about the idea such as the concept system, where you still want the smaller, lighter guides. You can get away with, especially at the tip. The spiral guides I like to adjust as to what the line flow will better allow without too much stress points against the sides of the spiral guides. On a typical 7' bass rod, this may start with your butt guide at #12 and then progress down from there. Probably the spiral guides shouldn't be smaller than 8's and then if you can use 7's or 6's as you might want to use with concept and the last say, 4 or 5 tip guides. This is a rough idea, and you will determine this better as you guage your set up with the angles the sprial guides should be.

The question you'll probably have is "what angles to place ths spiral in relation to the 0 axis (top)?". This is where ideas vary and some are strict with going, say 60, 120, and then down to 180 degrees. This may require fewer guides, and sure will work. Other modifications (including mine) basically have arisen from this fundamental.

Don Morton is a renowned expert with the spiral wrap, and other ideas about methamatics in relation to guide placement, and will perhaps be more exacting and easier to follow for the future of rodbuilding. He would give preliminary instructions about finding the major starting point where the butt guide goes, and after that is fairly common sense.
One thing to remember is don't start the butt guide too close to the reel face. Ralph maintains that this be a minimum of 15" and I would basically agree on this point, I would like to go out a bit further perhaps on a 7' rod, say maybe 17" if your blank allows this.

I've just completed a spiral wrapped muskie rod on a 6'9" heavy power blank, and used 11 guides and the tip. It took 6 of the guides to fully revolve around to the 180 degree axis. The rod out cast the exact blank in a conventionsl setup and had much better performance otherwise, as well.
The last bass rod I did with a spiral, was a 6' and it used 8 guides plus the tip. Also, it cast further than the matching conventional factory rod. That is why I like the more guides and the progressive line path idea for better castability, if nothing else.

Good luck with your spiral rod.

Rich
Solryich Custom Rods.

What you have to also sonsider is what the action and power of the rod is. What I do on my Steelhead 9ft. rods is I make my butt guide #16 and it is placed 24 inches from the reel. The rod is a mediun /light with eleven guides.
Good luck Bob