I have built several rods for fresh water on both the Casting and Spinning versions of the Microwave Guide system. They are the best thing for casting and spinning rods. Easy to set up. The line flows through them like no other. Give them a try. You won’t be disappointed in them. Happy building.

Not necessarily so. The MW system is a one size fits all and many different reel sizes work well even though the stripper is at a specified distance for all sizes of reels. A given kR set will also work very well with a lot of different reel sizes, but you also have the ability to fine tune the KR set up for the specific reel and line you use. It should be noted that both the MW the KR systems were designed for braid and both do a good job with braid no matter the reel size. However, by my testing, the KR concept does better with both mono and fluorocarbon then does the MW set up.

The KR will not choke any quicker than the MicroWave. The MicroWave start the choke right at the first guide

All said and done the microwave guide system is the best for any style fishing. Many different sizes available to chose from and super easy to set up



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2018 08:53PM by Wes Motsinger.

Thank you very much for all the voices. I went to the search part of blog and typed MicroWave Guide System prior to posting and search came up empty. Maybe im not using the search correctly

When you do the search make sure change from last 30 days to all dates.

Can you use Microwave guides for a spiral wrapped rod?

I use them in the majority of my builds for my customers, and i have them on my own rods. Can't fault them.

Yes you can.

Jay Burns Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can you use Microwave guides for a spiral wrapped
> rod?



They work better than regular guides in a spiral wrap Jay.

Because of the higher ring location it is easier to get the line around the blank without touching.

Once you try them in a spiral it will change all your future builds

_______________________________
God Bless, Don Morse

800-516-1750 ext. 1207 / don@americantackle.us

Rod Building..... It's What We Do.

Hi Jeffrey,

MicroWave guides are the best way to go. Truth is......they work the best, no doubt about it.

Hi Everyone.

MicroWaves guide systems are very popular and work great. Check out the entire line here:

[www.mudhole.com]

Regards.
Team Mud Hole Custom Tackle
Web: [www.mudhole.com]
Email: sales@mudhole.com
Toll Free Phone #: 1-866-790-RODS (7637)

Stay Connected with us:
FaceBook: [www.facebook.com]
YouTube: [www.youtube.com]
Instagram: [www.instagram.com]
Tik Tok: Tik Tok: [www.tiktok.com]
Twitter: @mudholetackle

I really like the Microwaves - they are easy to set up and I think they cast very nice.

However I may have experienced a shortcoming with them this past fall. I have a rod I setup with test-casting using braid and a short fluoro leader (the knot was kept between the double stripper and second guide before all the casts - I believe it was 10-12lb braid and 15 or 20 lb fluoro). It works awesome in that configuration, but I had a big snag on the bottom in which I had to cut off and lose a lot of the braid. So I filled the spool back up with what I had at the time - more of the fluoro leader. When casting, the new line flopped around like crazy before the narrowing point of the stripper guide. Casting distance was severely decreased, and I believe tangles became a problem too. I don't know if this is a problem that was noted before, or if its a case of departing too far from the test-casting optimization setup. I think I read somewhere the systems work best with braid, but I was surprised that the heavier fluoro was such a problem!

I see no mention of the MicroWave Air Guides, which have a slightly larger guide opening and are tough as nails. They also have all the great features of the MicroWave guides, and cost a fraction. No more broken rings to deal with. Vector creases in the running guides make them nearly indestructible. For applications like ultralight rods and light spinning rods, they are remarkable. Set up is easy, casting is a dream, and the blank is not hampered by a bunch of weight at the end of it that dampens it's properties.

So the standard Microwave Guide set works great with Spiral Wraps, awesome to hear. I love them on my standard builds.

I stopped following last night so there are a few things I feel compelled to respond to.
One is that the MW starts the choke at the first guide, well so does the KR! The truth is that the line, in both cases, is not fully choked until it reaches the choke guide, and the choke guide position for both are at a very similar distance.
Two concerns the quality of stainless steel. There are two types of stainless used in making rod guides, one is 304 and the other is 316. Both contain chromium and nickel and 316 also contains Molybdenum. The molybdenum give 316 more resistance to chloride corrosion thus the term marine grade stainless. Both grades are very corrosion resistance and with all things being equal, 316 stainless does better in a saltwater environment. But things are rarely equal. Stainless steel achieves it’s corrosion resistance due to the formation of chromium oxide which is an invisible and inert protective layer than prevents corrosion and this layer forms spontaneously by a process known as spontaneous passivation. If this layer scratched it spontaneously repairs itself. However, if the surface contains certain kinds of contaminates and impurities then this protective layer does not reform and corrosion sets in. So by removing contaminates from the surface, the corrosion resistance is greatly enhanced. Fuji does this surface treatment or their stainless steel making it very corrosion resistant even more so than non surface treated 316. I think the new Fuji corrosion control guides have undergone some sort of enhanced surface passivation. So surface preparation does make a difference in corrosion resistance.
Finally, the use of the word best. This is a very misleading term since it is used subjectively and not objectively. In other words, ‘best’ is in the eye of the beholder. What one person thinks is best may be quite different from what some else thinks. Both systems are very good and the final choice is up to you. I just want an informed decision based on facts not hype.
Norm

The problem I have with the MW system is that the stripper guide is not readily available and sold separately from the set. I as a custom rod builder want control of this like many others have stated. I build rods and I think I know what works and I will prove it by building it and testing it. I don't want your guide spacing nor do I need it. A local builder took identical blanks and built one with the recommended MW set up and one with the KR set up with identical reel seats, the placement and grips with spinning rods. They documented the results. The KR concept rod outcast the the MW rod by an average of about 3 feet. To me this isn't enough to really matter but I want to be able to control what size guides I use. The MW makes a very nice spiral set up that is easy to do. These systems work just give us a little more choice. As far as corrosion, Titanium alloy frames don't rust in ocean saltwater environments but stainless steel does whether it is Fuji or Microwave.

Thank you for your follow-up Norm, and I am glad you are passionate about the subject.

I just have to touch on the fact that the MicroWave does, in-fact, choke the line on the very first (stripper) guide. No other system does that.

The MicroWave guides are not "Hype"

5 Major awards for the guides on their own.
10 Major awards on production rods
Bassmaster Angler of the Year
FLW Angler of the Year

Many companies world wide building millions of rods with them.

_______________________________
God Bless, Don Morse

800-516-1750 ext. 1207 / don@americantackle.us

Rod Building..... It's What We Do.

Don't get confused. It doesn't matter where the choking occurs; it matters how they cast, how easily the set-up is, what they cost, how durable they are, how they affect the rod, in other words, the whole enchilada of values vs cost. The fact is they work. Do others work better? Do your own evaluations. What you are seeing here are all opinions based on a lot of things.

I have the airwaves on a light inshore popping rod using a 3000 Shimano size spinning reel and it works great. Cast well using 8lb mono or up to 20lb braid. They are the best bang for the $ out there.


Fuji KR is nice too and better for certain uses but not as easy to setup, just look at all of the post on this forum and others that explain how to set them up properly.

Also don’t mention American Tackle microwaves, Alps or any others when someone starts a post about Fuji guides, you will get harsh words when it should be open experiences and opinions.