This reel seat only comes in two sizes, 16 and 17, per Sea Guide’s web site. As an exposed blank seat, how is it to be mounted on rods other than one of those two sizes? I just took advantage of NFC’s offer on free grip and reel seat with the order of an X-ray blank. Got it really quickly. Only problem is the seat they sent fits at 5” from the butt. Not good on a 7’10” rod. The SG site says the size 16 has an id of 15 mm and this one absolutely does. But it needs to fit on the blank at a point measuring 13.5 mm to match the soft grip they sent which is 9.75 long. Am I missing something? Shouldn’t exposed blank reel seats come in various id sizes? Or, is there an insert that goes in this casting reel seat? Which would no longer make it an exposed blank as SG boasts.

I would suspect it requires an insert. Were it a true exposed blank seat you'd have to provide the o.d. of the blank where you wanted it to sit when ordering.

Did they offer the insert? I have been looking at that but thinking of cutting it up to make a slit grip.

XCSS seat is not made to be a blank through, as Lynn and Lance suggest you need an insert. [rodbuilderswarehouse.com]

We do make a blank through model, no insert needed, SAS to fit the blank. [rodbuilderswarehouse.com]

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

American Rodbuilders Warehouse

This is from sea guides web site. Check out the 3rd Feature. It is a blank through, most reel seats are. But it is supposed to be an “exposed blank”

Product Description New Concept Trigger Casting Reel Seat

Ingenious design and unique shape
Elaborate seat body and lighter weight increases rods performance.
Blank-exposed design allows trigger finger to be in direct touch the blank to improve the sensitivity of lure and strikes
Reinforced nylon body with new type special slidable hood/nut, and without level difference between them
Unique Hood Localization Structure (HLS) on screw pipe improves the strength and stability of reel when locking
New shape trigger and ergonomic design give better handling and reduce fatigue

None of those fancy seats I know of are without inserts. I can modify a exposed blank reel seat to give me a lot more blank contact and decrease weight in 15 minutes for a bunch less money. Been done for decades and an article was done on it in RodMaker magazine some time ago.

Thanks all. I’ll go to the old faithful (Fuji) and put on something even better. Chalk this one up to lesson learned. The NFC X-ray blank though is super saweeeeet! The soft grip is interesting also. Customer will let me know more on that. I’ll likely buy more of these blanks, but not for this reel seat.

Greg, you are correct in that these are in no way exposed blank seats even though they are clearly described as such. If they need an insert (which they fail to mention) that would make them exposed insert seats. I have fallen into this trap myself with the spin seats. I got around it, but it was a real PIA!

Hello Guys,

You are correct on the wording in the catalog, it is misleading. I have sent a request to have it changed in the catalog and hope it is in time for the 2020 that is going to print.

Sorry for any inconvenience, I sent you an email and I will happily send you an insert.

Best regards,

Rick Hall
Global Sales Manager
SeaGuide Corporation
406-750-2122
www.sea-guide.com