Hello All,

I am new to rob building and have 2 Bushido CB72/8-15 blanks on the way. I am waiting for the blanks so I can get a measurement as to what exposed blank reel seat to order.

Is there a standard length from butt to reel seat that is commonly used? Or do you normally feel the bare blank and decide what feels best and mount reel seat there?

I have seen templates for guide placement but haven’t seen much on reel seat placement. Any advise/input would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you all,

David

Welcome to the board. There will be many replies Im sure. I am fairly new myself. There is no hard fast rule for reel seat placement. Its all about rod balance and personal preference. If you know the reel you want to use, I would suggest taping the reel to the blank along with the guides and get a feel for where you want to put it. I am assuming you haven't picked out grips either yet?

Thank you Ken, that’s right. I haven’t picked grips yet either. Plan to get my hands on the blanks and order reel seat, guides and grips together.

10" from butt to rear of reel seat is a starting point.

David it depend on you do you like a short butt or a long butt I myself like a long butt I'm 6 foot 3 tall and like 7 foot or longer rods . MY one friend is a party boat captain and he likes short butts and 6 foot 6 rods but is a lot shorter the me.

Place the blank in your casting hand and see where the butt ends lies against your arm. Lengthen or shorten your hand position based on what feels right to you. Mark the point where the reel will sit and set your seat accordingly.

For me it depends on the main type of use the rod is for. For a wading rod I prefer a a shorter rear grip and for something that will be used on a boat or on the shore (jetties / piers) a bit longer. Do what Ed says and I will add that I use my elbow as a guide or rather the distance from the butt of the rod to my elbow. Also consider how you land a fish and is the length of the grip going to be constrictive or helpful for what you are doing. Casting wise, is it going to give adequate leverage for a good cast.

It's not the reel seat dimension you want to understand, it's the reel stem to butt dimension. Which will depend on your preference whether ergonomics or balance is more important. Too long and the butt will hang up on the inner arm/elbow, too short and it won't balance. I build for ergonomics.

When I first started building rods, I measured some of my factory rods and placed the reel seat to mimic them. I've since modified some of those dimensions, but it's a good starting point. IMO Michael is spot on with his suggestion of building for ergonomics. Your first consideration when placing the reel seat should be with the ability to use the rod, comfortably. I mean, what good is a rod if you have trouble using it?