I have used a lot of Minima guides over the years with good success. Recently started using the SSR guides and they actually seem to be made a little cleaner and pretty nice guide foot prep.

I know the Minima's have a hard chrome plating, but not sure if the SSR guides do as they appear to be straight stainless. Does anyone know if there will be a difference in long term wear between the two? In both cases I still run a ceramic tip top, as I have seen the stainless tops groove.

Thanks!

Marc,
You could set up an experiment.

Use an electric motor with a pulley mounted on the motor. Bolt the motor in place.

Mount a guide on the same board a couple of feet away. Take a piece of 10 lb fishing line, run it through the guide and take a double wrap around the pulley to give the pulley a non slip grip on the line. Then, turn on the motor and adjust the tension on the motor so that the line does not slip. Leave the motor running and see how long the motor would have to run and how many pieces of line you would go through before getting any guide grooving?

Interested minds would like to know.

-----------------
Or build the rod with the guides of your choice and go fishing. If you wear out the guides in a time that you deem unacceptable, cut the guides off and use a different type guide.

The vast majority of the guides on the market today give an acceptable service life.

Be safe

p.s.
If you do the guide wear test, let us know what you find out.

Recently I purchased a set of SSR guides to try out. When comparing them with the minima I find the ring flange on the SSR is slightly larger and the swage against the ring doesn't seem as compressed as the minima, also the foot of the SSR is a little shorter. But none of these observations are a deal breaker. The SSR'S are clean and I have every reason that the SSR is a good quality guide and will give good service.

I like the stainless steel ring guide because they are durable and will never crack or pop out as a ceramic will. I work my rods like a rented mule and the stainless steel ring guides answer the call.

My experience is the tip tends to groove before any of the guides so I use a Fuji SIC tip, I read that theTorzite tip by Fuji. is harder but the SIC does what I need.

I am curious how many of you folks have had guides groove.(fresh water rods).

Marc, to answer your question I do not think you will go wrong using the SSR guides.

Have fun



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2020 05:52PM by John DeMartini.

Thanks guys! I like the SSR's so far, and I agree - running a ceramic tip probably takes care of 90% of the issues.

The only guide I ever had groove was so n a Browning UL from bass pro around 2007 or so. It was a steel guide similar to the guides discussed here but I have no clue who the original manufacturer was. I’ve only used Minimas a couple times and because of that experience I opt for a ceramic top. The Minimas on one of my cranking rods have been going strong for several years now.

That said I haven’t used the CRB guides in question but I haven’t found anything in the CRB lineup to be lacking in quality by any means. You can usually spend more and get a more refined product, but the CRB version gets the job done.