I have been using a lot of stainless guides on spinning rods - particularly the SSR from Mud Hole, and like them a lot. Just wondering - do you guys run the matching stainless tops usually or go with ceramics for the tip tops? Mostly light to medium spinning rods, and med-heavy casting.

I have built a lot with Minima's over the years, but usually with a ceramic top.

I know the tips can groove eventually - but any idea of what longevity looks like? I get a fair amount of guys that knock the rings out of the tip tops and would be great to get away from that.

Thanks!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2020 05:51PM by Marc Morrone.

I use ceramics on them and REC guides, I use one of the tops where the ring is deep pressed in stainless though instead of snapped in like the older guides. Anyway you look at it when they do that it's not on my nickel, no more than stepping on a guide would be. I'm responsible for how I built it, not how they use it.

I hear you Spencer - it just gets harder to service them when they are further away, and would be nice to just not have to deal with it - both for builder and customer. As long as performance is still good of course.

I hear you, I used to worry about getting rods back to them as fast as possible, as I get older I've realized it wasn't me that put them in that situation. It's normal wear and tear whichever tip top you use and not your problem after you let them select the guides.

I hear you, I used to worry about getting rods back to them as fast as possible, as I get older I've realized it wasn't me that put them in that situation. It's normal wear and tear whichever tip top you use and not your problem after you let them select the guides.

WOW! do people send the whole rod back to you just to replace a tip top??can,t you send a new tip-top guide and they or a friend can put it on..

I do send just tip tops sometimes.

How about this aspect - how well do the stainless tops fish? Any idea how long they fish before grooving? I know it depends on conditions some too.

It will be years before you see a grooved guide depending on use, the Pac Bay Minimas hold up much better in my experience than then similar guides used on the factory Pure Fishing rods.

It will be years before you see a grooved guide depending on use, the Pac Bay Minimas hold up much better in my experience than then similar guides used on the factory Pure Fishing rods.

I use Pac Bay Minima guides and Fuji SIC tips, never had an issue.

If people are knocking tip top rings off they are abusing the rods, and most likely the blank is in danger, too. I've used AMTAK and Fuji ceramic ring tip tops forever and never had a ring come out.