I am new to the forum and relatively new to building rods. I am a fan of the Fuji SIC guides and the last 3 casting rods I built I used the Fuji KW's. Looking for guide suggestions for these blanks. I have built a few rods with the micros and I have decided they are not for me.

For the SJ-736-1 and the SJ-765-1 X Ray blanks, they will be used as casting rods for bass, I am not wanting to use double footed guides all the way up, instead I was leaning toward the Fuji SIC KL's for running guides (not sure if this is the best option). Also I am going to need to match a tip top with the guides as well and that seems to be a challenging decision as well.

Long story short I am in need of some guide options for these blanks.

All help is appreciated

Ryan

I have two rods built on SJ 736 X ray blanks, and I used Fuji T2 guides. Those are the black titanium with SIC rings. Pricey, but very sweet, and will result in a nice light feeling tip weight. I went with the conventional 3 double foot reduction train on them. KW 10, KW 8, KW 6. followed by 3 KB 5's and the rest KT 5's. Tip top is a Fuji KG Arowana in the appropriate size tube, with a #5 ring.

I recently built two rods on MB 725 C6O2 X ray blanks and I used the Fuji T2's on one of them, and titanium frames with Torzite rings on the other one, but I changed up the guide trains. I went with Fuji's KR concept for casting. Butt guide is a KW 10, followed by a KW 5.5 on both rods. the same 3 KB 5's and the rest KT 5's on the one rod with the T2's. And KB 4.5's and KT 4.5's on the rod with the Torzite rings. The Torzite's have about a half size larger ID than the SIC rings, because the Torzite is a slimmer ring.

I personally would go with KW 10, KW 5.5 followed by KBs and KTs. I will say I used one more guide than I have on the rods with the 3 double foot guide reduction train, because they carry a little more height down the blank. It's one extra running guide that weighs less than 1/10 of a gram, so it's really nothing to fret over.

I have 11 guides total plus tip top on the rods built on the SJ 736 blanks, and 12 guides plus the tip top on the rods built on the MB 725 blanks. Of course the number of guides you choose to use depends on how closely you want the path of the line to follow the natural curve of the loaded blank, and how close you'll let the line get to the blank.

For the SJ736, I've been using,

Rv6 butt guide: [voodoorods.com]
3 kb5
7 kt5

Pick your preferred frame and insert combination for the kb and kt guides.

The the SJ765 you may need one more kt.

Thank you for the input, I know what direction to head now.