Difference in guide quality.

[Fishin Dad]

What difference is there between stainless and titanium, alconite and sic etc?   I have heard conflicting statements and thought I better ask people in the know.  I am building on some NFC x ray blanks and want to make an informed decision on these builds.  
Does it make a big difference?   Weight?   Durability?   Feel?

 

Thanks for your knowledge.   I am new to this building fun!

 

Fishin Dad

[jimmyjoe]

   Try rodbuilding.org     Lots of info from professionals.

 

   Good luck!    jj

[Fishin Dad]

1 hour ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Try rodbuilding.org     Lots of info from professionals.

 

   Good luck!    jj

Thanks JJ.   I did post there as well.   I was hoping I could get info from both.  I need all the help I can get. A lot guys I trust here as well.  I appreciate the reply. 

[jimmyjoe]

   No prob. I'm pleasantly surprised that you knew about rodbuilding.org!

   Sometimes it takes a long time to slog through all the posts about some certain subject, but the level of information you can get on that site - especially from manufacturers - is awesome.

   I'm sure that some of our people will be along to give you some great advice, too.

 

   Good luck!     jj

[Fishin Dad]

I agree.  That site has a ton of info.   Very helpful people as well.  They put up with me as a rookie idiot and are very understanding.   I am impressed here as well.  Bass resource is an addiction.   So much info.  I have been impressed with the rod building info here considering it is not a rod building site per se.  

Thanks again JJ!

[spoonplugger1]

Depends on the build and the size of the guides, when you get into the micro guides there is little difference in weight, I had to start weighing 20 guide groups to get my scales to measure repeatable results.

[Michigander]

I was also going down that the path of trying to get some kind of measurable technical information on guides. I didn't find what I was looking for, lol. I ended up with SSR guides from Mudhole because they barely weigh anything, cost little, and I could step down a size guide and still maintain ring hole diameter of a size bigger in a more mainstream guide. Time will tell if I made good choices.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

For fresh water applications titanium is overkill, looks cool though. Alconite is best bang for the buck. Plenty hard and pretty light. Using the smallest guides you can get away with saves the most weight. 

[twofishy4u]

to me more depends if you are using braid or not.  If you are alconite at a minimum.  So far I've been lucky.  I use a lot of crb performance guides.  Love the fact they are pre-ground and weight wise they are good.  I do get the 6' kits and run the stripper as a #20 to keep things light on most builds.  Also for mono I have been using a ton of SSR guides.  No issues to date.  They are super light.  The only thing I don't like is the ssr tips.  Usually do the crb performance and elite tips.  The LZR guides are nice too for the $$$.  So many options with others used being fuji and american tackle

[Michigander]

11 hours ago, twofishy4u said:

to me more depends if you are using braid or not.  If you are alconite at a minimum.  So far I've been lucky.  I use a lot of crb performance guides.  Love the fact they are pre-ground and weight wise they are good.  I do get the 6' kits and run the stripper as a #20 to keep things light on most builds.  Also for mono I have been using a ton of SSR guides.  No issues to date.  They are super light.  The only thing I don't like is the ssr tips.  Usually do the crb performance and elite tips.  The LZR guides are nice too for the $$$.  So many options with others used being fuji and american tackle

What don't you like about the SSR tips?

[MickD]

Lots of guides with ceramic rings will work fine with any line.  Even those without ceramic rings will  work, but might groove sooner in the long haul.   I always use SIC rings for the tiptops as that is the most likely to groove, although if you treat your rods hard, banging against the boat, that kind of stuff, Alconite is tougher.  I've never had a SIC ring break or come out of the frame.

 

I prefer Fuji guides, and you can get them in many designs, finishes and ring materials, and prices.  They have what they call their "corrosion control" stainless guides which can be very affordable and provide corrosion resistance almost equaling titanium.  I've never had a failure of a Fuji guide, they are well-finished, and I've never had to polish burrs off the bottoms of the feet as you sometimes have to do with lesser guides.   I usually can wrap up the feet without doing any grinding on the feet as is required by some guides.  A few brushes with fine sandpaper to help the thread climb the foot a little better is all it takes.  Their site, anglersresource.net has software for locating the reduction train on two different types of spin guides and a two-line method stress test tutorial for locating the running guides.  I use their KW series, KLH reduction guides and their software and I don't even test cast any more.  They always come out right.