guides and rod performance

[corey90]

i started a the would it be silly topic but didnt get the answer i wanted so ill explain this. i ordered a rod that has a tip of 6.5 i want to use fuji black titanium frames and use the kw double foot with a giude train of 10-8-6 all the way up to the tip top that needs to be a 6 ring becouse the tube size is 6.5. what i want to know is will using all double foot kw giudes damper the performance of the rod, a carbon 4 7'6' medium heavy rating 3/8-1 1/4 OZ lure weight

[Alex from GA]

Yes.  The lighter weight and less wrapping towards the tip the crisper the rod will seem.  A few years ago I took the heavy, single foot, guides off a 7' spinning rod and installed Minima guides.  It's like a new rod.  Tape the double foot guides on and then single footed ones and compare.

[spoonplugger1]

Remember the weight difference is the weight times the distance in feet from your hand while the rod is static, and the weight times the distance plus the kinetic energy of the cast and having to stop and then stop at the ends of the cast. Want the lightest rod to be less fatigued? This isn't it. Want a more balanced rod? This isn't it. Want a rod with more snap? This isn't it. Want a more sensitive rod? This isn't it. It's your build though and we have no idea where your priorities are, all I know is you can't buy success here, you build it.

[MickD]

The above responses are absolutely correct.  If you want to measure the difference between two guide sets and have an Android device like a phone, Kindel, or tablet, it's easy to measure the natural frequency of bare blanks and blanks with guides on them.  It is a significant effect when guides are added.  On some blanks there is a measurable difference between a titanium and SS tiptop.  Easy peasy to see the difference between SS and titanium runners, even the smallest ones.  Send me a message if you want to know how to do this.  I call it TNF, True Natural Frequency.  

 

Now the big question can you feel the difference?  Most fishermen believe they can, and I do too.  With lighter guide sets the rod responds from deflection faster, which should mean longer casts.  Many experts think higher TNF means higher sensitivity, and I agree.  A rod with a lighter guide set will settle without "wiggle" after a cast.  In fact with light guide sets you cannot evaluate a rod in the old "wiggle" method.  Modern graphite with light guides just doesn't wiggle.  Above comments are in my opinion all correct, including "crisp" and "clean."  

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I’ve changed guides on a rod and had it go from a dead stick to a pleasure to fish. So, yes, guides make a difference. Also, a 6.5 tip top does not have to be a 6 ring. 5 single foot are as big as I’d go personally but like they said it’s yours do as you like.