fishing rod guides

[shootermcbob]

Looking for a brief explanation about the types of guides on fishing rods? is there a good, better, best, and best ever??? do more guides make a more expensive rod, if so, why? I know there is an alconite?, hardloy, but i have no idea what that means. I did try to look them up at fuji website, but could find no explanation. Thanks in advance.

[MickD]

More expensive guides are generally harder and lighter than cheaper guides.  I've never had guides groove from line, and I use braid all the time, but I have had tip tops groove.  They are easy to replace, and top quality tip tops only cost about $6 in most bass rod sizes.

Go to:  http://www.rodbuilding.org/read.php??,250628 for a chart that lists many guide ring hardnesses.

I think Hardloy is Aluminum Oxide, but if I'm wrong someone will correct me.

Are the more expensive guides worth it?  That's up to the user to decide, but harder is better, lighter is better (use the smallest guides you can get away with for better rod sensitivity)-rodbuilder.org has some articles on that too-  I use the finest of titanium frame guides (SIC or Nanolilte) on my top-level rod builds and lesser guides on builds done with lesser blanks, but always a SIC or Nanolite tip top.  The only time I have ever had a guide failure was when I stepped on one in the boat, and I have had rods/guides from the cheapest to very expensive.

[MickD]

Forgot your question about if more guides are better-generally more guides are better in order to better feed the line and to load the rod properly.  But. . .you can have too many and sensitivity suffers from the weight of the extra number of guides.

With casting rods that have the guides on the top you will need more guides than spinning in order to keep the line off the rod when it is flexed.  For optimum numbers of guides, check out top of the line rods like Loomis IMS and St Croix Avids/Legends.  7 foot spinning rods often have 8 while 7 foot casting rods often have 9.  It can depend somewhat on the actions of the rods.  

You'll notice that cheaper rods have fewer guides than expensive rods-reason of course is to control cost and offer a rod in the price range that more can afford.

[JayW]

Looking for a brief explanation about the types of guides on fishing rods? is there a good, better, best, and best ever??? do more guides make a more expensive rod, if so, why? I know there is an alconite?, hardloy, but i have no idea what that means. I did try to look them up at fuji website, but could find no explanation. Thanks in advance.

Well there are a lot of different types of guides. It all depends on what you're going to be using the rod for? In most cases, I use Fuji Hardloy guides. The Fuji standard ceramic is all most will ever need, but some people want more. Some guides are harder and smoother and aid in casting supposedly. Maybe this will help:

http://shop.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Guides;jsessionid=0a0016441f43c4b8cdf426f0440287c88a460772e150.e3eSbNqNc38Le34Pa38Ta38Maxv0

I prefer Fuji, some prefer Pac Bay or American Tackle or Batson, ETC... As far as more guides go... typically more is better if the rod needs it and if they are the right size and so forth. I typically put 9 guides + tip for a total of 10 on say a 6'6" MHF rod. They need to be positioned properly and drop in size quickly for weight and better casting. This is just my opinion from building custom rods of over 10 yrs. The guy who taught me this system has been building rods since 1970 and it's similar to the Fuji New Concept system but he was using it before Fuji ever thought of it.

[shootermcbob]

Thanks for the help. I try to get the best "value" for my money, being married with two kids...and a new puppy. Many times, what looks like a good deal really can be bettered by spending another 20.00 or so it appears as I shop around.

[MickD]

Here is a bullet-proof source for guide sets at about half off retail-salvaged new guide sets from rods damaged in shipment:

http://stores.ebay.com/Handler-Custom-Fishing-Rod-Supply

Here are two sites for sizing, locating, and how to do the Fuji Concept System on spinning rods:

http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/staticguide.html

http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/newguide.html

The biggest mistake I used to make, and expect that it is not that uncommon, is using guides that were larger than necessary.  There is no reason for the four guides closest to the tip to be bigger than size 6 ring on fresh water casting or spinning rods, and as previous poster mentioned, get the transition from the butt guide to the tip guide sizes done in about 3 guides, fast, not progressive size change all the way to the tip.  Go to the rodbuilding.org phorum and spend some time reading there before investing or starting your rod.  Use A size thread and keep your rod finish on the lean side on fresh water rods and the lightest, smallest guides you can - for best rod sensitivity.