Skeeter Posted July 12, 2004 Report Share Posted July 12, 2004 Can any of you guys give me an ordered type list of rod guides? Like are Hardaloy guides better than Aluminum Oxide. What is the top of the line in guides. I hear allot of talk about Cermet guides. Is Fuji the thing? Or does Pac Bay have some good stuff for a better price? Any help anyone could give me would be appreciated. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markell Posted July 12, 2004 Report Share Posted July 12, 2004 Ran across this last night. Gives a good quick overview of the different types. http://www.kensfishingrods.com/workshop/primer_intros/primer_guides.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted July 12, 2004 Report Share Posted July 12, 2004 Yes Fuji is the thing. I don't use anything else. I've tried some others but the Fuji's are the nicest guides out there. Aluminum Oxide Hardloy Alconite SiC Cermet Then the solid titanium frames available on the SiC's and Cermet throw two more classes and price points in there. Top of the line. Fuji titanium frame gold Cermet. Lightest frame and ring material available. I've got an aquaintance who works for a huge company that manufactures medical equipment. One day for fun he ran a test on guides. He ran one of those big bulk spools (3000 yds) of a braided line through various guides at high speed and checked the ring temperature of the guide. The Cermet guides were the only guides that were cool to the touch the second the line got done running through them. So, if weight reduction and increased ring slickness and hardness and incredible heat dissapation are critical for you, there is no other guide to use. You'll pay for them though. Alconites - For the money you pay...probably the best guide available...bar none. SiC - Minimum quality on the majority of my personal rods. Very few rods get Alconites. Won't even consider lesser guides. TiSiC for rods where sensitivity is critical. Tried the titanium gold Cermets but didn't see the value. Maybe if I fished hard running saltwater species. That brings up another point...Saltwater. Fuji's titanium frames are the best frame to use with salt water. Other manufacturers frames have some lesser metals in the alloy and they will corrorde. Fuji's titaniums are the most corrosion resistant frame available. The difference in weights is pretty interesting too. Here are the weights, in grains, of a few models of size 25 spinning guides... Alconite - 66.2, SiC - 54.8, titanium SiC - 45.5. Significant change in weight. Which will give you increased rod performance. Feel free to email me if you need any assistance selecting a set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Thanks allot fellas. Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I appologize. I am thinking about making a graphite cranking rod over the winter. I have never made a rod and I think that it is time that I learn. I am thinking about using an 843 series Gloomis IMX blank. I want the rod to be 7ft. I am checking on some other components and I am sure that the questions will start flowing. My current crankbait rods have fuji concept SIC guides on them. I have had these rods for a number of years and they have held up extremely well. I don't really need another rod, but I want to try a build a show piece. I figure if I take my time and beat you guys up enough it should turn out really well. So get ready. Have any of you ever ordered something off of the Fuji Japanese web site? I am curious if it is difficult to do. Thanks again. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSD Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 Pac Bay Guides http://www.fishpacbay.com/prod_gtfresh.html Fuji guides http://shop.mudhole.com/s.nl/c.210436/sc.2/category.146/.f I hope this helps OSD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 Skeeter, I would also request a catalog from Anglers Workshop. Great catalog with just about everything you will need. I have received nothing but the best service from them. Mr B www.anglersworkshop.com P.S. their catalog has much more stuff than their website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted July 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Thanks Mr. B I will do that. Love looking at catalog stuff anyway. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Skeeter Cabela's is a great place to order. One of my favorites before I started buying wholesale. Angler's Workshop is my number 1 supplier right now. They've been very good to me and they carry 99% of the products I use for Bass/Walleye rods. Bingham Enterprises is my number 2 supplier. Good service and good prices. http://www.angelfire.com/ks/bingham/ Lots of people like Mudhole, but I've not had much luck with them. Quite a few other suppliers out there, but these are some of the more popular ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted July 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 Thanks Mattman, I have been getting into the Japanese thing here lately. I have been looking at the Megabass, Ever Green stuff. It's not that I feel they build a superior rod, it is the fact that they seem to break the norms in rodbuilding. They really go out of their way to make the things pretty. I know that's not a real decission on a rod, but I can appreciate the workmanship in them. Their reel seats, rod handles, and the different styles and colors of winding checks etc. are just plain different. I will check out the sites that you mentioned. I really do appreciate the help. I know pretty doesn't make a good rod. I just want to take a crack at creating one of these things. I want to see if I can do that type of work. The fuji site has components and compliments for rods that I have not been able to find on other sites. There just different. Also they take weight of components very seriously. Thanks again, Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 Skeeter I know exactly what you are saying about the Japanese rods. And reels. I don't believe that Fuji has much offered in Japan that isn't offered here. At least not something waaay different. You can wait a long time for stuff from Japan. I've been waiting now for some woven graphite tubing for about 4 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
