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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:41 pm • # 1 
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Ok, we've had at least a couple threads where guides came up so it's time to have a thread for discussing guides. As for me, all the builds I've done I've used snake guides. I do have some chrome single foots, and I have some Fuji ceramic single foots. I'll use those in the future.
The only issues I've had with any guides so far were the Light Wire Snakes I used on my Matrix 2wt build. I used the Forecast brand for that build, and the guides are poor quality. The chrome plating started to flake off right away, and I found a couple of burrs on a few guides. All the other builds I've done, I've used Pac Bay snakes, and I've had no issues with those thus far.
So what do you use and like, and why?

J.


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:24 pm • # 2 
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ditto on the ultra-lite wire guides; used them a couple of times and wont again.
I like both one foot and snakes. If i'm building a rod for Lightness, I use all cork with rings, one foot guides; if i'm after the traditional look I use snakes. As for action; I can't tell the difference; as for shooting line, the one foot ceramics are tuff to beat. but theyre heavy. Dorber builds some rods that have 12-15 guides on them; reduces line slap they say. I'm not expert enough to see or feel a lot of difference, but the one foots will make a lighter rod.
Its funny but i can wrap snakes on a rod as quickly as I can one foots, even though the snakes require two wraps and the one foot only one. Why? I dunno, but I can-p-


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:41 pm • # 3 
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Good thread....

I'm ordering singlefoots in the next day or so for my 1wt build. I like singlefoots.....for looks as much as simplicity of installing.

I know we probably don't want to get into bashing brands....but one supplier has Forecast brand light wire singlefoots....and another supplier has Pacific Bay brand and double the cost.

Any experience with Pacific Bay vs Forecast?

I have rods with snakes and singlefoots. I can't tell any performance differences. It's purely asthetics for me with single foots.

David


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:10 am • # 4 
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David, I'll choose Pac Bay guides over Forecast every time. After having the Chrome plating flake off the Forecast guides, I'll never buy them again. You get what you pay for, and the Forecast guides were really cheap. I'm not bashing here, just telling everyone my experience. There's no reason the chrome should flake off a guide after a couple of outings.
As for snakes, the next time I use them on a build I'll use either Snake Brand or Hopkins & Holloway. Sure they cost more, but they are the best.

J.


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:42 pm • # 5 
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David,
I use Perfection snake guides on all of my builds. They cost about a $1 more per guide or about $7-9 more per build. If I were mass producing for profit, I might use a cheaper guide but I build to fish and the extra money equates to more time on the water instead of more time rewrapping a bad guide. The other savings in buying quality guides is the time saved in foot prep, a task that I do not enjoy. I'll second Jeremy's opinion, stay away from the Forecast guides.

Doug


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:20 pm • # 6 
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I havent had any problem with any but the ultra-lites; regular ones have been fine so far-p-


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:57 pm • # 7 
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Doug, have you checked the Anglers Workshop site for Perfection guides? They have a better price than even H&H does, under a buck each.
http://www.anglersworkshop.com/items.aspx?catid=1884

J.


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:14 pm • # 8 
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Thanks for the heads up J, I guess I missed that one.

Doug


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:55 am • # 9 
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For snake guides I use only Snake Brand. Mike McCoy(Snake Brand) also will be offering snake guides with a contoured foot to match the round surface of a blank. On heavy fly rods(7wt and up) I use Fuji titanium single foots.


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:06 pm • # 10 
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littlejr wrote:
For snake guides I use only Snake Brand. Mike McCoy(Snake Brand) also will be offering snake guides with a contoured foot to match the round surface of a blank. On heavy fly rods(7wt and up) I use Fuji titanium single foots.
I'm looking forward to those new Universal snakes from Snake Brand. They look like they would be the ultimate in easy wrapping.

J.


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:36 pm • # 11 
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Well if we are talking ultra lights, 3wt and under, then I would pick single footed guides. Why, because the extra stiffening effect of the duel feet of regular snakes is gonna stiffen up the rods action a bit. It will be faster, it will be crisper, you can take alot of noodle out of a blank with double footed snakes and their corresponding wraps, however your also gonna effect the relative line weight your buiding. Perhaps by a full line weight.
As to guides, frankly if your gonna be going ultra light, I prefer the SS304 single footed guides like Fenwick used on their now discontinued high grade techna AV armid veil series rods. You can pick them up from Janns Netcraft down to ring size 6 which is as small as many snakes, yet they are light and with their single foot produce no added stiffening of the blank. Ive used these quite a bit on IM6 blanks for 3-4 wt rods with outstanding results. I'll be using a couple of sets of these on I hope to be 1wt and 2wt S-glass Steffen blanked fly rods Im gonna build this winter. The blanks themselves are listed by Steffen to be 1-2wts, of different lengths, so I will have to just build them to find out what they really are. They do I hope offer a glass solution to ultra lights.
Richard


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 6:53 am • # 12 
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Those Steffen blanks seem to be really nice, and would be a great addition to someone's UL arsenal!


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:54 am • # 13 
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Richard. Because SF guides double back the wire at the foot, they are actually stiffer than DF lites. They are also wider. I usually switch over to lite DFs for rods 1 weight and under. Don


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 Post subject: Guides
PostPosted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:20 pm • # 14 
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I came to the conclusion last night after going through my building stuff that I'm just going to stick with snake guides. I like the way they look and they are traditional. They perform fine too.

J.


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