I am about to get started on building some ice rods, and being a transplant to the grat white north, I am not real familiar with the whole ice fishing thing yet. I have looked at some factory rods, and some of them look like a guide salesman's dream to me, I am talking like five or six guides on a 24" rod! Is this done for a reason, or should I just follow my instincts and static deflect the things? I realize also you never have to cast, so what about setting up the stripper guide for a small spinning real, can you get away with a smaller guide than on a spinning rod that is built for casting?

Jeff,
The question of guide number and size can vary all over the place with ice rods. For one, the ring size might be better being larger at the tip for less chance of icing up, like on smaller guides. But, also take into account when in a sheltered ice hut or 'clam' as often used with snowmobile travel, enough protection and with heaters less chance of ice up and better to go with smaller guides by all means.

As for number? I generally use on a 28" med. wt. ice rod 4 guides and the tip top. You need it for line handling and protection to the blank for lifting. Remember, you're not concerned so much with casting distance by letting the line down the hole, but yet you also like free falling without too much constriction. For ultralights, as you might expect the lighter and smaller guides you can get away with are best.
I like quality guides like SiC or TiCh, but some feel these are an extravagence. Depends on your customers a lot.

I say don't skimp too much on the guides, as you'll notice the cheaper factory ice rods (a lot of them junk, really) have only 2 guides and terrible statit deflection characteristics.

Also, an extra feature often appreciated is a bit of thread art even on these with some metallic flash near the handle can help see those rods on the snow sometimes. Just a an extra thought.

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel