Gents, is 17" too close for a stripper guide on an ultra light? The 6' two piece fiberglass panfish rod from MHX to be precise. It's got a 7" handle. I used the method of aligning the spool with a table edge to place the choker, and I can get the best spacing with the larger guide that places it a little closer. Otherwise, the stripper and reduction guide (only one between stripper and choker) would only be about 5-6 inches apart. The guides are the Pac Bay Minima M-frames.

I would go with the Fuji KR GPS suggestions which is 19" for 1000 series reel. The minima M guides are essentially the same height as the Fuji KL-H guides. The KR GPS recommends using size 16, 8, and 5.5 KL-Hs these would be equivalent to minima M guides in size 16, 8, and 6 (or 5). This will give you an excellent starting point. I would use minima F guides size 4 as runners and woul use one or two more then recommended. Here is the Fuji KR GPS from Angler's Resource.
[anglersresource.net]
Norm

Perfect, thanks for the info Norm!

Randy before you wrap the rod, take the time to test cast it first with the guides held on by masking tape. Lots of questions can be answerred by moving guides around a bit and trying again, than just wrap up your best results. Everything you learn will carry over to your next build.

I agree with Spencer, test casting is a must!
Norm

Will do, just wanted to get a ball park before hand. If someone was like "wow that's WAAAAAY too close," I'd do a little rearranging ahead of time. I ended up using the 27x method and moved the stripper accordingly. It ended up around 18.5 inches away from the spool face, right about where Norm mentioned. I"ll give that a go and see how she casts.

The 27X works well in conjunction with the new guide concept (NGC, now over 30 yrs old), but there are differences between it and the KR concept. I have tried both and prefer the KR concept. In my opinion, it really is a performance enhancer, try it you will not be disappointed. The KR concept is a rapid choke system, that uses high frame small ring reduction guides which moves the choke point closer to the reel (in contrast to 27X) thus you use fewer reduction guides and get to the running guides quicker. Overall this lightens the guide train, allows for long casts, and makes the rod feel more responsive. Go with the Fuji KR GPS, and drop the 27x method for determining the choke point. With the minima guides recommended above you will have the lightest guide train available.
Norm

Norman Miller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would go with the Fuji KR GPS suggestions which
> is 19" for 1000 series reel. The minima M guides
> are essentially the same height as the Fuji KL-H
> guides. The KR GPS recommends using size 16, 8,
> and 5.5 KL-Hs these would be equivalent to minima
> M guides in size 16, 8, and 6 (or 5). This will
> give you an excellent starting point. I would use
> minima F guides size 4 as runners and woul use
> one or two more then recommended. Here is the Fuji
> KR GPS from Angler's Resource.
> [anglersresource.net]
> /kr/index.html
> Norm

I second Norman's recommendation!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

I've read up on the KR. On Fuji's site, it says to use one of the traditional layouts to get initial NGC spacing. Then it says to move up the choker to the position of the previous reduction guide. Then adjust the remaining reduction guides to get a straight line path between the stripper and the (now closer) choke point.

This is how I did it by using the 27X method first and then moving the choke point closer. Spacing looks good and I got a reasonable distance from spool face to the stripper guide.

Does this sound about right?

Sound like you are right in the ball park, that should put the KR choke pt about 37" from the spool tip (or 25" from the tip top) give or take an inch or two. Give it a test cast and see how it performs. The 6' UL spin rods I have built have a total of 8 guides plus tip top. You should get a very light and response rod using these minima guides. I think you will like it.

Sweet...yeah I'm pretty excited. I built my son a rod on the same blank with a traditional NGC layout with micro running guides. Turned out reel nice (see what I did there?). Of course I couldn't get him to put down the bass rod I built him and try it out! Looking forward to trying the KR layout!