I've never built a baitcasting rod so I'm looking to the more experienced builders for some guidance. The rod blank is a SJ783-2-MHX, 6'6", 2 piece and I'm in need of guide make, size, and placement info. Was thinking of using Kigan guides, what are your opinions?

I'm not OLD........I'm CHRONOLOGICALLY GIFTED

Lawrence in short, you can get a guide placement chart, but I recommend static testing the blank/rod, you can do a search here or on google static testing rods and it should help. Each blank is slightly different and the static test is the best way to find your guide placement.
Guides are personal preference, it's whatever you like best, there are a lot of good guides being made today, as far as size that's another issue, where you will get some differences, I've found if you ask 10 people you might get 8-10 different answers. Guide size depends on the application really, ( my opinion ) but I've noticed the trend is smaller the better ( Bass Rods ). Since this rod is a baitcasting rod, and your first build I would look at either the micro wave guide train, or Fuji's new guide system. This will help you eliminate some of the choices you have to make.

Best of luck and welcome to the world of rod building, you have come to the right place, these guys are great and helped me a lot when I got started. I think I read and searched the site a couple of years before posting or asking for help. LOL Anyway I hope that helps, and I'm sure there will be others join in and help as well.
Have a great day.
Rich
Sorry I thought this was a spinning rod. Duh! Then after I posted I looked at the Subject.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2017 08:27AM by Rich Henderson.

I use Micro Wave casting guides and follow the spacing recommendations that come with the guide set. Works great and is much easier than trying to figure it all out by yourself.

Lawrence...where will you get the KIGAN guides? I need to order a few

Jess, I won't mention a firm that doesn't advertise here. PM me.