Building my second steelhead float rod. And want to do a "concept" guide train. Building on the pac bay tradition 2 13' 6-10lb 3 piece blank. Going to be using pac bay minima guides. A combination of their match, zv, and f running guides. So far my plan is a size 20 match. 16, 10, and 7 zv. And 7 f all the way to the tip top. The guide height difference is about 14mm for the reduction guides. Its that to big of a difference? And about 8 from the last reduction guide to the running guides.
Any input would be great. Thanks in advance.

Acutal guide heights
Size 20 match - 47mm
Size 16 zv - 33.9mm
Size 10 zv - 21.25mm
Size 7 zv - 14.4mm
Size 7 f - 8.7mm

The reason I want the minimas is cost and weight. My last rod I built is the same length but used steel ceramic guides and its kind of tip heavy. Don't want that with this build. Also I plan on wrapping a f guide for the tip top instead of a glue on one. Since there's no ring to be damaged I figure I can save a little weight at the tip that way.

You need to let the line path dictate your guide sizes. You can't predetermine guide sizes and then force the line path to conform to that.

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I should mention this will be a centerpin rod. With a small chance of using a spinning reel. But thank you. Ill have to do some more research before I makena final decision.

Tom is right. Even Fuji's "Rapid Choke" method in the KR Concept does NOT argue with the fact that guides need to be the right height for the job. You can choke a little faster but don't attempt to push, pull or force the line in a direction it does not want to go. MANAGE it. That's the beauty of a well designed layout.

Appreciate the info guys. This is only my second build. I figured I could take established guides that I got from a builder and just bring it to the blank faster by eliminating some reduction guides. Luckily I'm building it at a local rod building shop that lets people build their own. Is taping the guides in place sufficient enough to do a static test and possibly cast some line through it before I wrap them?

Tape will work just make sure it is on there good you may want to try small plastic cable ties . Also Fuji SS framed Alconite guides weigh less than Minamas of the same ring size..They just cost a little more.

So my blank showed up today. Shipped in a pvc tube. And they some how figured out a way to smash it. Cracking the lower third blank where it meets the middle section. Thanks usps.

Greg,
Don't be upset.
In shipping millions of items every day, stuff happens. That is why you want to be sure that insurance is always carried on things that are shipped. Accidents happen. Go with the flow, and have the insurance ship you a new part.

Good luck

For sure roger. I think it was a blessing in disguise. The tip of the blank had some waves in it so I dont think it wouldve lasted long anyways. Luckily he was nice enough to upgrade me to a rainshadow xst1562f for well under msrp. Should be here today. Hopefully start my build this weekend.