Looking at the Loomis recommendations for guide spacing on a 9' 3-piece 8wt rod, they recommend that the sixth guide be placed at 37" from the tip. The top section is exactly 37" long. Where would you put this guide? On the ferrule section of the top section, or immediately below it on the middle section. Where does Loomis put it on their 3-piece rods? This is the GL3 F1088/9-3M blank.

Ed

For what it is worth for a Loomis 3 piece 9" 8wt. rod----
I just used the spacing method in the last issue of Rod Maker from the article by Don Morton. I came up with this spacing using 10 deg., 23 deg, 40 deg, 60 deg., 80 deg., 100 deg., and 120 deg.: 3”, 7 1/8”, 12 5/8”, 18 7/8”, 25”, 31 ¼” and 39 3/8” if you place a guide at 120 deg. I am going to place “the stripper” at about 75 ¾”. I will use another stripper type guide 4” above the stripper (it falls on the connection between the 2nd and 3rd pieces if I don't shuffle these down an inch). The Loomis spacing would have been 4”, 9”, 15”, 22”, 29 ½”, 37 ½”, and maybe 46 5/8” for these same guides.
Loomis used 10" between guides above the stripper at 76 1/2" up to the 46 5/8" guide. I will do about the same with my lower guides.

This is quite a variation from what the factory would use! Using this spacing will be better for "my particular rod" than the factory settings.

If you want to use the Loomis spacing, see where the stripper is right for you and adjust the 37" guide up or down an inch depending on where the stripper guide fits you best.

Agree with Jim, setup the rod with reel and line. Now reach forward as you would while fishing to grab the line preparing to cast. Note where you hand is in relation to the blank. Place the stripper a 2-3 inches above that point. I also might suggest you use the Loomis spacing as a GUIDE, not final placement. Be sure and stress test the blank and test cast to find the best location for the guides. This will give you a "better-than-factory" result if done properly. Spend alot of time when spacing guides. This is my opinion is the most critical portion of building a rod.

call loomis directly for guide spacing