guide replacements

Question
hello Marc. i recently purchased an Abe Garcia Excellence 6'6 2pc. hig mod graphite medium light action rod and reel. the problem is the rod has cheap steal guides and i hate them! would like to know what wuold be the best replacement guides to purchase. i like the sensitvity of the rod. i was thinnking fuji ceramic? there are 6 guides on this rod. i havent sized them yet. does that also influence the action and distance...etc? 2 footed single guides?

thank you for your time in this matter.

Wade

Answer
Hi Wade,

I would go with something economical like Fuji Hardaloy or the equivalent from Pac-Bay (Hialoy).  They are very good guides and I use them on about 95% of the rods I build.

Definitely single foot guides.   

For a 6-6 med-light I'd probably go with sizes; 30,20,16,10,8,7.

Using some thin strips of masking tape, mark the exact point on the blank where the old guide was before you take them off.  It doesn't matter where the guide feet were.  It's where the actual guide ring was.  Your new guide will have to go back in that position, and hopefully they had proper placement.

Good luck and good fishing.

If you have any other questions during the project, feel free to write back.

Marc