Just curious if anyone has given thought to a rod that is applicable to both spinning and conventional. Put aside the opposite spline issue.

I wonder how it would work using conventional guides, but a much larger first guide. With the advent of braid lines, is it inconceivable, you could use both a SMALLER spinning and/or conventional reel on the same rod ?
For example, maybe a penn 460/360 slammer and Abu 6500 ?

Any thoughts ?

Anything is possible but the spinning and conventional guides have evolved to the way they are for a reason, they are what is best for each application. I would think that buying a cheaper spinner and a cheaper conventional (i.e. a tica spinner and convention for a total of less than $200) would be better all around than buying one custom at around $200 or so to try to do both tasks. The same arguement could be made for buying two batsons rather than one arra or whatever rod your looking at trying to make double purpose. Just my oppinion - others may disagree.

Anything is possible but the spinning and conventional guides have evolved to the way they are for a reason, they are what is best for each application. I would think that buying a cheaper spinner and a cheaper conventional (i.e. a tica spinner and convention for a total of less than $200) would be better all around than buying one custom at around $200 or so to try to do both tasks. The same arguement could be made for buying two batsons rather than one arra or whatever rod your looking at trying to make double purpose. Just my oppinion - others may disagree.
What he said.
:uhuh:

The reason why we don't currently have a conventional/spinning combo rod is because it doesn't work out well. The guide/spine placement thing is fundamental to rod performance. Ignoring it would be like trying to design a combination rifle/shotgun with a single barrel and ingnoring the smoothbore/rifling issue.

It will work just fine. Use a #25 striper as a gathering guide and set the rod up conventional based on your spine beleif. Allow the 25 to be slightly further up the blank than you're used to. A 25 is plenty large enough for braids to go through, in those reel sizes. When you're throwing lighter stuff with a conventional and the wind comes up in your face, its easier to change to a spinning reel thats in your pack, than it is to wade back to the truck for a spinning rod.

I'm made two combo rods in the past couple of yrs: Rainshadow SU1209 & Rainshadow SU1387 - 2pc.

I lay them out as a conventional for the spline and that actually makes them cast better as a spinner. 99% of the time we are casting and hoping for fish so why not make the rod load easier - something I learned from mikex.

Now the 1209 (more like a conventional IMHO) works fine w/ medium spinner like the Shimano Spheros 8000 w/ 50 lb PP and the 1387 works (more like a spinning rod IMHO) ok w/ a Penn 975 or Abu BG7000.

The largest guide on the 1209 is a 30 mm and the 1387 is a 40mm (wanted to be able to use a Daiwa Emblem Pro 5500 on it - could have gotten away w/ an 25 mm spaced out farther like Rapt Tite/Mike stated above). I use oversized tips so I won't bust my guide w/ a swivel and so that seaweed/debris can be reeled thru it if needed.

The butt lengths are set up as conventional so they are a bit too long for my liking, but I work around it. :)

I wanted to minimize the amount of rods I have laying around and do something different. I favor spinning reels because I can use one in total darkness where w/ a conventional I am not the most proficient w/out a levelwind so I over thumb it .... lol.

Manufactures would rather sell us MORE blanks & components - that is how I look at it. I try to be practical now and then unfortunately it doesn't work out that way .... lol.

What a timely post.

I'm going to build a couple of new rods this winter and I want to fish eels, light jigs and some plugs conv and there are times I know I'll want a spinner.

I may lay out an sw1088 this way and see how I like it...