Spine rods in the store before purchasing

[helm]

While spining graphite fishing rods in a tackle shop I found the guides on a $350.00 G-Loomis were on the wrong side of the rod. I don't own any G-Loomis fishing rods but thought that manufacturer spined their product. On the other hand I found guides on a $70.00 Shimano spinning rod were set correctly. The person that said they would never buy a fishing rod on line was spot on.

[FLATLINER]

Good point. However, it is common practice that virtually all if not 100% of the manufacturers build on the straight and not on the spine.
I would speculate that the rod that was aligned correctly had a bend in it that made the rod bend that way.
This all came about when China and other far east blank manufacturers started churning out product that was not straight. When they started doing the math on the waste blank pile, they decided to start building on the straightest axis and not the spine.

As custom rod builders, we do not mind this practice at all because it is one more reason NOT to buy a rod off the shelf!!!

Kevin