Rebuilding a G Loomis GL2 2L ESP 7'6"

[Slazmo]

So after rebuilding the Majorcraft Basspara from its standard guise into something a little bit better and more functional for the FE, I thought that I would get onto a full custom build for a 1000 size Stradic FJ or Sustain 1000FG for dedicated small lure flats casting on 1lb line or thereabouts?

I managed to get another lot of Fuji K Ti Sic's off Cheyne - whom I must thank graciously for as he snapped his Samurai on a cast and I was donated the guides for this project - so without you Cheyne this all would be nothing ventured and nothing gained again. Thanks mate Anyone wants a snapped Samurai in which I have near fixed to working order - please take it off my hands... Its taking up space - would make a great bait rod or a secondary rod for a kid - just needs a guide set and to be built up.

What I wanted was a long (> 7'1")& whippy rod of sorts with a nice parabolic bend all through the rod to near the fore grip rather than a fast tipped rod which I am all too accustomed with through the racks, as others mentioned fast tapers good for working HB's and vibes but sometimes too much for small lure work.

So after "trying" all too hard to find a blank retailer here on the Gold Coast and without being being both ripped off and kicked in the shins by the retailers (as I wanted to see blanks in the flesh and all I could get were retailers that were willing to sell me a blank and be done with it - no testing per se) I went about my torrid life just dragging my heels thinking about if and when a rod or blank may come about it all / and lead to some fruition?

So what happened was, I went for a drive to buy a Fit Bit HR for my training, and I was let down by that retailer - so I walked next door to B.C.F with my folding and found a discount rack with a couple of G Loomis GL2's, one being the GL2 2L ESP 7'6" 1-3kg - which I picked up very quickly and asked to balance a Sustain FG on straight away. What I found was a badly unbalanced rod, very tip heavy straight out of the box. The balance point being very far forward of the fore grip about near the G Loomis decal. $149 and in smick condition straight from out the back what seems, not a rod which has lived its life on the shop floor due to the colouration of the grips and no scratches on the blank - I grabbed it... There are another 2 GL2's at the Oxenford B.C.F if anyone wants them for $149 in smick condition (as of Tues 6th Oct).

For this rebuild I will be striping the guides which are Fuji Concept Alconites - good in their placement but too heavy for the rod itself and replacing the guides with the Fuji K Ti Sic's, and all 11 + tip. The first stripper guide being another 5 cm higher than the standard fuji Alc stripper (86cm from the spools hood to stripper) - that due to the Ti K being less high than the Alconite guide, and all guides after that being spaced out by eye.

Some pictures - just of the rod at the moment.
G Loomis GL2 7'6 2pc - 20151006 (14).jpg

G Loomis GL2 7'6- 20151006 (2).jpg

Attachment 105950

G Loomis GL2 7'6- 20151006 (25).jpg

G Loomis GL2 7'6- 20151006 (4).jpg

The seat arrangement isnt the Fuji SK2 or the Fuji TVS reel seat I wanted however it feels right with the Stradic 1000 FJ I have on it and it'll just have to do at the moment.
G Loomis GL2 7'6 Rear Grip - 20151006 (24).jpg

[Slazmo]

The guide set I have for it. The Fuji Titanium K Sic's. Thinking now to throw a Torzite tip onto it...
G Loomis GL2 7'6 Fuji Ti's - 20151006 (11).jpg

Which will replace the Fuji Alconites - which are good for some rods but not this - theyre too heavy and gaudy looking
G Loomis GL2 7'6 Alconite - 20151006 (9).jpg

The red lines showing the optimal spool to rod relation how the line will exit the reels spool, the guides forming its projection through the guide set and to the tip of the rod, showed this on the Basspara rebuild where I went out casting it and showed how the guides choked the line and smoothened it trajectory through the guide set.
G Loomis GL2 7'6 Stradic Line Lay Red - 20151006 (12).jpg
G Loomis GL2 7'6 Strad Line Lay Red- 20151006 (13).jpg

The oddly positioned (in reverse?) hook keeper - will strip that and turn it around the logical way - in a upward position. Or even make a new NiTi (polymorph alloy) hook keeper like the Fuji - but bound on for life.
G Loomis GL2 7'6 Hook Keeper - 20151006 (22).jpg

The rebuild is going to be done ASAP during / after due to some other projects and work all going on at the moment. Ill try to get some pictures of the during build phase also, just to give people some ideas as if they want to give this a go themselves as either a fresh rebuild or a old rod rebuild...

P.s. Yes I know the GL2 to some may be a POS rod, but it works well for its intended purpose.

Thanks all.

[matt jorg]

Very keen to hear if there's a big difference in performance once you're done mate!
It should be way better nice work.

[stella fella]

Originally Posted by Slazmo

The oddly positioned (in reverse?) hook keeper - will strip that and turn it around the logical way - in a upward position. Or even make a new NiTi (polymorph alloy) hook keeper like the Fuji - but bound on for life.
Attachment 105956

The reason behind the hook keeper facing that way might come from it being set that way on US made rods to hold drop shot sinkers.

http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost...7-2001/cat/506

Not really all that useful here, as nobody really uses that technique. I usually just put my hook around both legs of the hook keeper, as opposed to through the middle anyway.

[Slazmo]

Originally Posted by matt jorg

Very keen to hear if there's a big difference in performance once you're done mate!
It should be way better nice work.

Ha ha yeh, simple build since the butt section is all done now. Its going to be just the fact that putting the K's on with a simple overbind and two coats of Flexcoat UV and not over generous to keep the whippyness there.

I am thinking possibly to get the rod painted by a friend in a matt black to get away from that maroon colour. Not sure as yet?

Originally Posted by stella fella

The reason behind the hook keeper facing that way might come from it being set that way on US made rods to hold drop shot sinkers.

That makes total sense - thanks for clearing it up! But the funny thing is that the GL2 series rods were supposed to be especially made for the Australian market?

Do we even drop shot here in Aus?

[stella fella]

Originally Posted by Slazmo

That makes total sense - thanks for clearing it up! But the funny thing is that the GL2 series rods were supposed to be especially made for the Australian market?

Do we even drop shot here in Aus?

That's the funny thing, no. At least not very often (paternoster rigs?) It could simply have just been a decision made without any real thought, or to copy what is already the norm.

[bjspinner]

Do you think the rod requires the extra guides?

As the view I take is your saving weight by putting "ti' guides but adding extra guides by the looks of it, which may just keep the action the same instead of crisping up the blank with weight loss.

[stella fella]

Originally Posted by bjspinner

Do you think the rod requires the extra guides?

As the view I take is your saving weight by putting "ti' guides but adding extra guides by the looks of it, which may just keep the action the same instead of crisping up the blank with weight loss.

A greater distribution of weight perhaps?

[nbdshroom]

As Gl2's are quite bendy, might be better off with an extra guide or two. Not having the need for that would be better though.

[Slazmo]

Here's my thoughts on more guides than not.

Better support on the line with less pressure points and load. Also better channeling of line as you cast and a nicer bend to the blank when hooked up.

The Basspara rebuild I did between the standard 6 + tip and the extra guides I threw on is remarkably different and noticeable over the standard build.

[bjspinner]

Originally Posted by stella fella

A greater distribution of weight perhaps?

I suppose it depends if you prefer a noodle or the sensitivity of light weight guides to make the action more sensitive.

From Slazmo's post I gather he may be looking for a more noodle like action.

[bjspinner]

Originally Posted by Slazmo

Here's my thoughts on more guides than not.

Better support on the line with less pressure points and load. Also better channeling of line as you cast and a nicer bend to the blank when hooked up.

The Basspara rebuild I did between the standard 6 + tip and the extra guides I threw on is remarkably different and noticeable over the standard build.

I understand as I have made a few rods before, more friction points more drag equals less cast distance.
When the rod is loaded there is more pressures on the guides-however there is more casting than fighting fish so I guess it's all about compromise.

Guide position becomes more of an issue on overhead setups when fighting fish as the line can touch the rod blank.
Even though the Loomis is considered below par to previous models I would be surprised that extra guides would help with line delivery, fighting a fish under load yes.

[Brams]

Hey guys quick question about this rods stock grips...
Why are they making it an uplocking seat? Were it downlocking then with one finger in front of the reel stem you could have your entire palm on the bigger piece of cork, and not feel the hood that is holding the reel in. It wouldn't make a massive difference but it'd make it a little better in my eyes. Any ideas?

[Slazmo]

So where was I with it all.

This is the standard bend with the Fuji Concept Alconites - good guides but definitely not for this application. Too many flat spots for my liking.
GLoomis Std guides light bend - 20151007.jpg
GLoomis std guides hard bend - 20151007 (1).jpg
GLoomis std guides hard bend - 20151007 (2).jpg

The weight of the rod with the standard guides and bindings @ 7 + tip.
GLoomis GL2 Standard Guise - 20151007.jpg

The guides that came off - too big and too weighty. For a larger rod for sure but not for this application in my humble opinion...
Fuji Alconites - 20151007.jpg

[Slazmo]

I sat up that night and stripped the guides - some know how its done but simply I ran a sharp knife / Stanley blade by hand across the guide foot to top the epoxy coat and cut through the bindings. I found that the binding that G Loomis use is as thick as rope! What I simply did is peel back the epoxy and the thread like a peel and the guide foot seemed to be glued on otherwise they use "ample" epoxy and allow it to get right in there deeply, either way it was a bit of a tussle with some guides.
Gloomis stripping guides - 20151007.jpg
GLoomis stripped blank - 20151007.jpg
Weight stripped of all guides - 20151007.jpg

I am thinking of getting the blank painted by a friend - however unsure about the durability of it? Wouldn't be bad to match the colour of the pearl in the FJ Stradic, or maybe just leaving it as is or getting it sanded back lightly and cleared to show the natural carbon? But at this stage I haven't fully prepared / cleaned the blank yet as in removing all the hard glued on epoxy off the blank as yet - as guide spacing and other things are more important at this point to me.

Gone through three revisions of spacing - however so fine in their amendments, I have loaded the rod further than that I would usually and looked for flat spots in the line and other things - however all looks very near in the bend. I was expecting something to pop at that stage honestly.
Guide spacings V1.0 & 2.0 & 3.0 - 20151008.jpg
GLoomis guide spacing V3.0 - 20151009 (1).jpg