Just as the title states what are your stand by preperations for new rods and reels. Do you wrap the cork do you seal the cork? do you apply any wax or anything. Do you oil/grease reels? Do you uput different grips on the reel? Change out any parts with better parts?

Reels I pay close attention to the reel the first time out. If anything seems the least bit wrong, I stop using it until I can find out the problem. I don't check over the grease and oil of a new reel before using it.

I don't do anything to cork handles until I have them "broke in" a little.

For the cork----rod wraps or soap and water

For the reels---monthly break down: clean the grease off and regrease, clean oil out of the bearings with naptha and reoil.

Naptha ???   :-?

Whooohoo that's some strong stuff.    

I usually use RemOil to clean all of the old grease off, and reoil and grease with Ardent reel butter or Ardent reel oil.  

Naptha ??? :-?

Whooohoo that's some strong stuff.

Yes as found in cigarette lighter fluid.  A very good chemist recommended it to me a few years ago.

I basically nothing to my rods when they are new.

As far as my reels go, I take them apart and see if anything needs a drop of oil.  I have only had one reel that need some oil and it was a Daiwa Zillion.  But other than that, the reels I have purchased have been fine as is.