A friend of mine is selling a casting rod. The tip looks like this.

Too me the tip guide doesn't look bent but kind of looks strange with it pointing downwards. Is this a special guide or is just bent?

looks bent to me.

I looks bent to me too.  At the same time, the bends have the same uniformity.  And it also seems that it would be really hard to bend a guide in that manner without breaking one or both of the feet.

Its really hard to tell and it would be interesting to see a couple more pictures from different angles.

At the same time, the bends have the same uniformity. And it also seems that it would be really hard to bend a guide in that manner without breaking one or both of the feet.

That's exactly what I thought. I'll try to get some more pics.

Almost looks like someone put the tip on 180 degrees off.

Tell your friend to knock $5 off for the tip replacement, and buy it if you like the rod.  It's a 10 minute fix.

The tip does look strange. As for the guide before it bendning somewhat forward, I have an Okuma that has a few guides like that. I returned it to the store to exchange it, but when I got to the rod section of the store, I discovered every single rod looked just like it. Now either some one took some time to bend every guide that way as a practical joke or they were made that way.

I wound up keeping the rod, but I wonder what advantage if any forward bent guides on a rod offer.

Tell your friend to knock $5 off for the tip replacement, and buy it if you like the rod. It's a 10 minute fix.

I'm not worried about replacing the tip, I can have that done in 5 minutes. Just wondering if someone has ever seen a tip guide like that.

I have seen then like this....after I stepped on the tip while it was laying on the carpet of my deck.  Bent one back, the other broke and I simply replaced it.

No question, it's bent.  

I have seen then like this....after I stepped on the tip while it was laying on the carpet of my deck.  Bent one back, the other broke and I simply replaced it.

I was actually thinking that would be the circumstance that would disfigure the tip like this, and not snap the blank.

Off topic: what brand/model rod it this?