I do snakes from tip to butt, because I want to be in a good mood and not have tired fingers (arthritis) when I wrap the smallest guides. Doing this from the tip top down, as I go along, seems easier and results in less adjustment after wrapping (a primary cause of frayed threads, "nubbies" with silk thread, and tag ends slipping out. On two piece and longer three piece rods (with stripper on same section as grip), I go from stripper to ferrule on the bottom section to ensure that the stripper is aligned with the reel seat. I do detail work (ferrules, cork check, keeper (if one is used), signature wraps, and tipping) before I do the guides, just so I am fresh and the guides don't get knocked out of alignment or wraps rubbed while I am concentrating on detail work. I like to put a coat of varnish on each section right after I finish wrapping and aligning it to lock the thread in place.