Okay, when building a 4 piece short (6'6") rod, is the placement of the guides in relationship to the spine a major concern?

I've built about a dozen rods and was able to identify where the spine was. The guides were placed on the opposite side. I'm just wondering if the same rationale holds true with more and much shorter pieces? Also, how do you identify the spine on sections that are about 19.5 inches?

Thanks.

Allan