# Question for Abu Experts



## Cerberus (Nov 1, 2007)

I always hear distance casters praise the Abu 6500 reels as a top choice in a casting reel. Usually it is in the CT or Mag configuration.

I have an Abu Big Game 7000CL and an Abu 5600C4. I also have a Penn 525 Mag, as well as other reels that are outside the scope of this discussion. I _am_ a tackle whore, so "just because" is a valid reason for buying a new reel, but I'd like at least a little justification.

Here is the question:

With a fishing payload (weight, bait, lure, etc) under fishing conditions (on the beach, can't pick wind direction, but usually in my face), am I missing anything by not having a 6500/6600 in the line up?

I am not interested in a CT frame. They are more than I want to spend considering the number of open top reels I already have. 

The candidate reels are the 6500C3 and the 6600 C4. There is also a 6600 BCX I don't hear much about but the specs look OK.

Any thoughts? What, if anything, am I missing out on?


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

Well really the only difference between the reels you have and a 6500 is size. I to am a tackle whore and have a incredible amount of Abus in all sizes and configurizations. I would probably look at a Blue Yonder or a CT mag elite if I was you. I would stay as far away from the bcx line as possible. They are not a Sweden made reel, and Junk. My Brother in law had several and started having a few problems after a month or two. When I took them apart to clean them they were just about unrecognizable to other Ambassadeurs. There is a rediculious amount of plastic in these reels. Ijust dont think they would hold up, especially to saltwater conditions.just my .02


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## Cerberus (Nov 1, 2007)

Tacpayne, thanks for the reply.

The BY and CTare not on my list simply because I don't need any more CT reels and I only have two level winds. I like the idea of long casting level wind _fishing_ reels. Competition casting is just not my thing.

The high cost of the BY/CT's work against trying to "just fill a slot", though there is no question these would be a top pick if I would have fewer reels.

Thanks for heads up on the BCX's, I'll steer clear of them.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

> I always hear distance casters praise the Abu 6500 reels as a top choice in a casting reel. Usually it is in the CT or Mag configuration.


THe 6500/5500 is praised for distance casting in tournaments (field casting)- because of it's ability to throw very light lines (6-12 lb test) very well.

As for fishing you are not missing much, tho I do like tossing a 6500 mag elite at times for fishing with 14 lb test line. If you need 17 lb or higher test line the Penn 525 is a better choice in fishing reels, IMO.


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

Cerberus said:


> Tacpayne, thanks for the reply.
> 
> The BY and CTare not on my list simply because I don't need any more CT reels and I only have two level winds. I like the idea of long casting level wind _fishing_ reels. Competition casting is just not my thing.
> 
> ...


Keep your eyes open for a good used 6500cs if your looking for a level wind reel. That or a 6500c5, or 6600c5, any of those 3 reels would be the best casting levelwind reel you could buy imo.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

> I like the idea of *long casting level wind *fishing reels.


Although they can be decent casters- levelwinds will not keep up with a CT style reel- you do not hear many praising the levelwind for it's "distance" ability. Some levelwinds that are upgraded with bearings in the worm gear ends and what not are an improvement over standard level winds, but still fall short (relatively speaking) when compared to a CT frame.


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

if you want a long casting level wind reel get a 65oo Mag Elite CS... add ball bearing level wind gear and a ball bearing idler gear with some ceramic spool bearings and you'll have one to throw a country mile...  you'll get over $200 invested in it but they throw nicely when plugging/slinging metal...

the 6500 Mag Elites stay syncronized, line to levelwind when the spools turning so there's little resistance when casting...


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

I have a couple 6500 and 5500 BLACK rockets level winds I bought from trey a few years ago dunno if these bad boys are still ava but they are my goto metal slingin reels


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

Also not 100 percent sure but seems lije I remeber tellin me that abu and wally world have a contract to make reels for walmart using cheper componets and cheaper labor excl. For wally world


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

red_fish said:


> Also not 100 percent sure but seems lije I remeber tellin me that abu and wally world have a contract to make reels for walmart using cheper componets and cheaper labor excl. For wally world


I think that's correct because the Abu's that are sold at Wally World are made in China.


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

basstardo said:


> I think that's correct because the Abu's that are sold at Wally World are made in China.


And full of plastic


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

What has been said before about getting a 6500 and adding the extra bearings and speed bushings and worm gear drive is all true (been there and have some ) and yes they sling very nicely.

But now for the Wally world thing,,, 99% of Abus from there are china but every great once in a while when the moon is full and all the stars are in line ya might find a prize. 5600 C4 Mag and yes it is Sweden and it was marked down to $50.00 but the lady kept saying "We don't sell this reel cause I can't find it in the puter" 

PS- It ain't for sale


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

red_fish said:


> Also not 100 percent sure but seems lije I remeber tellin me that abu and wally world have a contract to make reels for walmart using cheper componets and cheaper labor excl. For wally world





basstardo said:


> I think that's correct because the Abu's that are sold at Wally World are made in China.





red_fish said:


> And full of plastic


Nope, nope and nope. 

Wally world carries the cheapest Abu reels that Pure Fishing makes. Back when Wal Mart sold the Abu 5000C and 6000C's, they were the cheapest reels that Abu made: bushings, plain red finish, palming side plates. However, they were Swedish made. Now, the cheapest Abus that Pure Fishing makes is the BCX series, which are made in China. The 5000C and 6000C's are no longer available; they've been phased out. 

The 5000C and 6000C reels sold by Wal-Mart and other retailers were lower priced than a C3, but utilized the same components less the two inboard spool bearings. This meant that I can start with a 5000C and build it into a 5-bearing C5. 

Regarding the "full of plastic", I wish people would study the schematics and quit perpetuating this myth. Most Abus, including a vaunted CS Mag Elite, have exactly three plastic gears: the levelwind idler cog, levelwind drive gear, and the spool clicker. These are plastic for a reason: it is a safety mechanism that makes any one of those three (cheap) gears break instead of a finger when it gets caught in the level wind line guide. All of the other drive gears are steel, brass, bronze or aluminum. Reel manufacturers use plastic parts in other low stress areas because it's inexpensive, durable and won't corrode. Take a look inside a Shimano Trinidad and count up how many plastic parts there are...

Speaking of CS Mag Elites...for whatever reason, FFO has 29 (originally 30, but you know who just had to buy one ) of the '07 gunmetal gray CS Mag Elites with Carbon Matrix drags and the V-spool for sale for $99. It's sweet!


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

AtlantaKing said:


> Speaking of CS Mag Elites...for whatever reason, FFO has 29 (originally 30, but you know who just had to buy one ) of the '07 gunmetal gray CS Mag Elites with Carbon Matrix drags and the V-spool for sale for $99. It's sweet!


HO!!!


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

While Atlantaking is correct about the plastic parts, the BCX reels have more plastic than any other Abu Ive take n apart. If memory serves me correct there was a plastic retainer for the line out alarm. The ones I had apart had broken thumbars, they were only a couple of months old fished in just freshwater and taken care of. I cant remember what part exactly broke but it was the same on both. I just think they are junk, all other ambassadeurs Ive taken apart were pretty much the same with the difference being bushings instead of bearings.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Oh, yes, do stay away from the BCX line of reels. Ironically, when Abu went to Ming Yang to produce some of their 7000 sized reels, they sort of reverse engineered the 7000, shrunk it and made a 5000 and 6000 sized reel out of it and is now being marketed as an Abu. Sadly, there's no Swedish engineering in there, none of the parts are interchangeable with the standard 5XXX and 6XXX reels. 

Cerberus, sorry for jacking your thread dude  While you're not missing any piece of gear in your line up, per se, you're missing out on a fantastic experience that comes with nailing a sweet cast on a 6500 CT (either a Blue Yonder or Mag Elite) and watching a good half of the line sail out into the sea!


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## Cerberus (Nov 1, 2007)

AtlantaKing said:


> Cerberus, sorry for jacking your thread dude  While you're not missing any piece of gear in your line up, per se, you're missing out on a fantastic experience that comes with nailing a sweet cast on a 6500 CT (either a Blue Yonder or Mag Elite) and watching a good half of the line sail out into the sea!


Well, I guess it's not a hijack if you return the plane to the gate, eh?

I know I am missing out on a sublime experience, but I am not looking for that from a new reel.

The parameters of the original question were simple: Am I missing anything in a _level wind fishing reel_ that I can use off the shelf for under a hundred bucks, that I can't do with what I already have.

I know a level wind will cost distance, but that's what I want. And I know if I throw $200 into a CT reel it will do amazing things. But I already have reels that do amazing things.

Imagine me, just standing on a beach open mouthed as my 525 Mag dumps half a spool of line on a cast, I am counting to 6,7,8 and it's still going out, with weight and bait, _zzzzzzzzzzzzsssssssssssssssss---plop! _That is amazing, ya know?

The bigger problem comes when a bonito hits that bait and does his torpedo imitation heading for Bimini when I have half the spool already out! :redface:

Anyway, it sounds like a 6500 wouldn't do much more than lighten my wallet by a few bucks, and the 5600, 7000 and 525 cover the slot.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

AtlantaKing said:


> Speaking of CS Mag Elites...for whatever reason, FFO has 29 (originally 30, but you know who just had to buy one ) of the '07 gunmetal gray CS Mag Elites with Carbon Matrix drags and the V-spool for sale for $99. It's sweet!





Fishbreath said:


> HO!!!


Umm excuse me they only have 27 now. Thanks for the heads up the other day AK...

Anybody interested, Cabelas has Abu 4600 C5 MagX reels for $69.88. Now thats a deal also...


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

dude you should look around for the black rockets or the chrome ones with the level wind they are fu*$k*@g sweet


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

red_fish said:


> dude you should look around for the black rockets or the chrome ones with the level wind they are fu*$k*@g sweet


I have 3 of the black rockets they are pretty sweet


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

why not look into a daiwa STT-30HA or 20ha
the levelwind version of the 30h or 20h.

nice buggers. solid, rugged, alot better built then an abu.
they could be a good investment in the long run.


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## Entropy (Mar 9, 2008)

Cerberus said:


> The candidate reels are the 6500C3 and the 6600 C4. There is also a 6600 BCX I don't hear much about but the specs look OK.


its been expressed to stay away from the BCXs...

but i can add a bit of input on the 6500C3 (6501C3 for me). ive fished them stock on my 1208. i say as long as your getting the bait where you want it, then it does absolutely fine. a few new internal parts (drag washers, bearings, ext...) can be purchased cheap and help greatly but i never made the investment. lol. im personally lazy, so the convenience of the level wind was money. especially when plugging or what i like to do is a carolina rig. (bimini to a shock, 6oz egg sinker, 2ft (+/-) fluero leader to a soft plastic, weedless in many cases... absolutely money from the surf.)

but if you have a good lineup of reels, your honestly not missing much. i finally invested in an avet SX (leftly), im trying to get more distance than my 6501s can give me/you. ha!



ooeric said:


> why not look into a daiwa STT-30HA or 20ha
> the levelwind version of the 30h or 20h.
> 
> nice buggers. solid, rugged, alot better built then an abu.
> they could be a good investment in the long run.


also a good suggestion.


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