When is a reel a classic?

[Gurn]

Gurn

They are beautifully made. My father, who has an engineering background, was very impressed in the detailing of the design and of the build quality. They have one draw back: the spool is very shallow so I don't think you want to try fishing at any range with one. It's also quite a small reel which may put some people off. For me, along with the Mitchell 300/400 they are the classic carp reels. I like my Mitchells but I love the quirky looks and character of the Altex and the mix of metals they use makes the thing look fantastic.

Just to wet your appetite:
http://www.traditionalfisherman.co.uk/v ... ex&start=0

'Tis a thing of beauty Beresford. A reel for life, I'd hazard.

[Vole]

"shimano stadics are good reals but because you own one dos,nt make you a good angler."

Of course it does.
I don't own one, and I'm an absolutely hopeless angler.
Ipso Fatso, I rest my case.




:chuckle:, lest there be any doubt....

[Nobby]

Actually, genuine Japanese-built Stradics do command a high price secondhand, so that alone makes them some sort of classic surely?


I haven't got one.

[Rutilus Eye]

Maybe theres a classic or two each decade or so?. From the 1960s and 70s, it would be Mitchells - probably Mitchell 300 and 440 Match with revolutionary (flakey) bail. Also the ABU closed-face series of which i think the 505 was the prettiest, but the 501 or 506M were the most sought after. Then there was ABU Cardinals..after that no idea really. Hear so much about Shimano this or that these days they are probably the "classics" of the new millenium...ugly looking lumps to my mind though.

[CafeRacer]

I have a 1992 1st generation Aero Stradic 4000 and its still as tight as a drum after 20 years of being hammered.Its slung monster feeders across the Shannon and is regularly used as a sink and draw/heavy spin reel for pike.Similarly I have 3 of the original early 90s Diaflash specimen rods and I reckon they have yet to be bettered.Classics?Without a doubt.My 2 cents.

[Chavender]

a classic is simply a reel that stands out from the crowd ,& stands the test of time or by its shear share of the market and is the most popular of its time or increases in value.or simply a reel that lingers in the memory

you get vintage classic reels ,old classic reels & modern classic's and then theres the future classic's reels that may or maynot achieve cult status .but whats most important is whats your favourite ,as being a classic is partly common consenus ,but can also be a personal choice .

[Chavender]

oh and the origanal stradic's/shimano's that where japonese models (before production switched to Taiwan) are classics they have stood the test of time ,they're still present in recent memory (how many other reels from the last 5 years can you name ? and still say was a good reel ? ) and they at the time set the bench mark .

[Greentura]

The early Stradics, and i have had a full set of front and rear drag models, even the 2000 Aussi market one with the same body as the 1000 and the rotor and spool of the 3000 nearly and a perfect stalking reel, but also the 3010 and 4010 GTM's are as near as it gets to a modern classic, as was the millennium version of the 4000 Stella which I had for a short while, replacing it with what i consider the most classic of all modern reels, the Abu Suveran S4000M. the only Stradic range reel i have now is an 8000 front drag i use for spinning with, same double handle and gold alloy spool as the 1,2,3 and 4000 front drag reels but i don't consider it a classic as the features the smaller models were a revolution at the time. The drag was the best thing with 'fe' versions and was demonstrated to me in John Wilson's shop in Norwich with a 1000fe, line was loaded and then the reel was hung from above the window then the drag adjusted so the reel decended a click a second, the smoothest drag i have aver seen, but also very powerful for it's size, only surpassed for me by the Suveran's centre drag system.

sometimes wish i hadn't sold my stradics but they were well used and long in the tooth but fetching silly money so it seemed a good idea before the wore out and were worthless

[Pedro]

I went Pike fishing with my brother yesterday.
I was as usual using my 300s and we started a discussion over the reels that he was fishing with.
He was fishing with a matching pair of Shimano Trition Plus 3500 baitrunner circa 1986/87.
He claims that they are now a classic reel as they are approximately 25 years old and that they will go on for at least another 25 years.
I suppose in years to come he might be right.

[JohnL]

The early Shimano reels might well achieve classic status, the engineering has gone downhill since then. I know too many people who have destroyed Shimano reels in a matter of weeks of heavy use only for them to be replaced with the same.
I have a baitrunner that I use for barbeling beyond pin range and although I have never come across a better drag the reel has worn to become loose and sloppy, none of my Mitchells or Ambidexes have done that.
Shimano is the biggest player in the bicycle component world, probably their main competitor is Campagnolo who made the original classic components. A favorite saying amongst cyclists is "Shimano wears out Campagnolo wears in".