Reels now made in china like the Abu Ambassadeur and the smaller Senators are often criticised for being of a lower quality to the originals made in sweden and the US respectively. Has there been any big change in design with these reels/influence from Chinese factories that have caused this? Chinese made reels are not always trash and low quality, as high tolerance Van Staals are made in China along with some Fin Nor spinners that people like Alan Hawk have rated highly before, so I would guess its the design. Plus, these are also purefishing brands like penn and abu so why are the chinese reels of one brand seemingly better in quality than the other?
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by Barishi2XD
FS Digest wrote:
Reels now made in china like the Abu Ambassadeur and the smaller Senators are often criticised for being of a lower quality to the originals made in sweden and the US respectively. Has there been any big change in design with these reels/influence from Chinese factories that have caused this? Chinese made reels are not always trash and low quality, as high tolerance Van Staals are made in China along with some Fin Nor spinners that people like Alan Hawk have rated highly before, so I would guess its the design. Plus, these are also purefishing brands like penn and abu so why are the chinese reels of one brand seemingly better in quality than the other?
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by Barishi2XD
Reels now made in china like the Abu Ambassadeur a... (
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Well known reel makers have Chinese made reel models that are good quality, no doubt. Also, most of the plastic clam- shell packaged baitcast reels you find in Wally World type stores are Chinese made with a little more plastic inside them than metal...but , in my opinion ( if it matters at all) it’s not how these China reels are made , it’s who is making them. Every manufacturing company in China answers to the communist government. All of them. And those guys ARENT our friends. Add to that, lots of those Chinese manufacturers use basically slave or near slave labor. ( Nike ring a bell ? ) ...South Korea, on the other hand , better conditions for workers, better country to live in. I would much rather pay a little more for a comparable Korean reel than the commie reel. May sound silly to make a comparison in those terms, but in actuality that’s what it is. You buy a Chinese made reel , rod, anything else, the China government benefits. You can either give $$ to the Chinese communist, or not. If I have the option, I will not.....My 2cents..
FS Digest wrote:
Reels now made in china like the Abu Ambassadeur and the smaller Senators are often criticised for being of a lower quality to the originals made in sweden and the US respectively. Has there been any big change in design with these reels/influence from Chinese factories that have caused this? Chinese made reels are not always trash and low quality, as high tolerance Van Staals are made in China along with some Fin Nor spinners that people like Alan Hawk have rated highly before, so I would guess its the design. Plus, these are also purefishing brands like penn and abu so why are the chinese reels of one brand seemingly better in quality than the other?
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by Barishi2XD
Reels now made in china like the Abu Ambassadeur a... (
show quote)
sence when did China start making Swedish reels ?
A conglomerate named Pure Fishing purchased Abu Garcia and started producing reels in China. The Chinese Abu's sell for approximately 1/2 of the Abu reels that were previously produced in Sweden and the drop in quality is obvious. Pure also purchased Penn, Fenwick, Pflueger, Shakesphere, All Star, Berkley and Ugly Stick along with a variety of line and lure manufacturers. In my opinion, many of the brands share similar models with the only difference being paint and decals. Again my opinion, and many others, the quality of Pure Fishing owned companies has nosedived across the board.....
bucky buckner wrote:
sence when did China start making Swedish reels ?
They have been making them for over 10 years. If you read the side of an Abu Garcia it states "designed in Sweden"
SONOFASPUD wrote:
A conglomerate named Pure Fishing purchased Abu Garcia and started producing reels in China. The Chinese Abu's sell for approximately 1/2 of the Abu reels that were previously produced in Sweden and the drop in quality is obvious. Pure also purchased Penn, Fenwick, Pflueger, Shakesphere, All Star, Berkley and Ugly Stick along with a variety of line and lure manufacturers. In my opinion, many of the brands share similar models with the only difference being paint and decals. Again my opinion, and many others, the quality of Pure Fishing owned companies has nosedived across the board.....
A conglomerate named Pure Fishing purchased Abu Ga... (
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The GOOD revo reels, like the revo sx, st, revo winch, revo rocket are made in South Korea.....then there are the Chinese made revo reels. I don’t really know the quality of those.
Since many name brands have moved to China and Korea among other places, I no longer buy the new junk. That said I have so much new/vintage gear that I will not need to use the new stuff.
Jim Kay wrote:
Since many name brands have moved to China and Korea among other places, I no longer buy the new junk. That said I have so much new/vintage gear that I will not need to use the new stuff.
South Korea has made quality lews, revo, pflueger , Daiwa reels for years. Don’t know about a lot of the China made stuff.
I still prefer made in U.S.A.,Sweden ant Daiwa and Shimano(Japan).
SONOFASPUD wrote:
A conglomerate named Pure Fishing purchased Abu Garcia and started producing reels in China. The Chinese Abu's sell for approximately 1/2 of the Abu reels that were previously produced in Sweden and the drop in quality is obvious. Pure also purchased Penn, Fenwick, Pflueger, Shakesphere, All Star, Berkley and Ugly Stick along with a variety of line and lure manufacturers. In my opinion, many of the brands share similar models with the only difference being paint and decals. Again my opinion, and many others, the quality of Pure Fishing owned companies has nosedived across the board.....
A conglomerate named Pure Fishing purchased Abu Ga... (
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The Chinese made Abus are COMPLETELY different reels. Internal design is different and does not come close to the Swedish counterparts. If you want a good Ambassadeur reel, you can still by the original Swedish made reels.
Whenever I see them at auctions I snap up the French-made Mitchell 300's. I recently accidentally got my hands on one of the new ones made by the Chi-Comm's and they appear to have been made on different planets. Such junk! One can also find the good old Abu-Garcia reels at estate auctions.
I’m originally from Philadelphia. I remember the good old days of dropping my Penn reels off for service right at the factory on Hunting Park Ave. I believe that they still make a couple of the higher end reels there, but not many since Pure bought them out. I bought a 2000 series slammer and a 1000 series conflict over the last couple months because I’ve started doing some freshwater anglin’ down here in Florida. So far no complaints, but I can tell the difference in quality in the feel. I don’t know if it’s in my head or not, but I think that I’m probably right.
Jim Kay wrote:
I still prefer made in U.S.A.,Sweden ant Daiwa and Shimano(Japan).
Are all Daiwa made in Japan? I have decided to make Daiwa my go to baitcasters.
Unfortunately, China can make reels as good or cheap as is wanted. They have the skills to do either way. It is based on the marketing/"manufacturing" companies want to present to the public.
When this topic came up before I started looking. You'd be surprised at how much stuff is made elsewhere or who owns the American companies. Some have blanks made in Mexico n assembled in US. Very little fishing gear is 100% American made. Blame it on whoever or whatever but that's what it's come to
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