jason41987

yeah, i know about the line bunching up which is why i was considering doing something like that to a much narrower 4600 size reel.. it wouldnt bunch up as bad, and the narrower width would make it much easier to manually guide the line as im reeling in, using my fingers to move it back and forth.. removing that added drag on the spool would allow casting even lighter lures

ive already mentioned above that my side plates do fit on the old frame but would need a different spool.. would the 80s style spool with the brake fit the 77 side plate though? both having the spindle fixed to the spool or would i need the 80s style side plate as well? which actually brings me to another question.. if i decide to collect a few different size frames and spools i can interchange with one set of side plates, so i go old school or do i go with the more modern design?.. the older design looks more robust, stronger, but the newer design seems to be a bit lighter, and fits my left hand a bit more without the extra spool tension knob on the left side i may just reserve this 6600c to a heavy duty only role when im specifically targeting catfish or muskie and use my newer ones for everything else and collect frames with spools to fit the newer style another question kind of unrelated to the old 6600c, but has anyone ever converted a 4600 size into something capable of catching crappie?.. in order to cast lighter lures you need to both reduce the mass and the parasitic drag on the spool.. so i thought about getting a 4600 size reel, fabricating a very light weight carbon fiber spool, use a very thin maybe 10-12lb braided line, and remove anything that could result in parasitic drag on the spool including the level-wind system

mine doesnt seem to have one also, since im also beginning to start building my own rods, im going to refinish both my ambassadeurs to have a common color scheme, sounds lame, sure.. what i will probably do is have two sets of side plates.. old school, modern, then have a set of frames complete with the levelwind system, thumb bar, spool, and the plastic thumb rest on top.. then i can place whichever side plate i want on whichever size frame i want for whichever style fishing i intend to do, this just means i only need to find a 4600 size frame now and itll be complete .. may add spare left side plates though, one with and one without the bait clicker (i mostly do lure fishing so not much NEED for the clicker)

i went with the 5600 over the 4600 because i questioned whether or not i could comfortably fit my thumb onto the spool (large hands).. on my 5600 there isnt much space on either side of my thumb when its on the line.. however, i think now i can imagine myself getting these reels in different configurations and in different sizes.. now that i have a 5600, and a 6600, my next step would be a 4600 size.. would it be somehow possible to use a newer spool on an older side plate? one that has the centrifugal brake as i havent really yet weened myself off of using it?.. i know old spools had a fixed spindle, and in the new ones thats opposite, but hmm, is it possible to convert from using one type of spool to another?

i must say though i was actually surprised to know i could just pop my new 5600 side plates onto this 1977 frame.. granted this wouldnt work as a fishing reel because the spool would be too short but i was kind of surprised to know the screw patterns and even the thread patterns were all identicle.. kind of reminds me of volkswagens and how they really didnt change in 50 years either.. so im a fan, ill be restoring this reel at least to like-new condition, i do not think i will be adding more than the stock number of bearings though and will wait till later to upgrade the drag.. reason is i dont really have any main purpose for the larger 6600s, i fish in lakes where the lighter, more compact 5600 size works better and feels more comfortable in my hand so i dont think this old 6600C will have the opportunity to replace my smaller reel unless there was a significant reason and advantage to the older design which as i can gather doesnt have a brake to it at all and im not comfortable enough using my thumb for that role yet

many of the rods im finding dirt cheap are less than 10 years old though..theyre just used is all

kind of off topic here but this has got me thinking.. does anyone make a sub $100 low profile baitcaster that is as much of a workhorse, has the kind of aftermarket support or community backing that the ambassadeur seems to have?

well, so youre saying the used rod would work just fine for the power and action its designed for, just newer ones are lighter for the same power?

how would you put 13 bearings in a 6600C from 1977?.. and for that matter for comparison, how many could i get in a modern 5600c4?

well, my most used reel is my abu garcia ambassadeur, not a low pro baitcaster which is why i was considering re-using this particular reel seat.. however, i may just be better off using the new 1977 model ambassadeur i got at the same auction on that rod with the bait clicker as a catfishing combo.. i did figure it may be possible for this rod blank to pop out of the reel seat if it was pulled hard enough but anyway.. so long as the rod isnt broken, chipped, or scuffed then it shouldnt function any different than a new blank, it would just require more prep work to de-construct it?

well, i think it would also be fairly cheap for practice too, before buying more expensive rod blanks.. im not worried about a little extra work, i rather enjoy it, gives me something to do in my spare time.. but heres another question.. in the image below is that of a reel seat of a rod i got when i purchased a set of stuff from an auction (where i got my $4 ambassadeur).. and this rod was in it too.. put the abu on the rod and i really liked how the line lined up with the first eye, but they dont make reel seats like this anymore.. why dont they? is there a major flaw in this design or is it just something that kind of phased out?.. besides its more low profile position, i think its interesting that the rods can be removed from the seat by unscrewing a nut.. so it could allow a variety of different actions and lengths of rod to be made to fit the seat.. what are the downsides though?.. the rod thats on it now is a pretty heavy, rather short st croix rod.. too heavy and too short for most my fishing

well the idea is to look at these rods.. find one thats still in good working order with little to no signs of any real abuse.. real seats, if platic i could just cut off with a dremel so long as i take care not to cut into the blank.. im confident i could strip it all down to the blank.. but do these rods really ever show much sign of wear as in twisting or bending out of shape?.. seems to me these old rods look just as capable as a brand new one so long as the eyes and seat is still good

question, is it possible for me to strip these side plates down to bare metal, strip off the annodizing and do a completely custom refinishing job?.. maybe even a powder coated design?

at some of these auctions ive been to, ive been finding great deals on rods and reels.. like when i got a working abu garcia ambassadeur 6600c from 1977 for $4.. i also got a nice little st croix rod with it as well.. however its a heavy action rod for large fish.. but it got me thinking.. could i buy up some of these dirt cheap casting rods (i dont use spinning gear anymore).. and strip off all the eyes, remove the real seat, the grip, strip off all the paint and take it back to a blank, then repaint, install brand new eyes, a new reel seat, fabricate a new cork grip and build an entirely brand new quality rod from it? now, that said.. what are some of the brand names i should keep an eye out for when looking for blank donors? which should be avoided? and is it still possible to find a good metal casting reel seat or am i better off with a graphite model?.. i think first im going to try this with a good all-around rod, maybe a 6'6 medium or medium-heavy.. and im also thinking of finding a two-piece rod so i can mount all my eyes forward of the joint just so should anything go wrong with the grip or reel seat they can be replaced without having to cut all the eyes off

so the purpose of the spring is a return spring for the thumb bar.. k, makes sense.. and interesting to know i can add more bearings.. two for the cog wheel, an extra one for the worm gear.. a 5-bearing reel when finished? anyway.. not sure if the spring is in right or not but i see no other way to get it in that does its job of returning the thumb bar without interfering with other interior components..so whatever, doesnt seem like its very important if thats all it does because evidently the reel functions perfectly fine without it

would i need to completely re-annodize the side plates to fix the scuffed parts or can this be touched up?

im not too worried about instant anti-reverse, last year was the first time i had a reel that actually had it.. it seems to me like the IAR would be hard to fix if it ever broken where the dog itself is easily replaced.. so it may lend itself to a longer lived reel a bit off-topic but not really, i have a 5600WS.. which judging from the schemstics is identicle to the 5600C4, however the WS has the wiffle spool like the record.. so while im on the idea of upgrading reels i may take my 5600WS, buy a couple more parts and upgrade it to a record which apparently id need to add three more bearings.. was even thinking of adding a bait clicker... i guess the more i take these reels apart and play with them, the more i like them.. im becoming a huge ambassadeur fan and fast.. i wish i could find a similar workhorse of a reel in a low profile configuration as a companion to these ambassadeurs

would it be possible for me to install an extra post for a second dog?.. and would this reduce the distance the reel could travel in reverse?.. because there really isnt much travel now, a second dog would be pretty d**n close to IAR..

anyone have a photo showing that spring installed in the reel?.. the tail end on mine looks shorter than normal, wonder if its broken?.. anyway, heres what i need to get.. i need to get a new drag washer, new brake plate spring kit (one of mine is a bit stretched), new bearings.. and someone said a carbontex drag upgrade? also, im having a hard time finding specs to this rifle.. max drag, spool capacity, gear ratio..and what does this thing use for a brake?

sorry, the sprig i had a pain in the ass getting in i found listed as the "pinion yoke spring".. its pinned in and that pin is held in with a e-clip now, the one i drew above doesnt go to the bait clicker, it looks slimilar but the one for the bait clicker has sort of a hook on it, and i had no problem getting that one installed and the bait clicker works fine the spring i cant seem to figure out where it goes i found shown in a brake plate spring mod kit.. i think its the skinny little spring next to the e-clips that i cant find a home for.. ill look into getting a new drag kit, and maybe even these springs to replace the old ones in there now (one is a bit stretched so it wont hurt to replace them anyway)

omg.. i finally got this stupid tortion spring for the pawl back in.. my god was that a nightmare i dont want to have over again.. anyway, im trying to figure out where this one spring goes.. it looks like.. its very fine, maybe inch and a half long.. i believe it belongs to the brake plate somewhere?.. also, i did come across one piece that needs to be replaced.. the drag washer, looks like some sort of a felt material.. anyway, its too badly torn up and will need to be replaced.. do i need an original part here or would a felt washer do?

anyone know a list of mods that could be good for this reel?

well ive completely torn this reel down and i have completely cleaned every nook and cranny from the 40 year old grease.. the gears all look to be in pristine condition, main gear looks to be stainless steel or something, a magnet will actually stick to it.. .. im going to finish assembling it tomorrow with some fresh grease and oil.. replace the bearings in the very near future, and look into options for refinishing the side plates... any idea on whether this can be converted to instant anti-reverse or not?

so in another thread i mentioned this reel i got at an auction for $4.. its an abu garcia ambassadeur 6600C, on the foot it looks like one of the letters is missing but it looks like (7_0200).. does anyone know what year these particular reels were made ,and whether or not i should rebuild it?.. it feels a little rough, so it could use new bearings.. a little scuffed so i was thinking of polishing up some of the parts, maybe even re-annodize the size plates.. also, it would appear theres no instant anti-reverse.. im wondering if it would be possible to upgrade it to that feature?

but does this mean you have to go to spinning gear?.. light lures typically catch light fish and a spincast is well capable of casting the small stuff and bringing in panfish, even seen people bring in large cats with spincasting reels.. plus they have roughly the same balance as a baitcast and you can use your thumb to drop the spool same as on a baitcaster to drop the lure right where you want it... plus you dont need any new rods.. so baitcaster for 90% of my fishing and a spincast for the other 10%