Hi guys, ordered a new shimano curado 201 I HG about a week ago.  Im one of those guys that use both right and left hand retrieve reels, but only had 1 lefty, and 5 or 6 rightys, so decided to order another lefty.  Depending on what Im using it for, I prefer one over the other.  Anyways, upon receiving my new reel, it was actually a mistake from the online store I bought it from, and they accidentially gave me a right hand retrieve 200 I.  I tested it out a little right out of the box, and it was real nice and smooth.  Contacted them, and sent it back.  Upon receiving my lefty reel today, it is not nearly as smooth as the other.  It kinda seems a little geary?  I tried adjusting the brakes, svs brakes, drag, tension knob, still the same.  Not sure what the difference is, but you can hear it audibly if you listen closely, and feel it slightly at the handle, especially if you reel a little faster. I should have kept the righty, reeled like butter!   Anyone else noticed this, or if it got better after a little use, or did I get a lemon? 

I have had a couple reels that felt "geary" out of the box. Not bad enough to cause me to take it back but also not 100% smooth. I thought they might smooth out also.

I still have and use both of them. They never did wear in but they didn't wear out either. Both of them are close to 5 years old now.

None of my Curado's ever felt geary out of the box. All i did with mine is flush the bearings and fish them. If yours is geary talk to DVT and see what the deal is. If not send it back.

Mine came with a bit of a hissing noise out of the box. Hoping it smooths itself out. I've had reels do this before that smoothed themselves out.

It has been my experience that every now and then you get one like this.  A set of imperfect gears is the blame.  As has been mentioned, they are normally good enough to work fine.  It is the problem with all makers.  I one time had the KMart set out every 5500C3 they had and they all felt slightly different.  I took the smoothest one. 

 

Two choices will solve it if you decide not to live with it.

 

1. Send the reel back.

 

2.  Put a new set of gears in it.

 

One time I bought a set of Calcutta gears.  I saw a tiny nick.   Sure enough, every time the real revolved to that area, it made a thump that I could feel.   The tackle store probably dropped it, or it could have been like that from the factory.  I held a Curado at BPS, and I could feel a set of bad gears.

 

Every single reel is slightly different even if the same make and model.  Makes for poor online shopping.  

You got a lemon

Everyone's definition of "smooth " is different. The Curado is a quality reel but no Core or Chronarch. Most of the ones I've seen are pretty over greased but once cleaned out a little more mechanical in feel.

I started a thread similar to this on a new curado I as well. It seems the grease issue is common. rip out the bearings, get out the grease that shouldn't be there in the first place, relube the bearings and spool shaft properly with oil and you, as I and others were, may be amazed! Read that little blurp on the yellow piece of paper in the box also.

I know the gearly feel you're talking about. My Curado G felt that way, but it did go away once I spooled it. I wonder if the nature of an unweighted/lightly weighted spool had something to do with it? Might try spooling it. 

 

I just got a new Curado 201 and it feels MUCH smoother than my Curado out of the box. 

 

It's your call. 

That's right. I forgot to mention that. Lots of times if you pull the spool and turn the crank they'll feel buttery. Install the spool and you can feel and hear it turn. This isn't a problem, just lets you rule out gear noise. 

If you're not happy with it, just exchange it. Every company, no matter how good the reputation is bound to have a few with problems roll off the production line from time to time.

  Thanks guys for all your advice.  Ill try spooling it up and see if it makes a difference first, then go from there.