I just got a Daiwa SS Tournament 1300 that I want to pair with a Fenwick HMG 76ML for tubes and stuff for smallies and I just spooled the reel up with line.  However, the line lay seems to slightly congregate conically towards the back of the spool.  Is this normal for a reel of this age? (even though its new it debuted in 1987)  Did I do something incorrect.  In fact, I walked up the street unspooling the reel and then reeling it back to see if that would change and it seems to be the same way.  Any advice is helpful.  I will try and post a picture.  Thank you!

There are plastic shims under the spool.  Remove one, and it should lay correctly.

Plastic shims?  Are they put in there as standard?  I have never had to remove anything from any of my other spinning reels to get the line to lay correct.  Was this something Daiwa did specifically for these reels?

Almost all reel decent spinning reels have shims to adjust how the spool fills.  Line diameter, type, and manufacturing variances account for this.  Some companies provide a couple extra in the box with the reel.  Thinking about this more, this reel has what is known as a "long cast spool," and it is meant to stack higher to the base of the spool, which was meant to have the line come off the spool unimpeded during the cast .  If it's too much to the base, then removing a shim will shift the stack of line more toward the top of the spool.  However, if it's not leaving a gap at the top of the spool, just leave it - it's working as it should.

That is perfectly normal go fish and enjoy it. My wife and I have had ours since 1989. That is how that reel plays.  Now toss a grub on a light jig head and see how far that sucker goes!!!!  That was one of the first long cast spool designs and it flat out worked.  It also has that simple roller as a tool to flip the bail. Never a typical bail spring to wear out. Well designed.  We both still use ours for smallies.

The 1300 I have here is stacked pretty straight.  If I remember correctly, the 1600 I keep in Florida looks kind of like that.  Don't use it much, but no problems casting with it when I do.

Looking at the manual is does say that the spool as a 5 degree taper from the back to the front.  Not sure if that is the reason for the slight change in line lay.  If this is normal then that's all good.  I did cast it in the yard and boy oh boy does this reel cast well!  

2 hours ago, Big-Bass said:

 

This is how it should look.  Thanks Big Bass for putting it up.  I was afraid you were getting a "gap" at one end.  In that case, it calls for a shim adjustment.

 

Carry on!

I did take out one shim (one of the two white ones) and walked the line out of the spool then reeled it back in.  It did change it a little bit to a more balanced spool lay but I wonder if now that is it done, should I just put that shim back in?  Didn't realize it was that easy.  

If the line starts flying off the lip, put it back.  Otherwise, hang onto it, and fish!

You did the right thing taking one off. some time the set of shims vary in thickness for really precise adjustment. Shimano reels come with shims that vary in thickness. 

@Big-BassDid you pay retail for it? It looks sweet!

Slightly under retail...$92 shipped via Amazon (sold through Reed's Sporting Goods).  Ordered an HMG for it today.  I was test casting it on my ET Smallmouth rod.

Keep in mind the SS 1300 has one of the first Manuel operated bail, don't try to crank the it over. Next to the Cardinal 4 the drag is one of best for it's era and the pro's choice in the 90's.

Tom

Since the line is laying slightly better than I originally spooled it, should I take the spool off and add the shim back?  Could that have just been my error in spooling the line and not really the shims?  Are these shims meant to be removed as I can not find any info regarding it from Daiwa and wondered why Daiwa would add them if they weren't a necessity to the reel from the stock/standard point-of-view.  Please let me know.  I matched this reel with a Fenwick HMG 76ML and wow does it cast well!

58 minutes ago, Big-Bass said:

Since the line is laying slightly better than I originally spooled it, should I take the spool off and add the shim back?  Could that have just been my error in spooling the line and not really the shims?  Are these shims meant to be removed as I can not find any info regarding it from Daiwa and wondered why Daiwa would add them if they weren't a necessity to the reel from the stock/standard point-of-view.  Please let me know.  I matched this reel with a Fenwick HMG 76ML and wow does it cast well!

No, don't add the shim back. If you do then the line lay will go back to the way it was. 

 

Is the picture you posted before or after you removed the shim? Because that's how it should look on that reel, tapered towards the bottom of the spool. 

 

Edit: I don't remember my daiwa ss 1300s having spool shims, but I may be wrong. Was the shim you removed a single thick nylon washer? Or did it have multiple washers? If there's no washer there at all now you need to put the original one back on. 

That picture was taken with both shims on, stock, and that's why I asked the question...since the line lays a little more toward the back in the picture.  So, should I put that other shim back on since it was already initially spooled with two shims (as seen in the picture) as this is how it came right out of the box?  Thank you!

2 hours ago, Big-Bass said:

That picture was taken with both shims on, stock, and that's why I asked the question...since the line lays a little more toward the back in the picture.  So, should I put that other shim back on since it was already initially spooled with two shims (as seen in the picture) as this is how it came right out of the box?  Thank you!

Yes. If that's how it was spooled in the picture.