Hey guys. Im in the market for a swimbait reel and have decided on a shimano cardiff 300. Im pairing it to an okuma guide select a series swimbait rod.  Ill be throwing baits up to around 5oz (basically 8" hudds/savage gear etc). My question is, can a cardiff be rebuilt to a better than new condition? At what point is buying new a better decision? I came across an ad on another forum where a member is selling a cardiff 300 for 45. Says it could use new bearings, good condition. So would i be better off buying that and sending it in to get serviced (add/upgrade break washers etc) or look for a new one around $100. Im not sure how much used would end up costing. Possibly under $100 fully serviced. What are your opinions? Thanks in advance. 

@Delaware Valley Tackle here's you best answer ?

Email me and I'll quote you prices including 10%off labor as a BassResource.com member. 

I've got the same setup, is it the H or HX rod?

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

I've got the same setup, is it the H or HX rod?

Xh. I took the rod out of the tube to check it over when it came in and i am very impressed. Feels really nice. I dont have any high(er) end rods to compare as my other 2 set ups are cheap abu and lews combos. Is yours h or xh?

 

@delawarevalleytackle....email coming your way!

 

2 hours ago, BassB8Caster said:

Xh. I took the rod out of the tube to check it over when it came in and i am very impressed. Feels really nice. I dont have any high(er) end rods to compare as my other 2 set ups are cheap abu and lews combos. Is yours h or xh?

 

Mine is a H. I was actually going to tell you to get the XH if you want to toss those 5oz baits so good choice. I don't like going over 4oz on my H, and I hear the XH and XXH models are faster action than the H model. I've had it a couple years and like mine, but I use it for mostly treble hook swimbaits like slammers and gantarels because it's more on the moderate side. 

11 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

Mine is a H. I was actually going to tell you to get the XH if you want to toss those 5oz baits so good choice. I don't like going over 4oz on my H, and I hear the XH and XXH models are faster action than the H model. I've had it a couple years and like mine, but I use it for mostly treble hook swimbaits like slammers and gantarels because it's more on the moderate side. 

I know there is no one perfect rod to realistically throw 2 to 8 oz baits. But just getting into bigger swimbaits i felt this was the perfect rod to get into swimbaits. I have been throwing 5.8 keitechs, 6" SG line thru trout, and my bbz40 rat just fine on my mh rods. My only real concern will be those baits that are 2 to 3oz as the rod may be a little stiff to cast those accurately. My strategy now (i wish i would have done this before spending money on iffy swimbaits) is to pick up a 68 special and 8" hudds as well as a gantarel/sg/mattlures gill and eventually a 9" slammer and learn those. Kinda why i created this thread. If i can grab a used reel and fix/service it for less than a new one, that $ can go towards one of those baits. 

Stock bearing shouldn't cost you much along with carbontex drag washer less than 30 maybe? I'm not sure if more expensive bearing like boca bearing would help you much at all for this type of lure. The Cardiff is one of easier reel to maintenance but if you are not used to open the reel, DVL should be able to help you and determine what need to be replaced, you might not need new bearings at all.

8" Hudds fish heavier then 4+oz they weigh when wet.

New Cardiff comes with a warranty and you can return it, used it's yours.

Tom

1 hour ago, WRB said:

8" Hudds fish heavier then 4+oz they weigh when wet.

New Cardiff comes with a warranty and you can return it, used it's yours.

Tom

Good to know. I would think the xh will still handle those no problem.  Okuma says lure size 2 to 10 oz. I agree with your statement above re new vs used. I talked to mike at dvt and im going to be close to a new price once i add everything up (give or take not knowing exactly what the reel may need). I have seen people bring up washers when talking about the cardiff. Are they something i could do down the road or should they really be done once i got the reel? Im in Maine so im not hunting dd bass, although i may find one. I would assume warranty goes out the window once i open the reel up. So is it a good reel out of the box? Thanks again everyone!

XL swimbait bait rod should be good.

The Cardiff is a well made reel and it's hours of casting heavier lures that wears gears, level wind parts and bearings. If you back off the drag after each outing and reset it when fishing the drag washers will last years of use.

Tom

Thanks Tom. So i would be good fishing a new cardiff out of the box for a year or so then consider sending it in for service / upgrades. I also dont fish every week (unfortunately) so i wont be wearing her out fast. Thanks again

Go new. If you don't know the condition of the internals of the reel, just pass if you aren't ready or capable of tearing it down completely. Gears and other small parts could be bad and you'll be into it for more than you paid quicker than you think.

3 hours ago, iabass8 said:

Go new. If you don't know the condition of the internals of the reel, just pass if you aren't ready or capable of tearing it down completely. Gears and other small parts could be bad and you'll be into it for more than you paid quicker than you think.

Thats pretty much my thoughts. Just servicing the reel and upgrading the bearings and washers puts me close to new without adding in shipping and any parts. For what im going to do a new cardiff will work fine

12 hours ago, BassB8Caster said:

Thats pretty much my thoughts. Just servicing the reel and upgrading the bearings and washers puts me close to new without adding in shipping and any parts. For what im going to do a new cardiff will work fine

I was going to suggest this. Once you buy the reel, pay for servicing it and shipping it around the country... You might have just as well bought a new one. These are fairly cheap reels. 

If it were a more expensive reel( like a Calcutta or conquest) than I would think differently. 

10 minutes ago, Poolshark said:

I was going to suggest this. Once you buy the reel, pay for servicing it and shipping it around the country... You might have just as well bought a new one. These are fairly cheap reels. 

If it were a more expensive reel( like a Calcutta or conquest) than I would think differently. 

 

Cardiff & Calcutta are basically the same reel...one die cast & other cold forged.

 

Send the reel to Delaware Valley & not only will you have a new reel but an upgraded one.