Why is it that no reel feels smoother than a store display model Abu Black Max???

 

Maybe its only the case at the Academy I frequent but the display models feel unbelievably smooth to the point its made me wonder if changes are made to the display models to make them crank smoother. 

I don't know. I haven't used them since I first started fishing a decade ago, but I can't recall ever having a problem with them other than pitching with them made me miserable but that could be because I was newer to it.  But here's this:

 

 

was in an academy yesterday to pick up some zoom trick worms ... had some time to kill ... wandered over to the demo rack of at least 20 maybe 30 reels of various prices ... lews, abu, h20, pflueger,  and 13 fishing had some "budget" reels ... they were all smooth as silk ... 

 

there's no doubt today's budget reels have come a long way from the baitcasters i was using 20 years ago ...

 

good fishing ...

How many reels have you tried? It might smooth on display and crap out after a few uses. The smoothness when reeling with no line/load doesn’t mean a d**n thing. 
Try daiwa alphas SV that one of the smoothest reel, the bantam MGL is not even close.

I'm in the camp that you can accomplish everything just fine with an Abu Black Max.  Yeah, you can get more performance and ease of use with Magforce-Z with Daiwa or a DC system from Shimano, but you're never going to see 250 dollars worth of difference.

 

That's just my not humble opinion.

2 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

How many reels have you tried? It might smooth on display and crap out after a few uses. The smoothness when reeling with no line/load doesn’t mean a d**n thing. 
Try daiwa alphas SV that one of the smoothest reel, the bantam MGL is not even close.

Thats my point exactly. This budget reel manages to be smoother on display than say a Tatula. In operation it sure isnt smoother nor will it stay smooth longer. But what makes it smoother out the box? 

The black max is something of an anomaly in its price range. Typically, anything you can pick up for under $50 is going to be for the “fishes twice a year” crowd. I bought a black max on a whim 5 years or so ago and it stood up right next to my shimanos. The only reason I don’t have it now is because I gave it away last year to a kid who was getting into baitcasting.

 

As far as it being the “smoothest” reel, I don’t know about that. “Smoothness” as a descriptor/metric always kind of makes me go “meh”. Until they invent little, finger sized seismometers that can detect the amount of gear vibration present in a reel’s knobs, smoothness is always going to be subjective.

If you like how a reel feels to you playing with display models buy it!

If you still like the reel after fishing with it a year or so buy more.

Tom

1 hour ago, Hook2Jaw said:

I'm in the camp that you can accomplish everything just fine with an Abu Black Max.  Yeah, you can get more performance and ease of use with Magforce-Z with Daiwa or a DC system from Shimano, but you're never going to see 250 dollars worth of difference.

 

That's just my not humble opinion.

We are not debating cheap vs expensive reel, are we? I didn’t say Blackmax is bad just comment on smoothness of the reel on display which is still individual base on experiences? 
I caught a few on abandoned blackmax which my friend found after moved into a house. I cleaned up oil and grease and it is still work.

47 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Thats my point exactly. This budget reel manages to be smoother on display than say a Tatula. In operation it sure isnt smoother nor will it stay smooth longer. But what makes it smoother out the box? 

A lot of grease can make a reel smooth but not fluid smooth like the one with precision gear.

Well, if we're debating smoothness -- I've owned two Black Max and they're not as smooth as my Daiwa Fuego CTs or Tatula 100.

2 minutes ago, Hook2Jaw said:

Well, if we're debating smoothness -- I've owned two Black Max and they're not as smooth as my Daiwa Fuego CTs or Tatula 100.

And that is my point exactly, thank you.

2 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

And that is my point exactly, thank you.

You're very welcome. 

 

My comment was mainly aimed at the video that Glaucus posted.