No, unfortunately. The only places I have been outside the US is Mexico and Canada. I have always wanted to get to Europe, New Zeeland and Australia, but time and finances have never permitted it. 

No, unfortunately. The only places I have been outside the US is Mexico and Canada. I have always wanted to get to Europe, New Zeeland and Australia, but time and finances have never permitted it. 

Welcome!  Some of us here still love Abus!  They make up the majority of my reels.  These ones are my favorites.

 

Every time I read this thread title my brain reads "41 year old virgin." ?

 

Welcome!

Welcome home! We're glad you're here.

I have had several ABU reels over the years (9000, 8600, 5600, 4600, 5000, Ultra Mag, Ultra Mag Plus XL, and still have a Royal Express [4600] and I think a two speed 9000 somewhere). Oh, and I do also have a more modern Pro Max 3 as well.

 

The ABU reals were fine reels in their time (except for the 1022 Plus, that thing was a major disappointment, especially considering what it cost), but modern low-profile reels from Japan are hard to beat out of the box. I know anglers like @redmeansdistortion and @bulldog1935 have some custom ABU round reels that are absolutely drool-worthy.

 

A dear friend that helped me get deep into bass fishing back in the 80's was off the deep end for ABU round reels. He had a chest of five drawers about three feet wide and all of the drawers were wall to wall ABU round reels from 1500c to 10000 CL, plus several rod racks of the wall of his garage that held matching sets of rods with ABU reels both casting and spinning. 

 

Of all the reel collecting groups I have come across, none are more fanatical than those that collect ABU round reels.

 

At any rate, welcome aboard and I am looking forward to you sharing some fishing content from your neck of the woods.

@Big Hands Thanks.  I've been working on my 4600C frogger reel today.  

I built this reel first around a 3-mm-deep AMO Ultracast spool, because it was inexpensive, and I wanted to try it.  Capacity was PE#1, 22-lb test.  I just doubled that capacity with an Avail 5-mm-deep UC braid spool, for PE#2, 45-lb YGK.  The 4600C frogger combo is on top - it has 4-pin centrifugal plus Avail mag brake, and will fish 1/8 to 1 oz completely backlash-proof.  

A spool swap takes a full ounce out of these reels.  

My favorite Ambassadeur tuning result is '77 4500C, using Avail AMB4530R-EF spool, full-silicon-nitride bearings, and PE#1.  Both of these will cast 3 g as far as the original spools would cast 3/8 oz.  Close-skipping combo in the middle has 2-pin centrifugal plus Avail mag. 

 

Finesse reel on the bottom combo has no centrifugal with Avail mag brake.  Note the 5-mm spools are easier to tune the mag brake.  On the 3-mm-deep spools, the individual magnets need to be turned inward to register mag on the tiny spool flange.  

I also like to shed weight, swapping in later alloy frames and aftermarket alloy handles and trim.  

 

With the aftermarket parts made for the small-frame Ambassadeur, you can get the weight down from 9 oz to 6 oz, and fish 1/16 oz.  

 

 

I also have a range of surf reels, NLW CT customs in 4500, 5500, and 6500, and barstock-frame 6500CS Rocket for surf lures

 

 

@Fjalen 41-y-o - you're still a puppy - that's when my younger daughter was born.  I'm currently 66, and rounding out my retirement fishing toys in 4 years.  

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

 

 

Sublime

Welcome from Kentucky!