I found this reel on ebay and Amazon for around $100. When looking on other sites though the modern Excense is around $600. I can't imagine an older model of the Exsence being $500 cheaper which leads me to believe these are 2 different reels. Can someone school me because this seems like a crazy deal at first glance.

If you need a reel and want a recommendation, add $45 to the ante and buy new JDM Stradic.  My '19 Stradics are still fishing hard, and my friends' '23's are doing the same.  

If you want the dressed-up and magnesium-body Excense, it will be a different-color Stella body with downgraded drive.  

Value for a used reel is set when what someone is willing to pay overlaps with what the owner is willing to let it go.  

If his reel is coming from the salt, you may not want it.  

16 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

If you need a reel and want a recommendation, add $45 to the ante and buy new JDM Stradic.  My '19 Stradics are still fishing hard, and my friends' '23's are doing the same.  

If you want the dressed-up and magnesium-body Excense, it will be a different-color Stella body with downgraded drive.  

Value for a used reel is set when what someone is willing to pay overlaps with what the owner is willing to let it go.  

If his reel is coming from the salt, you may not want it.  

It's not used it's new. And might go the stradic route. I'm not sure yet. I just want to clarify the differences between the Exsence I'm looking at versus the $600 one

If it's a reliable shop closing it out, in preparation for the '24, I would definitely snag that.  

In addition to lighter, same drive as Stradic w/ more BB, titanium bail and magnesium body and rotor, the reel is finished on a Japan bench instead of Malaysia assy line.  

I agree with you and am watching closely.  There is no way its the same reel at 85% off.

Digging into Shimano.jp and translating through google, they are different reels.  There are 3 JDM 'excenses'.  The high end one is the A.  There is a mid range that I skipped over.  Then there is the BB.  The basic specs (line capacity, gear ration, drag force, etc) are the same between them.  The A is lighter because its CI4 (which the new 2024 excense BB seems to be getting).  The A is 11 ball bearings vs 6 on the BB.  Both have silent drive, x-ship, and micromodule gearing as well as a bunch of other shimano technologies.  I can't speak to the innards, but the BB looks like a really solid reel.

20 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Digging into Shimano.jp and translating through google, they are different reels.  There are 3 JDM 'excenses'.  The high end one is the A.  There is a mid range that I skipped over.  Then there is the BB.  The basic specs (line capacity, gear ration, drag force, etc) are the same between them.  The A is lighter because its CI4 (which the new 2024 excense BB seems to be getting).  The A is 11 ball bearings vs 6 on the BB.  Both have silent drive, x-ship, and micromodule gearing as well as a bunch of other shimano technologies.  I can't speak to the innards, but the BB looks like a really solid reel.

You're a hero man. Think I'll pull the trigger on it.

I picked up a stradic 3k this spring when TW cleared them for the new models.  This reel has a lot of the same features so it will be interesting to compare.

BB is different. Reels look similar but different make up. One is $150 new and the other is $600. 

48 minutes ago, thunderblack said:

BB is different. Reels look similar but different make up. One is $150 new and the other is $600. 

Thank you!

There are three levels of excense:

1. Excense A: Top end all magnesium. Like a lighter stella

2. Excense Ci4+: Mid range, similar to USA vanford

3. Excense BB: Lower mid range. Made of XGT7, the older carbon/plastic used on the previous ultegra. I think it is otherwise similar to the ultegra as well. You can get a new excense BB from Japan for around $100. I think there is a new model coming, which I would guess will be similar to the new ultegra and made of Ci4+

2 hours ago, Peter Yawn said:

There are three levels of excense:

1. Excense A: Top end all magnesium. Like a lighter stella

2. Excense Ci4+: Mid range, similar to USA vanford

3. Excense BB: Lower mid range. Made of XGT7, the older carbon/plastic used on the previous ultegra. I think it is otherwise similar to the ultegra as well. You can get a new excense BB from Japan for around $100. I think there is a new model coming, which I would guess will be similar to the new ultegra and made of Ci4+

Ya I noticed a 2024 model BB came out, or is coming out. Haven't found them in stock anywhere though.

Well, we all make mistakes. I grabbed the BB from Amazon figuring if I didn’t like I I could send it back easily enough. I pulled it out this morning to compare. I haven’t fished it obviously. 
 

on first glance, it’s very similar to my Stradic- same size, angles, etc.  I bet some of the parts are interchangeable. That’s about where the similarities end. I paid $113 for it. For an extra $30, get a jdm stradic. 
 

I don’t know if it’s the matte finish on the metal but something about the reel feels cheap.  The bright parts on the outside are chromed plastic.  I don’t mind both of these things, but not if I’m paying practically stradic money. Reeling it with an empty spool it’s decently smooth, but my Sierra from the mid 90’s which has been abused is just as smooth. The bail is a little tight to flip with the reel handle, though I suspect it just needs to break in a little. For clarity, this is a Malaysia made reel, not Japan. 
 

all in I would probably give this reel a 5 or 6 out of 10. If I had paid $70 for it then I’d be happy and would keep it for my trout rod which I use only occasionally. For $110 I’m going to send it back.  You can do better at the same price point on a usdm miravel or Sahara I think and for $30 more that stradic just sings. 

3 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

Well, we all make mistakes. I grabbed the BB from Amazon figuring if I didn’t like I I could send it back easily enough. I pulled it out this morning to compare. I haven’t fished it obviously. 
 

on first glance, it’s very similar to my Stradic- same size, angles, etc.  I bet some of the parts are interchangeable. That’s about where the similarities end. I paid $113 for it. For an extra $30, get a jdm stradic. 
 

I don’t know if it’s the matte finish on the metal but something about the reel feels cheap.  The bright parts on the outside are chromed plastic.  I don’t mind both of these things, but not if I’m paying practically stradic money. Reeling it with an empty spool it’s decently smooth, but my Sierra from the mid 90’s which has been abused is just as smooth. The bail is a little tight to flip with the reel handle, though I suspect it just needs to break in a little. For clarity, this is a Malaysia made reel, not Japan. 
 

all in I would probably give this reel a 5 or 6 out of 10. If I had paid $70 for it then I’d be happy and would keep it for my trout rod which I use only occasionally. For $110 I’m going to send it back.  You can do better at the same price point on a usdm miravel or Sahara I think and for $30 more that stradic just sings. 

Thanks for the info. I was planning on waiting until the 2024 model drops but may just grab something different entirely. 

2 hours ago, Chaos10691 said:

Thanks for the info. I was planning on waiting until the 2024 model drops but may just grab something different entirely. 

just get the jdm stradic and be done with it. 

14 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

just get the jdm stradic and be done with it. 

Actually wound up going with the Ultegra lol. Same price as the Exsence but reviews and general feedback seem much better.