Anybody have any  Japanese Shimano reels? Are they actually better made than the export reels? See: http://www.japantackle.com/Shimano/shimano_casting.htm

Seems like there is a lot more Japanese high end equipment out there.

JDM > Just about everything else...

I have a Metanium and Scorpion that seem about

the same as their domestic counterparts to me.

Merry Christmas!

I wonder if some of our gear is as coveted over there and are they willing to pay big $$$ to get it ?

I have a Scorpion Quickfire and Castaic.  I do see a difference.

Not much of a difference, save for the fact that the JDM market usually gets reels and rod before we do.

I've had some JDM Steez rods for a couple years that still aren't available here.  Also my JDM Aldebaran came out last year,  the Core 50 is just now available here.

Some are practically identical ( cosmetic differences ), others are different.

For example:

Old Scorpion 1000 vs Curado 100B --> different

Old Curado 200 B vs nobody

Old Curado 200 B5 vs nobody

Old Curado 200 B38 vs nobody

Old Curado 200 BSF vs Scorpion 1500 --> cosmetic differences

Old Chronarch 100 vs nobody

Old Chronarch BSF vs old Metanium XT --> cosmetic differences

Old Chronarch 100 Mg vs old Metanium Mg --> cosmetic differences

Calais 100 A vs Antares --> identical except fot the fact that the Antares AR is available in lefty also.

And so on.

I have most of the Shimano JDM low profile reels. I use the left handed versions & most of the export versions are right handed. As Raul & Redlinerobert said there is not much difference. The last 7 or 8 I have purchased have been the export ones. The Calais 201 A & Calais 201 DC. I will not buy another Shimano JDM reel until the dollar gets much stronger.