If paired with the correct rod, can the Sol take the place of a spining setup, if I don't plan on throwing anything under 1/8oz - 3/16oz? I just don't like the feel of my spinning setup anymore and was considering getting the Sol and pairing it with a 2 power Loomis or Dobyns mostly for shallow cranking, light topwaters, and jerk baits. What do you guys think? Might I be better served with a different reel?

Yes, that is exactly how I use mine.  It's paired with a carrot stix gold.  It's one of my favorite setups.

I think it depends on the characteristics of the lure you are using.   I have a Sol on a Crucial crankbait rod that will launch a 3/16 topwater or crank great, a 1/8 spoon like a missle.   But a weightless trick worm on a 3/0 hook only so so.  Especially with the finicky mag brakes.  I feel safer doing it with ,my curado 100d and loosing a little distance.  Better yet it was a great excuse for getting a Stradic CI4 and cumara.  It all has to do with wind resistance.

Why haven't some of the reels that cast light lures (sol, pixy, even Pro Lite) come with a higher speed retrieve ratio?

I'd love to have a 7.1 Sol or Pro Lite

I agree that many people would like to see a higher gear ratio in finess reels. But actually the 5.8:1 ratio or ~23 IPT of the Sol would be just about perfect for my indended uses. Maybe it has to do with the limited torque in the higher gear ratios. May not be suited for the smaller finess reels where the lower gear ratio helps in fish fighting power. Don't know for sure, just a thought.

Sorry - can't spell....that's "finesse"

If paired with the correct rod

And the right line.

I don 't have a Sol, other than the color and some diferences in the gear material the reel casts exactly like the Alphas Type F ( friend of mine has a Sol, I 've fished with it and can compare it to the Alphas ). For the reel to perform you not only need to pair to the right rod but also to spool the right right line and it can do a lot of things it won 't do if you don 't spool the right line. 6-8 lbs test Yozuri Hybrid or P-Line CXX is what you want in that reel.

As for the braking, the braking system in that reel is Magforce V and it 's very precise, it allows you to make minute adjustments to obtain the max casting distance possible with light lures, but it can be tricky if you are not used to it, you need to parctice or it will be backlash roller coaster ride.

Raul,

The line that I had in mind was 8lb CXX. Thought I might try some CX premium too in a comparable diameter. As for the rod, how do you think a 2 power Loomis/Dobyns will pair with the Sol for these applications?

8lb is perfect for the Sol.  I have two, both on Fenwicks.  One on a HMG 6'6" medium/mediun-fast, and one on a HMG 6'6" medium/fast.  I use 8lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid on both.  I use them for very light plastics, light jigs, etc.  Also use them for light topwaters, small cranks, etc. 

Raul,

The line that I had in mind was 8lb CXX. Thought I might try some CX premium too in a comparable diameter. As for the rod, how do you think a 2 power Loomis/Dobyns will pair with the Sol for these applications?

Stay with 8 CXX or Hybrid, you don 't need more, CX is not as tough as CXX or Hybrid ( I know it from experience ). I can 't say anything about Dobyns rods, have never held one so I don 't know how they behave. What I can say is that I have a couple 2 power trigger GLoomis rods ( CR722GL2 and CR722IMX ) and they do a great job for fishing down to 1/16 oz baits, plus it adds to the fun. You can fish not only the baits you have in mind but also soft plastics, it 's  a matter of:

1.- adjusting your rigging techniques for soft plastics ( like skin hooking or texposing instead of just burying the hook into the bait )

2.- using razor sharp hooks

3.- Not setting the hook the way you are used to, lift the rod and reel in the slack until you feel the fish and then maintain the pressure, let the fish do the job of hooking itself.

Does anyone know the weight of the Sol's spool?

.575oz for the whole spool assembly