abu garcia or shimano??????

I use both. For jigs and anything that needs a good hook set I use the Revo STX because the drag system is the best. I've lost a lot of fish after using Curado's on long casts and the drag slipped during hook set. I use the Curados for baits that I want to cast the farthest because they are more forgiving when you really wing it and don't tend to backlash as easy as the Revo. If you start with the Abu Revo, you can get real good with casting with less effort. So I guess it depends on what type of bait you are going to do most of your fishing with..

I guess based on the things written here, I guess I've never had a "good" reel.(lol)I have had lower/mid range Abu-G and Shimanos and I still do. All lefties, of course. Round Ambassadeurs, old Bantam Black Magnums...and loved them all. Now I use Revos(lower end) and more recent round Abu-G. This will be the first year in many that I have fished a lot as I am planning to join a club...we'll see how the equipment holds up versus several yrs ago.

Seems like I read in a post last year that Abu-Garcia had some sort of "trade-up" deal where you could trade older Abu-G reels in toward higher end Abu reels or maybe it was trading toward a Revo. Wish I had askd a few more questions but maybe it's better late than never. Of course maybe it's too late. Does anyone remember reading this besides me? Anyone? Anyone?

[QUOTE=ToolMan184;478312]I personally dont want to support the CHINA economy. So, I would buy an Ardent since all other reels are manufactured in China or Korea.[/QUOTE] My model 2009 Revo ,STX /HS says under the reel foot is made in Korea ,and I tell you I can feel the diference in the drag between my Johnny Morris signature series II and my Pflueger president the Revo winds hands down and also palms the best ,sorry though I still think the Morriss is smoother and casts smaller lures more accuratley ,keep in mind however this is not the one with the infi spool II with Centifugal pins

[QUOTE=ToolMan184;478312]I personally dont want to support the CHINA economy. So, I would buy an Ardent since all other reels are manufactured in China or Korea.[/QUOTE] My model 2009 Revo ,STX /HS says under the reel foot is made in Korea ,and I tell you I can feel the diference in the drag between my Johnny Morris signature series II and my Pflueger president the Revo wins hands down and also palms the best ,sorry though I still think the Morriss is smoother and casts smaller lures more accurately ,keep in mind however this 2009 Revo is not the new one with the infi spool II with Centifugal pins

But do you like the Brass Gears vs the Aluminum die cut gears? I would think that the Brass Gears would wear better than the aluminum gears.[/QUOTE] Ater working in the aerospace industry as a structures mechanic and a a little machinest work I believe the brass gears will hold up a lot longer than even the hardest aluminum say as 7075 tempered to a t-6 condition,brass may be heavier but it is much more durable over aluminum!

[QUOTE=bassakwards;478569]But do you like the Brass Gears vs the Aluminum die cut gears? I would think that the Brass Gears would wear better than the aluminum gears.[/QUOTE] Ater working in the aerospace industry as a structures mechanic and a a little machinest work I believe the brass gears will hold up a lot longer than even the hardest aluminum say as 7075 tempered to a t-6 condition,brass may be heavier but it is much more durable over aluminum![/QUOTE]


That's exactly what I was thinking. Aluminum wears down quicker and it's probably cheaper to use too.

I laught at some of the marketing ploys such as saying that they put some type of Ti covering on the aluminum or other metals.

Most of the reels are machined out of aluminum or magnesium these days. The later is stronger right?

Magnesium is about 20% stronger than 6061-T-6 aluminum and also lighter.

magnesium is about 20 -40% lighter and stronger than aluminum

They are both really good. Lots of pros use both and do very good. I go with Shimano because thats what I started out with, I win alot of shimano products in tournaments, and they have performed well for me.

But I am sure I would be OK if I just used Garcia.

I had a shimano a few months didn't like the feel of it. smooth but just didn't feel right to me so I took it back for a quantum Kvd reel wich I use for Crankbaits and like a lot but my last two reels I bought was the abu Garcia revo sx. I love these reels like the way they feel in my hands and how smooth they are.

[QUOTE=smuckey41;478971]I had a shimano a few months didn't like the feel of it. smooth but just didn't feel right to me so I took it back for a quantum Kvd reel wich I use for Crankbaits and like a lot but my last two reels I bought was the abu Garcia revo sx. I love these reels like the way they feel in my hands and how smooth they are.[/QUOTE] Just curious which Revo Stx did you get ,was te older model with only spool tensioner and magnetic brake or did your have the new Infini spoolII with the new cetrifugal brake? If it was how well did the new centrifugal brake work? I only ask as I have the first generation STX without the Centrifugal brake ,I love the way it palms and the dag is awsome I just find my Johnny Morris Elite series II with the centifugal brake make a huge diffrence ,however that bieng said I wish I could afford the new STX with centrifugal brake !

[QUOTE=bassakwards;479131]Just curious which Revo Stx did you get ,was te older model with only spool tensioner and magnetic brake or did your have the new Infini spoolII with the new cetrifugal brake? If it was how well did the new centrifugal brake work? I only ask as I have the first generation STX without the Centrifugal brake ,I love the way it palms and the dag is awsome I just find my Johnny Morris Elite series II with the centifugal brake make a huge diffrence ,however that bieng said I wish I could afford the new STX with centrifugal brake ![/QUOTE]

I have the sx with the magnetic braking not the stx the black reel and it is smooth as silk all the way around from the drag to the retrieve. Love this reel I now have two of them.