bulldog1935

'19 SLPW Ryoga included gear upgrade to hyperdrive. There's one Yahoo seller with remaining new stock of these reels, lists another every few weeks, and they BIN within 1 day. The gears in my '18 Ryoga can be upgraded to hyperdrive gears from '21 Basara, with 7.3-gears available. (this is SLPW Zillion)

I was on Yahoo, it just jumped out and bit me. I don't understand why Ryoga isn't Daiwa's most popular reel - to me, this palms better than any LP reel - maybe it's long fingers.

I measured 10% different light-end cast-distance results between Daiwa stock microbearings and Roro, but that's cool.

I've had no troubles with hybrid-ceramic ABEC-7 from HPR Bearings. He has an ebay store and a website. If you contact him, he can put a full bearing kit together for you. If you need to measure indivdual bearings, digital calipers are really handy to measure shaft diameter, and bearing O.D. and thickness. Spool bearings are individual casting niche. I like unshielded and microbearings so I can pick my own oil, but here also, I'll go to a different source for micro spool bearings, e.g., Roro, KTF, Hedgehog.

Amazon has 5-geared Zillion, R or L https://www.amazon.com/Daiwa-Gillion-1000XH-Right-Handle/dp/B08NP21Q2D/ref=asc_df_B08NNZ2VT1

well you just returned to block - I won't read your crap again. Would that you were man enough to say you to my face. When people ask for a recommendation, may offer one on topic if I have one. By definition, offering unsolicited advice defines control freak, dumb control freak is nutso. There's a big difference between making a positive contribution on the forum and randomly trolling with a negative opinion, such as the premise of this thread OP.

why would other people's money or interests matter to you

only Ambassadeur S was made in China From years of tuning these for wide range, BFS to surf, my very favorite result is '77 4500C and I have a gang of fun variations

Yes, I've used four '19 Stradic in the salt 5 years, small-frame salt finesse to large-frame near offshore, and especially salt kayak. The small frames are making an annual salt finesse trip next week. X-protect labyrinth seals is what makes them salt-proof. The seal design slings water outward, away from the reel mechanism. As long as you're using the reel, there's no way for water to get inside. They're not completely rubber-sealed, so they can't be dunked and left submerged - then, salt water will get through the seals and inside. But even accidentally dunked, as long as you pick it up and use it, salt water can't get inside. Make sure you have a rod holder on your kayak that keeps the idle reel elevated above standing water in your kayak cockpit. Believe me, you'd rather use these reels than a rubber-sealed surf reel such as Van Staal or IRT.

My Twin Power began that way, and now it's the smoothest and quietest reel I own - a total jewel from finesse to beast. I think it most likely has to do with the X-protect labyrinth seals wearing in. @PBBrandon How did I quiet it? I went fishing. Yes, it was annoying at first. I though it was related to rotor/spool. I removed the spool, it did the exact thing with no spool. That's the labyrinth seal that keeps salt water out of the rotor bearing and complex (Stella) A/R roller bearing. The seal is made to move water outward - away from those bearings. I'm glad it's there - Revros doesn't have one.

I have a not-very-old reel on a new rod - together it's a SeaBeast finesse combo, and gets its first use in 9 days. @Eric 26 told me he liked my photos. Evergreen calls this 9'1" finesse rod - The Sweep Master - 1/32 to 5/8 oz. The reel is my C3000MHG Twin Power wearing a shallower Vanquish C3000S spool for PE#0.6 Planning to fish this longer rod on 4' dropper rig, letting me fish my Yamaga Blanks 8'3" TZ Nano/ Vanquish C2000S combo where it shines - tandem 2" swim shad. While I always prefer using baitcaster with anything but these complex rigs, and I always say spinning tackle are utensils, my two most expensive (contemporary) rods are both spinners.

this thread has a very simple answer, the math of which has been ignored by everyone who says there's no difference between Japan and offshore assembly line. The offshore assembly line worker is graded on his production quota. He spends less time sorting parts and more time pushing out assembled reels. The Japan bench worker is graded on his perfection - he grades himself on his perfection. He spends more time on each reel, sorting and matching parts for improved function. If there's 5% rejection on the same manufactured parts, it's the Japanese worker who's going to reject the entire 5% and not put them in a reel. The offshore assembly line worker is going to reject fewer of those parts, and more of them are going to end up in a reel.

When you find someone who thinks like you do, you tend to trust them. What I like about TackleAdvisors, he goes inside the reel, tells you what design features may come up short in a niche you want to fish, that may not matter somewhere else. He gives all makers both their dues and licks. He sold me both on his smarts and on Stradic when he compared Stradic FL to Shimano Sustain built on the '13 Stella platform, along with current Exist, and decided Stradic was "The Best $400 Reel You Can Buy." I've fished through spinning reels since high school, and know how they come up short and die. His last "$100 Spinning Reel Shoot Out" affected Shimano enough to make them add a Main Bearing to Nasci. It's also noteworthy that Shimano didn't change much with '22 Stella series - all they did was push their design harder with a slightly longer spindle - they knew they had over-designed '18 Stella Empirical, a nuts and bolts engineer, I've never been impressionable from OP's opinion or feely dialogue, nor entertained by OP's fishing. Like others here, I also don't enjoy giving my time over to OP.

I'm a life-long fly fisherman, and most of that time on the BOD of the largest Trout Unlimited chapter that's also its own state council (3rd largest business unit in TU). I don't go to video nights, though like idea of general meetings in brew pubs. I run Trout in the Classroom for Texas, and yesterday completed my most stressful chore of the year, delivering 10,000 live trout eggs to 32 schools - with help. Of course the teachers and students are the best thing about this, but 2nd best, busy overlap gives me a bye from serving on committees for Troutfest annual expo. I may make a guest appearance at the expo to see friends, but generally, I hate being monopolized with boorish amateur entomology. The one youtube fishing I like is my friend Glenn, because he's most manly fisherman I know.

I always check take-down (bearing swap, etc) youtubes before delving into a new reel model - identify hints and tools needed beforehand. OK, I scroll through them to find what I want to find. The only guy who makes sense to me for design and niche evaluations is TackleAdvisors, who intentionall doesn't shill. His extensive take-down evaluations are 5-star. https://www.youtube.com/c/TackleAdvisors As far as buying everything, I don't work that way, e.g., all my Daiwas swap the same spools.

all-time weakeast US$ to strongest JY was 2011-12: JY78 to US$ We've never seen over JY125 to US$ before the current decade. While we're currently in the "30% off sale", inflation is bad in Japan, and you'll see stiff price increases with new model introduction. Another reason to get new-stock '21 Zillion and '22 HD before they get replaced. Using Isuzu bench reel e.g., which every reel is a limited batch sold by lottery, and about four models/year, previous IAR model Chimera (Megabass Pagani) sold for JY48,950 in 2020. The most recent IAR model, BC440, sold for JY82,800.

https://www.amazon.com/Daiwa-Baitcasting-Reel-Gillion-1000XHL/dp/B09LQYDJW7/ref=sr_1_3 Prime eats the shipping charge. https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/DAIWA-Baitcasting-Reel-Zillion-1000XHL/dp/B09LQYDJW7/ref=sr_1_1 same listing on amazon.jp, shows good broker-shipping cost, JY3620 (shipping container full of amazon goods, switches to FedEx ground from LAX)

@Craig P it's one heck of a marketing illusion for both Shimano and Amazon. A business decision that sells more Shimano and gets better wholesale price for Amazon. The items link to a mix of Amazon warehouse and widespread Shimano vendors - the reason they show different delivery dates, and some items don't have prime free shipping. Checking braid in The Varivas Store, there's a mix of tomorrow delivery from Amazon local warehouse, mail from Varivas USA distributor, and broker shipping from Japan, reflected in the prices and delivery times. This becomes really obvious if you check Meiho. Great price on the world's greatest tackle box, but $59 to ship from Japan. But in this exercise, I found an $8 Meiho 800ND lure box delivered tomorrow - snagged it at Japan price. I have a stack of new lures that need packing for fishing trip coming up in a week. When I contacted Tica USA about spare spool for a reel I bought on Amazon, they explained it to me - no, they buy their own inventory and we don't necessarily stock or support the same reel models here My incorrect assumption had been that Tica USA was mailing out amazon orders. (found my spool in New Zealand along with a fat order of Daiwa Color Project closeout parts)

Well, I bought an SLP Works Zillion from Amazon, and it didn't come with a spool, and it didn't come with a handle ...... oh yeah........ that's why I bought it. I'm the guy who always puts Amazon links on the forum when we're talking JDM prices. Especially with "Prime free shipping" buying Amazon is kind of a no-brainer. Buying from Amazon, you can also return it locally. https://www.amazon.com/Daiwa-Gillion-1000L-Handle-Model/dp/B08NP1WDHM/ref=asc_df_B08NP1WDHM I've been buying in Japan since 2005, when google beta-translate Japanese didn't work, and you had to buy using a broker so the seller could get paid (Japan banking laws), he knows the language, and because you needed the broker for shipping. Buying direct from Japan is a very new thing. I still use my broker to buy from Yahoo, Rakuten, and the 99% rest of Japan, who don't care about our market or language. I have both US Prime account and amazon.jp account. If it comes from Amazon warehouse, you get the prime free shipping (or amazon.jp broker shipping rate) - if shipping is priced crazy, it doesn't. When I buy Japanese from Amazon, I will put the same item in both carts and check the total - usually it doesn't matter, and buying through Prime is the best price. If you don't have a Prime membership, buying a one-month Prime membership is cheaper than express shipping from Japan. Plus buying from US Amazon gives you the local return option, though we've talked before about JDM warranty and seppuku. amazon in general - it's amazing what you can get delivered tomorrow with free shipping - tools, fasteners, garbage disposal, oven heater coil, car parts, lures, hooks - in many cases, the prices are cheaper than retail stores - and they do the driving. Kinda the point of internet shopping - shop around - but paying USPS/UPS/FedEx on individual purchases adds up to the prime membership.* @Craig P - that's not exactly the case - it's sold by Amazon, and they get a better wholesale deal by making it look like Shimano, Daiwa has an "Amazon store" * last night I bought Cajun Thunder cigar corks and Owner hooks from Amazon - $25 compared to $40 mailed from Roy's Bait & Tackle .

The way to become sure is try a Vanquish and Conquest. The Malaysia factory puts out a great design. Japan bench adds technician skill, personal interest, and a touch of cultural perfectionism to the great design. You can make an analogy with union shops vs. offshore manufacturing.

I think it is normal to talk to your friends about new niche-specific gear, especially when you're all fishing the same niche that requires specialized gear. Here's why I bought it, and why it will improve light reach, catch rate, etc. First time I loaned XUL rockfish rod to my buddy Lou and his wife, he went inside and ordered himself one that evening - ok, his excuse was ordering for her.

fish tacos

https://pressroom.toyota.com/facility/toyota-motor-manufacturing-texas/ We're 130 mi from Mexico... But all Japanese car makers have major US plants.

Toyota trucks are made in San Antonio.

Easy - low-angle morning and late-afternoon light transmits through the bait and illuminates fish guts. Z-man minnow Z colors, reflected light/ transmitted light In the middle is Mood Ring, which reflects mullet blue sheen and transmits mullet guts.