An Inside Look At The Curado 201G7

[Fishwhittler]

One of the most controversial reels to be released in recent years, the Curado has gotten a lot of bad press.  Shimano claimed it was intended to put the Curado back at the Curado name's proper price point.  A lot of longtime Shimano fans called it a cheapened piece of junk, hardly fit to be given the Curado name.  My own opinion without using one was that it was probably a good reel, just not quite as good as the Curado/Chronarch E.  Just recently I was sent a Curado G to clean after it got dunked, and I took notes and pics while I was at it.  Here's what I found, along with some conclusions I drew therefrom.

 

Here's what the clutch looked like at first:

 

A few things taken out:

 

Obligatory drag-stack shot:

 

Brake case:

 

Handle shank:

 

Close-up of the drag key washer:

 

Now for the notes:

 

I went into this reel teardown hoping to be impressed, but I came away nonplussed.  The Curado G is solid, but I'd rate it below the Citica E in almost everything.

 

The fit and finish is not as smooth as the Citica E.  The palm-side plate can be tricky to slide into place—inspection of the frame showed that the holes the hinge shaft slides through don't fit as closely as they might, so there's some lateral play.  That's what causes the problems with closing the palm-side plate.  Once the side plate is in place the quick-access latch closes just fine.  The paint on the Citica E is also smoother and feels better.

 

If you look closely at the second pic from the top, you can see a small dark spot in the upper half of the hole the crankshaft bearing sits in.  That's actually a hole that's exposed from the outside when you remove the spool.  It won't affect performance, but it's another place where dirt can get inside the reel.  Apparently that's normal for these reels.  It's not really a problem, but I don't like it.

 

The drag is typical for Shimano.  The pic shows it before I cleaned it up; you can see the residue left by the dartanium drag washers.  I'm not a fan of dartanium because it leaves that residue and can even cause pitting in the gears if left untended.  Still, it's very smooth and provides good power.  As Shimano drags go this one is fine.

 

The brake case is plastic.  That's normal for the Citica E though the Citica D had a metal brake case, but the Curado/Chronarch E has a metal brake case.  You're probably not going to notice any difference in performance between the two, but I'm wondering more and more why this reel costs $30 more than the Citica G.

 

The handle has four bushings and so is upgradable with four bearings.  That's a definite improvement over the Curado/Chronarch 200E, which can have 2 handle bearings max in the stock handle.

 

Last pic:  The drag key washer's edges were not smooth.  This along with other things really made me feel as though the Curado G was not on the same level as the Citica E.  The finish on the components just wasn't as good; the AR ratchet and key washer had sharper edges than the ones in the E, and the grey plastic used in the clutch felt flimsier than the white nylon plastic used in the E-series.  I also noticed some machining marks on the drive gear, though the drag surfaces were smooth.

 

The side plates also seemed a little more flexible than the Citica E's side plates.

 

The only places I'd rate a stock Curado G over a stock Citica E were the handle knobs, the upgradable handle, and the crankshaft bearing.  The drag is also stronger thanks to increased surface area, but the Citica E's drive gear actually has the capability for a more powerful drag.  The drag washer diameter is bigger on the E though the G has more surface area stock.  A carbontex drag for the E-series will send the drag into orbit, and I'd recommend replacing any Shimano dartanium drag with carbontex due to dartanium's long-term problems.

 

I actually find the G's profile slightly more comfortable to palm than the E.  I find the E to be too flat when used with cutout reel seats, believe it or not.  My hands aren't particularly large, but I like a somewhat taller reel for use with ACS or Minima reel seats.  This is a personal preference issue, nothing else.

 

So, what does the Curado G offer over the Citica G to warrant the extra price?  Bigger knobs, one more bearing, a different spool…that's pretty much it.  The Citica G's handle has the capacity for four bearings just like the Curado G's handle.  

 

In my opinion the Curado doesn't warrant the extra $30.  The knobs are $10, a stainless steel crankshaft bearing is maybe $7, and the spool difference has debatable effect on casting.  The Citica E's casting is superb.  So is the Curado G, but not enough to make me want to spend $160.  You can find Citica G's for less than $100 if you look, and that's a much better buy.  You can spend the saved money on upgrades and end up with a reel that's better than a Curado G.

 

If you're in the market for a Shimano baitcaster, I'd go with the Citica G before the Curado G for the reasons outlined above.  Even better, if you look around you can probably find a Citica E for $85 or so.  

 

I would say the Citica E is a better reel than either G-series baitcaster.

 

Tight lines,

 

Ben

[fishking247]

i own a curado g and citica g and i actually prefer the citica over the curado

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The differences between the E series Curado and Citica were pretty much the same. Whether the subtle refinements make the Curado worth the extra $ is a personal preference.

[Fishwhittler]

The differences between the E series Curado and Citica were pretty much the same. Whether the subtle refinements make the Curado worth the extra $ is a personal preference.

 

The Curado E had a metal brake case (Citica E had plastic), seven bearings instead of five for the Curado G, a metal drag star instead of plastic, and a different spool from the Citica.  To upgrade a Citica E to Curado E standards would cost in the neighborhood of $70+, and that's not counting the spool.  To upgrade a Citica G to Curado G specs you'd need to spend $40, again not counting the spool.  There's a considerable margin of difference.  

 

I said that in my opinion, the Curado G isn't worth $30 more than the Citica G.  My reasons for forming that opinion are given above.  The Curado G is a good reel, just not up to the standard of the E series.

[rockchalk06]

I don't think you gonna find many people who disagree with you, especially here. But my question is why beat a dead horse over the comparison of the G to the E series? Everyone knows this.

The G may not be what Shimano wanted them to be, but they are d**n sure quality reels, work great for me and blow everything from Abu I've ever used out of the water.

[lmbfisherman]

I don't think you gonna find many people who disagree with you, especially here. But my question is why beat a dead horse over the comparison of the G to the E series? Everyone knows this.

The G may not be what Shimano wanted them to be, but they are d**n sure quality reels, work great for me and blow everything from Abu I've ever used out of the water.

I agree with what he said, 'cept the part about Abu..since I never owned one.

[Fishwhittler]

I don't think you gonna find many people who disagree with you, especially here. But my question is why beat a dead horse over the comparison of the G to the E series? Everyone knows this.

The G may not be what Shimano wanted them to be, but they are d**n sure quality reels, work great for me and blow everything from Abu I've ever used out of the water.

 

Beating a dead horse wasn't my intention, though I can see how it might come across that way.  There's been lots of talk bashing the Curado G but little concrete evidence to back up either side.  Some have said the G "feels" worse…okay, what does that mean?  What exactly is different about this reel?  I like data in black and white, but there's not been too much of that out there regarding differences between the Curado E and G other than the specs, which only indicate a few less bearings in the G.  That's why I posted this, to try to show what the differences actually are.

 

I would strongly recommend that people form their own opinions on any product rather than just go off what someone else says.  My opinion may not be someone else's.  I'm not trying to force my opinion on anyone—I just put it out there for what it's worth.

 

Tight lines,

 

Ben

[tomustang]

It was a nicely done, well detailed comparison, nothing wrong with that. Much better than the hater threads out there.

[.RM.]

The differences between the E series Curado and Citica were pretty much the same.

Whether the subtle refinements make the Curado worth the extra $ is a personal preference.

X2  

[Smallmouth Hunter]

What are the differences between the curado E and G? Is it worth the $100 or so to get the E instead of the G? How much would it cost to upgrade a g to be like an E?

[sarcazmo]

Love when you do these please keep it up!

 

Cant wait to hear your thoughts on the tatula new chronarch.

[Revival]

I got the Curado 201 G6 as my first baitcaster and so far I have no complaints.  I have nothing to compare it to but I like it a lot.  Excellent review but it doesnt change the way I feel about my reel. 

[Fishwhittler]

What are the differences between the curado E and G? Is it worth the $100 or so to get the E instead of the G? How much would it cost to upgrade a g to be like an E?

 

A used Curado E or Chronarch E can probably be found for $150 if you look hard enough.  At that price I'd go with the E every time.  At the normal prices, ($160 and $200), I'd probably buy the Curado G and upgrade it over time.

 

The G and E series reels are built on different platforms and so you can't really upgrade a Curado G to Curado E standards.  The Citica E can be turned into a Curado E for $70 or so.  The advantage there is upgrading over time and spreading the cost out, but you're not really going to spend any less than buying a Curado E up front.

 

If you go with a G-series reel, either one can be upgraded quite easily.  For the Curado G you have the following basic options:

 

Carbontex drag

4 handle-knob bearings

Thorough cleaning and polish of critical surfaces ("Super-tuning")

Handle shank

 

Those are the basics.  A carbontex drag and a cleaning and tuning will make the most noticeable differences in performance.  The drag upgrade will get you better drag durability and a couple extra pounds of power, and the super-tune will give you better casting distance and ease.  Less effort during casting means more accuracy.

 

Adding four handle-knob bearings will also make a difference in reel performance, but much less so than a tuning and a carbontex drag.  Nevertheless it is an upgrade and will make your reel a little better.

 

Upgrading the handle shank is done for two reasons:  Weight savings and/or cosmetics.  A lot of guys on BR like the carbon-fiber Hawg Handles (Piscicidal, where are you?).  I haven't used them, but they're the only USDM aftermarket carbon-fiber handle that will fit Shimano reels.  They're longer than the stock handles (94mm vs 85mm for Shimano handles) and will give more leverage while still saving some weight.  The Hawg Handles also come with 4 bearings, so that takes care of that upgrade as well.

 

You can also install upgraded spool bearings for even better casting.  However, Shimano's spool bearings are extremely good after a thorough cleaning and re-lube with a light reel oil.  The upgrade bearings are an improvement, but I'd recommend you start with having your reel professionally cleaned and tuned and getting a drag upgrade.  Those are the two most cost-effective upgrades and will make the most dramatic improvement in your reel.

 

The upgrades for the Citica are the same, plus a few more:  Curado handle knobs and a crankshaft bearing.  The handle knobs run $10 a pair most places, and a crankshaft bearing is $7 or so.  The Citica G also has a different handle shank than the Curado G—a better looking one in my opinion—and can support four bearings.

 

Sarcazmo, doubt if I'll be able to get my claws into a Tatula or Chronarch Ci4+ anytime soon.  They're both a bit rich for my blood; $100 is pretty much my ceiling for reels.  Still, that Tatula Type R looks so dang good I might have to save my pazoozas and buy one…that 8:1 LH model is calling my name.  Already planning out the upgrades I could do to it.

 

Got my eye on a few reels as potential candidates for my next breakdown.  I'd like to get inside one of the Okuma low-profile baitcasters, and the Ardent Edge reels look very interesting.  Also would like to see a newer Quantum baitcaster and one of the Revo G3s.  The Revo's in particular have lately been getting a not-insignificant amount of bad press, and I'd like to take a look inside and find out why.  Maybe a Lew's BB1…the list goes on.  

 

Revival, glad you like your reel and I've no doubt it will serve you well for a long time.  I'm not trying to change any minds with these reel breakdowns, just satisfying my own curiosity and putting the info out there for anyone who's interested.

 

Tight lines,

 

Ben

[zachb34]

Just thought I'd voice my opinion on this I have had a curado 50E for about two years now and just recently got a curado 200g7 besides the frame knobs and obvious size I don't see much of a difference I feel like they made the reel cheaper on purpose so that it's more affordable I don't feel like these were downgrades to the performance even though the handle on the G7 feels weaker almost like plastic which bothers me but performance feels close of not the same just my 2 cents

[bigbill]

From an engineering and manufacturing stand point it looks like there cutting corners and raising the cost.

I've seen colt cut there quality control for decades now. It shows in the products. After all were the end users and we expect the best quality product that our hard earned dollar can buy. Plus how many people

really fish as hard as we do?  The flaws will show up when we push it's limits. I do maintenance and hope it holds up with any reel. Let's face it the bass can be hard on equipment too. If it's not of decent quality it will

fail. Unless it's not being used that much.