Jdm Or North American Products

[Chance_Taker4]

What are the difference with the Japanese products that are coming over here to the states and the regular products that are already available here? It seems that these JDM products are becoming more popular but I don't see any reason why since they are products made by the same companies that have products here. The JDM lines are also a bit more pricey and, again, I don't see the connection why. Can someone please clarify this for me?

[John G]

With the 2014 Conquest and the 12 Antares, as far as I know, there is no difference between what is available here or from Japan. I personally would like to see Shimano not release JDM reels to the USDM.

 

If you are also asking why would one buy a JDM Shimano vs a USDM Shimano, for me it's because the Conquest and Antares was not available here and I like to be different as in I would rather have a Scorpion vs a Curado.

[Chance_Taker4]

If you are also asking why would one buy a JDM Shimano vs a USDM Shimano, for me it's because the Conquest and Antares was not available here and I like to be different as in I would rather have a Scorpion vs a Curado.

This is exactly what I was asking. I was looking at Abu reels and the Revo premier and Revo Elite JDM are the same reels but the Elite is $100 more expensive.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Performance wise I haven't seen any significant differences between JDM and USDM products. JDM stuff used to be cool because it was rare and hard to get comparatively. Making JDM versions more readily available should water down the value. Side by side on the same shelf it's harder to justify the price difference. 

[John G]

The price difference in the 12 Antares, 14 Conquest and the Metanium is that you can buy the same reel much cheaper in Japan. I bought my Antares HG for under $500.00 from Japan and it goes for $600.00 here. 

[Chance_Taker4]

That's

 

The price difference in the 12 Antares, 14 Conquest and the Metanium is that you can buy the same reel much cheaper in Japan. I bought my Antares HG for under $500.00 from Japan and it goes for $600.00 here. 

That's kinda my point, what does the JDM reels have now that they are not as rare to jusify the price increase over USDM reels?

[TiNuts]

JDM reels (or anything for that matter), is no longer JDM once they're made available in the US by the manufacturer. They are now just your everyday USDM reel. The *DM means they were made specifically for that market. Now that abu/shimano brought over products that were previously only available in japan, the JDM label is no longer applicable as they were made for the US market, and not the Japanese market. They probably only come with English instructions and not Japanese.

[Tywithay]

That's

 

That's kinda my point, what does the JDM reels have now that they are not as rare to jusify the price increase over USDM reels?

They're actually cheaper in Japan than they are here, for the same reel. That's mostly because with the American release of JDM reels, you're getting a warranty as well. Shimano USA will not work on an Antares purchased from Japan, but they'll work on an Antares that is purchased in the US; even though it's the same exact reel. A lot of the Japanese releases appear to be the same reels as the USDM counterparts on other releases, but usually have a couple little extras to make them slightly better. Like the Scorpion vs Curado in years past. The Scorpion always had better bearings, titanium coated levelwind, and seemingly slightly better build quality. The new reels coming over are the exact same models as the Japanese version, which is nice. It sucked getting the watered down version for years.

[Chance_Taker4]

They're actually cheaper in Japan than they are here, for the same reel. That's mostly because with the American release of JDM reels, you're getting a warranty as well. Shimano USA will not work on an Antares purchased from Japan, but they'll work on an Antares that is purchased in the US; even though it's the same exact reel. A lot of the Japanese releases appear to be the same reels as the USDM counterparts on other releases, but usually have a couple little extras to make them slightly better. Like the Scorpion vs Curado in years past. The Scorpion always had better bearings, titanium coated levelwind, and seemingly slightly better build quality. The new reels coming over are the exact same models as the Japanese version, which is nice. It sucked getting the watered down version for years.

I look at statistics of the Abu Garcia JDM reels (I have never looked at Shimano because I don't like Shimano) and these reels seem worse than the USDM reels but are hundreds of dollars more. 3 to 6 bearings in the reel compared to 9 to 11. I don't see what I would be paying for.

[Raul]

In some reels there are significant differences in others there are not, in some reels the JDM version is superior to the USDM versión and in others it´s the opposite, also there are versions that exist only in JDM.

 

Those differences are more noticeable in spinning reels than in baitcasters, spinning reels can have 3 different gear ratios and 2 different spool depths in the same line that don´t exist in the USDM versión.

[21farms]

there are still reels that are JDM only, e.g. shimano exsence DC and abu revo elite IB. otherwise, as tinuts said, the other reels that were brought over are the same between both markets but the USDM ones are covered by factory warranties here which add to the cost. i've read variously that americans are significantly rougher on their gear and make a lot more warranty claims than japanese anglers. my favorite JDM feature are clicking drags which both my exsence and elite IB have...very cool.

[Chance_Taker4]

In some reels there are significant differences in others there are not, in some reels the JDM version is superior to the USDM versión and in others it´s the opposite, also there are versions that exist only in JDM.

 

Those differences are more noticeable in spinning reels than in baitcasters, spinning reels can have 3 different gear ratios and 2 different spool depths in the same line that don´t exist in the USDM versión.

Thank you that makes sense. And the reels I see that are superior I understand should have a higher price tag. But like you said some of these JDM reels are less superior than its USDM counterpart. Why are these less superior reels more expensive than USDM reels? Is it only because they are Japanese Exclusives (where)? 

[bootytrain]

This is exactly what I was asking. I was looking at Abu reels and the Revo premier and Revo Elite JDM are the same reels but the Elite is $100 more expensive.

The elite has a 6 arm braking system vs 4 for the premier, and an 8:1 ratio option

[Raul]

Not always JDM reels are more expensive than USDM, for example the old Metanium XT ( JDM ) was cheaper than the Chronarch 100B ( USDM ) also the Chronarch was available in 3 versions while the Metanium was available only in 1 version, the only "cool" feature the Metanium had was a clicking tension knob.

 

So when it comes to choosing between one and another it´s a matter of taste and opinion and if a few more or less dollars are worth the difference in price, I go JDM when what has caught my eye doesn´t exist nor will ever exist in USDM.

 

For example right now there´s no reason for me to spend my money in a JDM Tatula, there´s one reason for me to spend my money in a SS SV, and the reason is: that reel is only available JDM.

[Hogsticker]

Shallow spools, bearings in the knobs, tighter tolerances. These are some of the differences I've seen with Jdm reels. As already stated, many more options with spinning reels. It's just a matter of what flavor excites your taste buds.

[War Eagle 44]

I don't have a ton of experience with JDM products as I only have two but I haven't found the build quality any different than the USDM counterparts. I've compared my Alphas to my friends Sol and they seem exactly the same as far as build quality, I don't find my Alphas to have "tighter tolerances" than his Sol. My other JDM reel is a Scorpion 1001MG, I do believe this reel came with slightly better bearings than the US Chronarch MG but I'm basically guessing as I've never owned nor fished with one. The big difference between these two was the Scorpion had an adjustable brake dial on the outside of the reel whereas the Chronarch was like all US Shimano's at the time (none DC) and you needed to open the side cover in order to make braking adjustments. 

 

I haven't fished with either of these reels in a long time so I haven't given them much thought so some of my "knowledge" about them might be a little fuzzy but as far as I can remember right now that was about the only major difference in the Shimano's.

[JeziHogg]

I'm almost certain the Elite also has a drag clicker as well.

[Raul]

The older versions of the Scorpion 1000 are a good example when some things were nicer: external dial brake adjustment, metallic tension knob cap, low mass drilled titanium coated spool, nicer bearings and a really nice handle compared to the USDM counterpart which was the Curado 100B. What many complained about was the handle length in the Scorpion 1000, 70 mm, really short ( doesn´t bother me at all ), in the Mg versión the situation was the same, 70 mm handle. Nothing that couldn´t be solved, you only had to purchase the 80 mm handle from Shimano US ( Chronarch 50 Mg handle for the Mg Scorpion and Chronarch 100B handle for the regular Scorpion ).

 

Alphas vs Sol ? weight ! over an ounce difference lighter the Alphas than the Sol and the handle, the handle in the Alphas is the TDZ handle, except for the bearing count, the TDZ has 4 bearings while the Alphas has 2, of course then you have that the Alphas has multiple versions and variations: Regular Alphas, Type F, R Edition and the Megabass variations: Itö, Zonda 10, Zonda 68, Zonda 68 Hedgehog Studio, Zonda 68 Rosso

[aavery2]

I look at statistics of the Abu Garcia JDM reels (I have never looked at Shimano because I don't like Shimano) and these reels seem worse than the USDM reels but are hundreds of dollars more. 3 to 6 bearings in the reel compared to 9 to 11. I don't see what I would be paying for.

You may want to research this a little better, the JDM versions of the Revo do not have less bearings than the USDM version.   What you may be seeing is the number of HPCR bearings that are installed in the reel. Hard to say without knowing exactly what you are looking at.

[Chance_Taker4]

You may want to research this a little better, the JDM versions of the Revo do not have less bearings than the USDM version.   What you may be seeing is the number of HPCR bearings that are installed in the reel. Hard to say without knowing exactly what you are looking at.

I was looking at the stats on TW.

[Tywithay]

The Elite only costs about $260 if you buy it straight from Japan. The added cost is for the American warranty and shipping costs.

[aavery2]

I was looking at the stats on TW.

I think you better check again, I can say with absolute certainty that there is not a Revo made USDM or JDM with only three bearings.  The Alt is advertised as having 6 +1 HPCR bearings, but there is not a USDM equivalent of this reel.

[xanadu]

I have the Abu Elite 8. It does have the clicking drag but also if you look more closely, you see that it has a longer carbon fiber handle than the Premier. It also has the six brake arms and some red highlights. For the most part (at least on Revos) the JDM reels are built for finesse fishing. My only gripe is that it cost $80 more than the Premeir and all you really get is two more breaking arms (maybe a $10 upgrade). The MGX is cheaper and has a magnesium frame, so I don't think it is worth the money at all. I only paid $220 for a new sealed reel so I am very happy. I just wish that I had bought two of them for that price.