Picked Up a 3600 EON

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I ran across an Ambassadeur-type called an EON on an auction site.  The pics were good and the seller was from Eufaula, Alabama, so I picked it up.  I'd been curious about 'em.

The reel seems well-made apart from that danged plastic frame.  It functions fine, so I took it apart and serviced it.  It's a very logical setup inside.

In reading, it appears that these were hit-or-miss in '01-'02, and the line was subsequently dropped due to poor implementation.  However, I'm finding them in other countries (like the UK) and people are willing to export them.  They're pricey, though, though these newer non-US models have metal frames.

I figure I'll spool this up with mono, throw it on an Ugly Stik Lite Pro, and see how it does at handling lipless cranks and squarebills. 

Anyone else have these?  The drag washers are like nothing I've seen before.  Anyone know where I might get carbon fiber drags for it?

Thank you,

Josh

[Goose52]

I have seen them on eBay before - never felt the urge to play with one. Too many other interesting small Abus that don't have plastic frames...

[Kidflex]

Excellent casters. The spool will spin for an impressive amount of time. I had one 10+ years ago and enjoyed using it. Held up to many stripers and hybrids. Mine was the grey and blue eon. There is a black and gold eon that's quite expensive 

[Josh Smith]

I have it on an Ugly Stik Lite Pro I picked up on clearance last night and spooled with Trilene 12lb XL.

I'm going to use this combo for square bill and lipless crankbaits. We'll see how it works. I love the feel but wish for a metal frame!

Josh

[dave]

If you like it,  there's one here at a tackle shop in Baltimore that is brand new.  

[Josh Smith]

How much? Like it, but wouldn't pay over $50 unless it had a metal frame. That may mean importing one from England, where it appears Abu Garcia still markets them (in evolved form).

Josh

[0119]

GOOD LUCK!

Thats one model Abu does not offer any repair service on and no parts.  It was a calamity!  The plastic frame was never an issue, it was touted as a type of special resin,carbon,plastic. Nothing different than shimano's idea of carbon or daiwa's zaion, they are all graphite.  The problem I'm not sure I'd call 'implementation' but pertained to the levelwind breaking without any means of them repairing it.  It was truly before its time as far as the drag control and the planetary gears were concerned.  Mine lasted 2 casts and exploded internally.  My buddies lasted a week before his did the same.  Even though they were literally just on the shelves released, Abu would not repair nor replace them and offered us anything in their lineup as a replacement at a crazy discounted difference. I got 2 4600's from them in even swap.  Always wondered why Abu didn't come out with another reel with the planetary gear setup.

 

[Josh Smith]

On 3/9/2016 at 1:53 PM, 0119 said:

GOOD LUCK!

Thats one model Abu does not offer any repair service on and no parts.  It was a calamity!  The plastic frame was never an issue, it was touted as a type of special resin,carbon,plastic. Nothing different than shimano's idea of carbon or daiwa's zaion, they are all graphite.  The problem I'm not sure I'd call 'implementation' but pertained to the levelwind breaking without any means of them repairing it.  It was truly before its time as far as the drag control and the planetary gears were concerned.  Mine lasted 2 casts and exploded internally.  My buddies lasted a week before his did the same.  Even though they were literally just on the shelves released, Abu would not repair nor replace them and offered us anything in their lineup as a replacement at a crazy discounted difference. I got 2 4600's from them in even swap.  Always wondered why Abu didn't come out with another reel with the planetary gear setup.

 

It's just cool to have.  I'm sure I can find parts if I look. 

Reading about it, the levelwind was originally a floating design of some sort, overcomplicated for production.  In '02 they started using a standard disconnecting levelwind, and that's the one I have.

It's not the quality of my 4000 or 5000 series reels, but it is an interesting design.  I'm sure the modern EONs (sold in the UK and elsewhere) have the bugs worked out.  

Josh 

[Raul]

On 8 de marzo de 2016 at 9:32 PM, Josh Smith said:

Anyone else have these? 

That was my last Abu Garcia reel purchase and after it I said: Abu ? thank you but no thank you evermore and since then I´ve purchased Daiwa and Shimano. I do have Abus: XLT Plus, 521 XLT Plus, Black Max 2 ( the 90´s Black Max ), Cardinal 64.

[Josh Smith]

1 hour ago, Raul said:

That was my last Abu Garcia reel purchase and after it I said: Abu ? thank you but no thank you evermore and since then I´ve purchased Daiwa and Shimano. I do have Abus: XLT Plus, 521 XLT Plus, Black Max 2 ( the 90´s Black Max ), Cardinal 64.

This thing is by far not up to the quality standard I'm used to from them, I'll give you that.  It's nice for what it is, but ultimately it'll likely be replaced by a 3600 with a metal frame.  (Been looking hard at the 3600 Black Max.)

I too have a Black Max 2 -- the low-profile but not the type with the recessed frame.  I guess it's OK.  I don't use it.  I have it in the shop rebuilding it for my boy (he's 8).  It's an Ultracast but with a plastic frame.  I'm sure it'll do what I'm going to ask of it.  One bearing is a bit rough and so I'll be replacing both with bushings.  On a 5'6" glass rod, it will serve him as a crankbait setup.  He likes to burn everything all the time, and his kiddie reels tend to suffer.

Josh

[Josh Smith]

So I've been playing with this thing.  It works; it's light, and it works.  Just caught a smallmouth on it earlier this evening.  The drag drags like it should; its new handle has bearings and the entire setup is very, very smooth due to the planetary gears and bearings.

I'm not liking it.  I'm not sure why.  Part of it is, I'm sure, that the frame is graphite.  Further than that, though, I don't know what the turnoff is.  It certainly hasn't given me any reason to dislike it.

I'm finding myself considering replacing it with a 4500 or 4600 for the lipless and squarebill setup.

Josh

[shaggydog]

Ive casted that reel thousands of times.  I never had any problems.

 

[Josh Smith]

1 minute ago, shaggydog said:

Ive casted that reel thousands of times.  I never had any problems.

 

Right.  I get that.  There's just something about the feel that's not doing it for me. 

It seems to have evolved into a good reel after they got the bugs worked out.  I just wish I could pinpoint what is off.

Regards,

Josh

[Maxximus Redneckus]

It may be the.lightness im so used to using reels.8 to 10 oz anything light feels uncomfortable to me anyhow .i have a couple lews on old school.pistol grip lightning rods and all together they weight like 7 oz .

[Josh Smith]

1 minute ago, Maxximus Redneckus said:

It may be the.lightness im so used to using reels.8 to 10 oz anything light feels uncomfortable to me anyhow .i have a couple lews on old school.pistol grip lightning rods and all together they weight like 7 oz .

That really could be it.  Or maybe the balance is off with the light reel.  I know that on these rods, the center of gravity is right over where my middle and pointer fingers rest when I'm palming the 4600 and 5500 Ambassadeur reels, given full spools.  The balance is different with the lighter reel.

Josh

[FrankN209]

Bought one when they first came out. The only gripe I had with mine is, the side plate kept twisting off while reeling a lure in. Besides that, I really like this reel. It was my first baitcaster. I have a extra spool sitting in my storage some where. 

[Maxximus Redneckus]

My 4600s feel really.good on my pistol grips perfect combo of balance and weight or both.

I also have a 3600 eon wife bought it for me in 2000 .like was said if they could get the gear system into a metal frame it be perfect and.make it about 8 oz .only prob i find with mine is sometime the line will go between the spool and frame on the palm side thats with 10lb yo zuri imma move up to 12 and see if that makes a difff

That one your talkin about josh is a Eon pro.TT did a reveiw on it called it a innovative reel or something that you set in a display lol

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Btw josh abu also made a low profile reel.made.in sweden called a torno came in a few variations metal framed one had a magtrax brake system the lower priced one had just a tension knob they are nice also weigh about 8oz .

[Josh Smith]

6 minutes ago, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Btw josh abu also made a low profile reel.made.in sweden called a torno came in a few variations metal framed one had a magtrax brake system the lower priced one had just a tension knob they are nice also weigh about 8oz .

Really..?

The Tornos I've seen were graphite.  I'll totally have to look into this.  I have a bid in on a MagTrax 1 semi-low profile.  If I win it, not sure what I'll do with it.  I'm considering a few things, but replacing the EON is one of them.

Josh

[Maxximus Redneckus]

All i no is i had a 3003 it had aluminun maybe the 1003 is graphite

[Josh Smith]

Could be. Thanks for the model number! The one I see on the auction site is a 1003 and is indeed graphite. Will look for the 3003!

Josh