Best Tuned/Modded Reel for a Budget

[rippin-lips]

12 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

A used Alphas F I bought required repairs.  Had it tuned and the bearings and drag upgraded at the same time.  It now has 6.8 gears.  Even without a new handle or paint job, there is no way I could get my money back.  Good thing it is never going anywhere. 

It was the same way with a '64 Chevele I had.  Line bored, Holly 850, Holly Hi-rise intake, high performance cam, tuned headers, new valves, brand new exhaust, etc. are things I as the owner enjoyed.  No one else was willing to pay for those improvements when I sold the car even though they got to enjoy the benefits.

Yup, somedays I wish I'd stuck with $200 combos. At least then you get a better return if you sell it. I sold 3 $250 rods on here last week as a bundle for $300 shipped and paypal'd. $27.75 for fees and shipping. $272.25 was my return on $750.  Ridiculous!

[Hogsticker]

You can throw upgraded drag washers, ceramic spool bearings, and a nifty hand on most any reel. What truly transforms a reel into a different animal is the spool. Daiwa has a ton of spool options. If you want something to throw lighter baits with look for an Alphas platform and add an Alphas SV spool. If you want something to long bomb casts with look for a Fuego and add a hyper long cast spool. The Tdz and Zillion platforms are also great platforms to upgrade. One of personal favorites is the T3s. Inexpensive, you could find a new in box T3 ballistic for pretty cheap, add an SV 1000 spool, a 90 mm Tatula handle, carbontex drag washers, Boca abec 5 spool bearings and it would run you about 225 bucks. Plus the SV spool comes in both deep and shallow versions and will allow you to do just about anything you want with the reel. You can also bling it however you like if it tickles your fancy. 

[Jeff H]

5 minutes ago, Hogsticker said:

You can throw upgraded drag washers, ceramic spool bearings, and a nifty hand on most any reel. What truly transforms a reel into a different animal is the spool. Daiwa has a ton of spool options. If you want something to throw lighter baits with look for an Alphas platform and add an Alphas SV spool. If you want something to long bomb casts with look for a Fuego and add a hyper long cast spool. The Tdz and Zillion platforms are also great platforms to upgrade. One of personal favorites is the T3s. Inexpensive, you could find a new in box T3 ballistic for pretty cheap, add an SV 1000 spool, a 90 mm Tatula handle, carbontex drag washers, Boca abec 5 spool bearings and it would run you about 225 bucks. Plus the SV spool comes in both deep and shallow versions and will allow you to do just about anything you want with the reel. You can also bling it however you like if it tickles your fancy. 

I agree about the T3.  I have only added handle, spool bearings and drag star (particularly hate the stocker) to mine and they are right where I want them.  I am fine with the stock spool on my T3 1016SH's.  Even with the stock spool, these reels have a pretty wide capability of lure weights.

[kickerfish1]

I used to customize the heck out of my reels but now I have scaled back some. Like Rippn' I have a TDZ that I have more in parts and internal upgrades than I have for the reel.

TDZ 100m - Mint - Bought when these were selling for more $ years ago. - Price $250

Abec 7 bearings - $25

Carbontex drag - $10

6:3.1 gears - $30

Supertune/polish of internals/pro cleaning- $30

RCS 90 mm swept CF handle - $120

Blue RCS knobs - $30

Blue swept drag star/cast control cap - $35

Total price of everything exceeds $500. Does the reel look incredible?... absolutely. Does it perform that much better than what it did before the upgrades were done? Yes, but not that much better.

[Hogsticker]

It's all about that spool fellas 

[Yudo1]

Used t3's are being sold for too cheap.  T3 mx and 1016s really don't need any upgrades and they perform.  

[wnspain]

9 hours ago, rippin-lips said:

Yup, somedays I wish I'd stuck with $200 combos. At least then you get a better return if you sell it. I sold 3 $250 rods on here last week as a bundle for $300 shipped and paypal'd. $27.75 for fees and shipping. $272.25 was my return on $750.  Ridiculous!

I know it sucks but at least you got back 36%. My wife gathers together a truckbed load of things that aren't used anymore, usually around $50 an item, and sells it for $5-10 a piece and is happy that she made some money to finance her next purchase...!@#$%!*&

[new2BC4bass]

10 hours ago, rippin-lips said:

Yup, somedays I wish I'd stuck with $200 combos. At least then you get a better return if you sell it. I sold 3 $250 rods on here last week as a bundle for $300 shipped and paypal'd. $27.75 for fees and shipping. $272.25 was my return on $750.  Ridiculous!

Ouch!  That is why I don't plan on selling any of my gear.  If...and that is a big if....my wife and I can afford to move to Florida to be near her sister and brothers, I may give away a few to my nephews.  A person feels better about giving than taking a hosing on sales.

[thirtysixit]

take a look at the Quantum ICON PT and anything Lews........  I have great luck with them and highly recommend!

[new2BC4bass]

On 6/26/2016 at 8:41 PM, tater555 said:

Yes sir, I have actually been debating on picking that exact reel up lol it has a little rash, but that Gigas 105 spool is amazing. They are very smooth, light, and powerful reels. 

What are you waiting for?  Both my TD-Z 105Hs cost $150 used.  Absolutely don't need another reel, but may have to change my mind at that price.

EDIT:  Too late.  I now have three TD-Z 105H reels. 

[nameiztaken]

Bought a lightly used Citica 200e for $80 from fleabay, already has the drive shaft bearing installed, Going to mod it with some aftermarket parts as well as some bearing upgrades. 

[new2BC4bass]

I don't know a thing about Citicas in any generation, but love my Curado 201E7. 

[kickerfish1]

2 hours ago, nameiztaken said:

Bought a lightly used Citica 200e for $80 from fleabay, already has the drive shaft bearing installed, Going to mod it with some aftermarket parts as well as some bearing upgrades. 

Good reels to mess with though the spool options are slim. Here is one I modded if you want an idea. Paired with a Dobyns 705cb Champion rod. This one received the Hawgtech treatment.

[nameiztaken]

On 6/26/2016 at 0:11 PM, S. Sass said:

3 minutes ago, kickerfish1 said:

Good reels to mess with though the spool options are slim. Here is one I modded if you want an idea. Paired with a Dobyns 705cb Champion rod. This one received the Hawgtech treatment.

That looks so amazing!

and ignore the quote above this, I couldn't get it to go away lol

Also, from what I hear, you can interchange spools with a Curado, might be something for me to look into.

[kickerfish1]

I don't think you would see much of a difference swapping the Curado/Chronarch 200e spool in the Citica. They are pretty much the same weight just different colors. Also since they share the same platform many parts are interchangeable. I have fished a lot of reels, and for $80 there isn't a reel I would pick over the Citica E.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Grab a used beat up abu 4600 for $20 ...mod it out for $60 and fish hard for 50 more yrs

[nameiztaken]

4 hours ago, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Grab a used beat up abu 4600 for $20 ...mod it out for $60 and fish hard for 50 more yrs

I got 2 Abu's for $25, got a older 5000 and a 6500, super good deal imo

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Don't pay for Super Tuning on full floating spool designs. The friction points typically polished are taken out of play by the design. 

[nameiztaken]

14 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Don't pay for Super Tuning on full floating spool designs. The friction points typically polished are taken out of play by the design. 

Would a Curado spool in the Citica make a difference? 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Performance wise, little if at all

[Cgrinder]

Spools might weigh the same.

[Jeff H]

Most times I don't feel the need to change a spool.  However, I have found that I do much prefer the 1016 spool in my TD-Z's that I don't use for lighter lures.  I believe what I'm preferring is not the spool itself but the change it offers to the braking system.  I keep my 105H spools for lighter stuff and prefer the 1016 for everything else but the truth is the 1016 does pretty darn well with the lighter stuff too.  TD-Z with 90mm handle and 1016 spool has become my most favorite reel of all time (Fuego too, same platform, heavier but better looking)

Another huge plus to me is they are sooooo easy to work on. 

[nameiztaken]

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I'm going to keep the stock spool in it for now, and might upgrade the handle. (Maybe with a 4 bearing handle I don't use)

On 6/26/2016 at 7:11 PM, Hogsticker said:

You can throw upgraded drag washers, ceramic spool bearings, and a nifty hand on most any reel. What truly transforms a reel into a different animal is the spool. Daiwa has a ton of spool options. If you want something to throw lighter baits with look for an Alphas platform and add an Alphas SV spool. If you want something to long bomb casts with look for a Fuego and add a hyper long cast spool. The Tdz and Zillion platforms are also great platforms to upgrade. One of personal favorites is the T3s. Inexpensive, you could find a new in box T3 ballistic for pretty cheap, add an SV 1000 spool, a 90 mm Tatula handle, carbontex drag washers, Boca abec 5 spool bearings and it would run you about 225 bucks. Plus the SV spool comes in both deep and shallow versions and will allow you to do just about anything you want with the reel. You can also bling it however you like if it tickles your fancy. 

My next tuning reel may be a Daiwa, really liking the amount of mod options they have.

[DaveT63]

I would seriously consider picking up a used Daiwa Pixy off the bay.  Some nice ones are available now for around $150-175 shipped.  Fantastic reel at that price and wouldn't need the upgrades.

[nameiztaken]

11 minutes ago, DaveT63 said:

I would seriously consider picking up a used Daiwa Pixy off the bay.  Some nice ones are available now for around $150-175 shipped.  Fantastic reel at that price and wouldn't need the upgrades.

I don't have that kinda money burning a hole in my pocket just yet :p, I wish I did though... I love the higher end Daiwas