Abu Garcia really disheartened me today

[Mobasser]

9 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I wouldn't say it's totally nonsense, but a lot of is coming from those that never used them.  They are a high seller of budget level gear, and I think this is where it stems from.  It's likely that many getting serious into fishing have seen the gear readily available.  When it doesn't hold up, they upgrade to better gear, and I think that's the taste left in their mouth.  They come up here, buy "X-Brand everyone is talking about" and their Quantum experience ends there.  Maybe that's not fair, but that's what I see here.  The Tour Grade stuff is good - it should be for what you pay.

I tend to think lots of guys slam on reels they've never used. Just hear or read about someone's bad experience

[J Francho]

I don't disagree, but that comes with the territory.  I've seen it on other forums that aren't fishing related.  It's pretty easy to read between the lines, and thin out.  What's not productive is going on and on, interrogating posts, calling others out, questioning the feedback.  Ask me how I know, lol.

[Teal]

That's the thing guys, I wasnt slamming lews or any of the doyo reels... I like my lews reels...I've been a Lews advocate on here. I own 8 lews reels.  6 being the tournament pro. ( the old one)  I knew they were made in Korea, I just didnt know that they were all in the same plant with other reels like some little cookie factory. I have owned Abu Revos  as well as others. Heck, I still have 4 abu c4s I use for striper and catfishing as well as flounder fishing on the coast.   I've got no problems with my lews.   I've always purposely stayed away from certain brands and models... but no bashing.  

Just had shock to know that they were all made right there together...like dang...

 

Buts it all good... gonna keep fishing with what I have, and maybe I'll start buying daiwa or shimano, or maybe I'll buy more lews in the future... who knows... all I can do is keep my eyes on the reviews and spend MY money wisely.  

[WRB]

Comming from the aerospace industry product made in China or Korea isn't necessarly poorly made, they have state of the art manufacturing equipment. The issues are no traceable materials and lack of quality control. China takes it to another level by making counterfeit products. The bottom line you don't know what you get regardless what you pay for it.

Fresh water reels today are not made in the USA. I refuse to buy anything I know is made in China, Korea OK.

Garcia started having parts made in China over 20 years ago followed by having the reels assembled and finally finished product made and shipped from China.

Tom

 

 

 

[PhishLI]

44 minutes ago, WRB said:

I refuse to buy anything I know is made in China, Korea OK.

Are there magic elves in Malaysia and Thailand? There's no way to know where parts are sourced from or which grade of alloy is used or who the QC girl or guy was that day. It's all a crapshoot now. At best one can only project blind belief in how things are actually done day to day based on a nameplate and the country of assembly, then flip a coin. That includes the Big Two. Affordable reels, below $250, fall into the category of "best of the worst". Some will be just fine, or great, and others will be duds, but a dud is very subjective. Most people don't get hung up on the nits that those inclined to post on enthusiast forums do. They simply fish with what they have with a smile, and do just fine. There are waaaay more of them than there are of fishing forum posters. To them a fishing reel is a zero maintenance disposable item. They aren't suffering over the details you or I might, including the specter of obsolete parts. They aren't suffering at all. Fishing reels, like many other things, were thought of as heirlooms by some people once upon a time. That's really not the mindset anymore in the greater population especially where budget gear is concerned, and manufacturers know it. Even fully metal framed reels that appear to be heirloom quality use plastic parts. Most injectable plastics don't exist in a static state, especially in the presence of petroleum based and some synthetic lubricants. They definitely don't get stronger. Oh well. I try not to sweat it too much. What good would that do?

[dodgeguy]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Comming from the aerospace industry product made in China or Korea isn't necessarly poorly made, they have state of the art manufacturing equipment. The issues are no traceable materials and lack of quality control. China takes it to another level by making counterfeit products. The bottom line you don't know what you get regardless what you pay for it.

Fresh water reels today are not made in the USA. I refuse to buy anything I know is made in China, Korea OK.

Garcia started having parts made in China over 20 years ago followed by having the reels assembled and finally finished product made and shipped from China.

Tom

 

 

 

So being as no reels are made here what do you use? I will bet even though a reel says made in Japan it has parts made in other countries. It's like cars. Japanese manufacturers buy airbags and other parts from the same people Chrysler and GM do. That's why when one has airbag recalls so do the others. Guaranteed its the same thing with reels. A car doesn't have to be made with all American parts to be stamped made in USA. I'm sure neither does a Japanese assembled reel have to have all Japanese parts to be stamped made in Japan.

[Josh Smith]

This is why, when I returned to fishing and upgraded my gear, I went with the Ambassadeurs. They're still made in Switzerland.

 

If/when I replace them with low-profile, I'll go with Shimano, made in Japan.

 

Life is too short to have crap reels.

 

Josh

[WRB]

I fully realize it's a disposable parts world today. Fishing reels are not maintenance free items, they wear out parts that need to be replaced or serviced. If a reel manufacture doesn't inventory spare parts or provide factory customer service is a clear indication it's designed to be disposable. 

Daiwa and Shimano have brick and mortar companies in the USA that provide both product service support and parts inventory.

If you ever become a parts supplier to Japan they require a very high standard of quality control, PPM defects per million parts. Daiwa Tatula reels are made in Thialand by a Japanese approved contractor that controls the quality. 

Tom

PS, ABU is in Sweden.

[Bruce424]

On 6/2/2020 at 7:50 PM, LonnieP said:

I’m not sure if you know this or not, but Abu and Lews are made by the same company.

just about to say that

[WRB]

8 minutes ago, Bruce424 said:

just about to say that

Does anyone read these threads? Doyo was discussed several times starting on page 1.

Tom

[Tywithay]

On 6/3/2020 at 8:11 AM, BaitFinesse said:

Doyo Korea.  Lews and Abu order their reels from them.  Abu appears to use a exclusive platform. Lews uses more commonly available Doyo platforms.  

 

Doyo does all the design, development and production on the reels.  Lews and others just order them from them with their name on the outside.  Abu does a little more in that they will insist on IVCB braking on some reels which I believe is Abu developed but I could be wrong.

Don't know if the internals or brakes are the same. But that big gear box looks Abu Gen3 to me.

[NYWayfarer]

We need to consider the brands that these Doyo reels are being sold under.
 

If you have:

 

a) a lemon

b) an issue with a newly purchased reel

c) or need a part for an old reel no longer made
 

What are the Abu’s and Lew’s going to do for you? This is where customer service part of these companies comes in. 
 

For example Lew’s has been known to send you a new reel or rod to replace the problems listed above. Sometimes the new item is actually an upgrade.

 

If the company tells you too bad, so sad that we don’t have that part anymore then by all means start purchasing from a company that has better customer service.

[Boomstick]

Well I've never had that happen before, that really is a day wrecker. At least you were able to get a replacement.

 

I have heard about some quality issues with various Revo reels, but I'm not sure how common it is. Hopefully the replacement is solid.

[Gazz]

54 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

We need to consider the brands that these Doyo reels are being sold under.
 

If you have:

 

a) a lemon

b) an issue with a newly purchased reel

c) or need a part for an old reel no longer made
 

What are the Abu’s and Lew’s going to do for you? This is where customer service part of these companies comes in. 
 

For example Lew’s has been known to send you a new reel or rod to replace the problems listed above. Sometimes the new item is actually an upgrade.

 

If the company tells you too bad, so sad that we don’t have that part anymore then by all means start purchasing from a company that has better customer service.

I can certainly attest to Lew's customer service. When I had an issue with a Custom XP combo and the rod was absolute junk, they sent me a TP1 Black as a replacement rod when the original rod was worth maybe $40 and a brand new reel even though I didn't really ask for one and had fished the other for a whole season. 

[NavyVet1204]

1 hour ago, Boomstick said:

Well I've never had that happen before, that really is a day wrecker. At least you were able to get a replacement.

 

I have heard about some quality issues with various Revo reels, but I'm not sure how common it is. Hopefully the replacement is solid.

Thanks friend. The wife and I went out again today fishing and the tournament SLP was an absolute dream to use...so much so that after she cast and retrieved the first time with it she told me “I definitely like my new reel honey!”. She laid claim to it that quick. Happy wife happy life. At least I know what my anniversary gift is going to be this year lol

 

In other words, the other Revo SX I have is fantastic. No issues and can sling a whopper plopper a country mile. I got it paired up with a 7’ MHF Vendetta rod and it is wonderful.

[Log Catcher]

I still have a Revo S 1st gen that has been a good reel. I don't know why their were so many problems with the later ones. Lews and Abu are made in Korea. Shimano is made in Malaysia. Lews and Diawa spinning reels are made in China. At least that is the way it is with the ones I have.

[BLAKE004]

Lew’s is nothing cheap at all. I was at Bass Pro yesterday after I bought a brand new Abu Garcia REVO SX RK T and it works so good, I about bought another one. I’m going tomorrow, which is Thursday and buying the Shimano Caradu. I believe the casting is much longer, but I don’t see how, my Abu Garcia throws a country mile everytime.  The rod and reel both are Abu Garcia, which they are a beast to have fishing. Good luck with the Lews, because the guy at Bass Pro kept showing me the Lews brand. Which I like them too and they too are far from being cheap. Again-good luck man on your new outfit.

[JediAmoeba]

5 hours ago, BLAKE004 said:

Lew’s is nothing cheap at all. I was at Bass Pro yesterday after I bought a brand new Abu Garcia REVO SX RK T and it works so good, I about bought another one. I’m going tomorrow, which is Thursday and buying the Shimano Caradu. I believe the casting is much longer, but I don’t see how, my Abu Garcia throws a country mile everytime.  The rod and reel both are Abu Garcia, which they are a beast to have fishing. Good luck with the Lews, because the guy at Bass Pro kept showing me the Lews brand. Which I like them too and they too are far from being cheap. Again-good luck man on your new outfit.

Bringing this post back from the grave! I imagine the setup is no longer new. Lol

[Dye99]

On 6/2/2020 at 4:12 PM, Log Catcher said:

I quit buying Abu Garcia reels after I had 2 revo s generation 3 reels that were nothing but junk.

 

Ive been using Abu's for years and years. 

I have to agree, seems like in the last ten years or so they have gotten cheaper and cheaper. More issues.

Ive slowly switched over to Daiwa and Shimano.