Right choice???

[Justbass11]

Today I exchange my BPS Pro Qualifier 2  and was seriously thinking about getting another one one when I saw a Lews LFS Speed Spool SS1HA right next to it for the same price. After some thinking I went with the Lews. Did I make the right choice??? Anyway,I appreciate your comments and advice. 

[Russ E]

The pro qualifier 2 is a cheaply built reel. A lot different than the old pro qualifiers. I think you made a good choice.

[T-Billy]

I think you made the right call. I've been happy with every Lew's I've purchased including the model you mentioned. My $99 LFS has two seasons of regular use on it now, and it's still smooth. I think it's a great choice, and performs above it's price point.

BPS reels ain't what they used to be. My Carbonlite 2.0 casting reels both got geary in a hurry, and just felt cheap from the start. I won't buy anymore BPS reels. 

[QED]

Doesn't BPS use the same contract manufacturer (CM) as Lew's? I prefer Lew's because they sort of invented the low-profile casting reel category and all of their early Japanese CMs knocked off their design features.

[jbrew73]

I would suspect those reels are very similar internally.  Probably not much deference other than maybe the braking system and that’s likely the same as well.     
I’m not fond of either.  They tend to get “Geary” very quickly even when maintaining them properly.  
 

[PressuredFishing]

1 hour ago, Justbass11 said:

Today I exchange my BPS Pro Qualifier 2  and was seriously thinking about getting another one one when I saw a Lews LFS Speed Spool SS1HA right next to it for the same price. After some thinking I went with the Lews. Did I make the right choice??? Anyway,I appreciate your comments and advice. 

No complaints with lews, gear tolerances are good, thumb bars are crisp, frames are solid, one bone I have to pick is the magnetic break dials can be harder to turn, same with abu, diawa and shimano don't have this problem in my experience. Winn knobs are a lovely feature if you get their reels with those

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, jbrew73 said:

I would suspect those reels are very similar internally.  

The real difference maker is the double supported P2 pinion on the Lew's reel the OP chose. It has kept my TP LFS smooth while fishing totally choked out water. None of the BPS models have it.

4 hours ago, jbrew73 said:

Probably not much deference other than maybe the braking system and that’s likely the same as well.

Nothing in the BPS range uses Lew's ACB braking system, which I personally feel is superior to any other centrifugal system out there, so not really.

5 hours ago, Justbass11 said:

After some thinking I went with the Lews. Did I make the right choice???

The magtrax braking system is different than the PQ2, so you may find you'll need to adjust a bit. The LFS is a solid reel. It's surprisingly good for bombing frogs.

[bulldog1935]

16 hours ago, QED said:

Doesn't BPS use the same contract manufacturer (CM) as Lew's? I prefer Lew's because they sort of invented the low-profile casting reel category and all of their early Japanese CMs knocked off their design features.

Close, but what Lew's invented was separating the LW from the freespool, giving high speed back to baitcast spools (hadn't been seen since Meek and Talbot). Those were built and then copied by Shimano, making it not too surprising for Lew's to look at Korea to build their LP reels. 

I had this original BB-1N on Falcon glass

Recently replaced it with an Ambassadeur 4600 I raced out (11 BB). 

The large frame Ambassadeur is actually lower profile than the original Lew's, and feels more comfortable on your thumb. 

I've heard geary mentioned over and over about Lew's reels - I don't get it, because all my Lew's are buttery, even after 4  and 30 salty years. Maybe the difference is brass gears. 

[Fishingmickey]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Close, but what Lew's invented was separating the LW from the freespool, giving high speed to baitcast spools. Those were built and then copied by Shimano (making it not too surprising for Lew's to look at Korea to build their LP reels). 

I had this original BB-1N on Falcon glass

Recently replaced it with an Ambassadeur 4600 I raced out (11 BB). 

The large frame Ambassadeur is actually lower profile than the original Lew's, and feels more comfortable on your thumb. 

I've heard geary mentioned over and over about Lew's reels - I don't get it, because all my Lew's are buttery, even after 4  and 30 salty years. Maybe the difference is brass gears. 

Please send me a notice when your have a garage sale. Just beautiful fishing history!

FM

[bulldog1935]

I've only had one garage sale, 25 years ago, and made the mistake of letting go a Fenglas Lunkerstik 2000 and Berkley TriSport inshore. 

However, Lew's Glass is a better rod than the Fenwick, and boy, I upgraded the TriSport with a Loomis GL2 that still has a fan club among all my friends - they all want to borrow it. 

[Bankc]

In my opinion, Lew's and BPS are virtually the same brand when it comes to low profile baitcasters.  So I wouldn't call it step up or down, but rather a step to the side.  Basically, you traded your dual brakes for the double supported pinion.  You'll likely get a bit more longevity at the expense of centrifugal brakes (the LFS only has magnetic).   

 

My Pro Qualifier 2 has held up quite well.  Not as well as my Daiwa Tatulas, which still feel like new, but well enough.  It's certainly not geary.  But just like the Lew's (made in the same factory), the quality control isn't the best, so it's easy to get a lemon.  

[Fishingmickey]

3 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

I've only had one garage sale, 25 years ago, and made the mistake of letting go a Fenglas Lunkerstik 2000 and Berkley TriSport inshore. 

However, Lew's Glass is a better rod than the Fenwick, and boy, I upgraded the TriSport with a Loomis GL2 that still has a fan club among all my friends - they all want to borrow it. 

I've got a GL2 6'10" medium that is the bomb for light baits, 

[bulldog1935]

To say all reels made in Korea is the same is certainly erroneous. 

While Tatula is made in Thailand, Seoul Fishing Reel is a supplier for Daiwa. 

https://matchory.com/company/daiwa-corporation

You want a bad Q/C example?  A friend received an Alphas Air missing the should-be-pressed-in spool guard on one side of the frame - that keeps line from getting behind the spool.  Asian Portal made it right with will-call return shipping, but it's just wrong to say reels made in the same factory  are all the same. 

@dodgeguy you left out ZPI reels are built to ZPI's specs with magnesium spool, titanium spindle, and tuned mag brake cam. Including my Daiwas, this is the most impressive reel I've ever cast. 

Edited October 17, 2021 by bulldog1935
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[dodgeguy]

On 10/14/2021 at 5:59 PM, QED said:

Doesn't BPS use the same contract manufacturer (CM) as Lew's? I prefer Lew's because they sort of invented the low-profile casting reel category and all of their early Japanese CMs knocked off their design features.

What does that matter ? They build it to Lews specs. Bps reels are built to bps specs. Abu reels are built to Abu specs. Lews centrifugal externally adjustable brake works like Abus does but they are different. They are each built to their own spec. Some parts may be the same while others are not. It's just like with cars. When Chrysler had an airbag recal so did Toyota and others that used the same manufacturer.

On 10/14/2021 at 10:18 PM, PhishLI said:

The real difference maker is the double supported P2 pinion on the Lew's reel the OP chose. It has kept my TP LFS smooth while fishing totally choked out water. None of the BPS models have it.

Nothing in the BPS range uses Lew's ACB braking system, which I personally feel is superior to any other centrifugal system out there, so not really.

The magtrax braking system is different than the PQ2, so you may find you'll need to adjust a bit. The LFS is a solid reel. It's surprisingly good for bombing frogs.

Love Lews braking.

[GRiver]

I have the BPS carbonlite 2.0, I really like that reel and rod, but with that being said,I did have to replace spool bearings that started to growl just over a year. But no problems since. But I went in BPS to buy a Lews reel and ended up buying a the carbonlite combo instead. My friend has the Lews I was going to buys and no problems. So I think you made the right choice. 

[WRB]

The Lewis company was sold several times since Lew Childre passed. Doyo mfrs nearly every brand label today that isn’t a company, it’s a long list including Lew’s and BPS reels.

If you want product support and parts stay with Daiwa and Shimano.

Tom

 

[PhishLI]

45 minutes ago, WRB said:

If you want product support and parts stay with Daiwa and Shimano.

Really? I guess you haven't dealt with Lew's service department. They're outstanding, fast, and go above and beyond. On the flipside my quite young at the time Curado K had several internal issues, problems they were well aware of in that particular production run btw. It was gone for 8 weeks.