Daiwa 2017 Tatula SV TW103XS - What is it Good For?

[Big Hands]

My SV TW103 is pretty noisy, and it has been a bit disappointing in terms of casting performance. I took it to a couple of tackle shops to talk about it. One of them had one still in stock. It was making about the same amount of gear growling noise as mine does. The growling gets noticeably louder just as the bearing cap eliminates the side play from the spool too. My gears had a slight 'tick' a few months back, so I put in a new set. They aren't any quieter than the originals ever were.

 

Mine spun better in free spool than the new one I looked at today, but given that I have cleaned and oiled my bearings, that's not especially surprising. And if I am being honest, it hasn't been a great performer overall, and it doesn't seem to excel at any particular thing either. It isn't horrible, but it's definitely a below average performer among the reels that I own despite being one of the most expensive reels that I own.

 

I guess I'm still searching for the right course for this horse.

[AmmoGuy]

Ah, the ole Tatula noise lottery. Many will play, few will win. 
 

But really, none of the unsupported pinion Tats stay quiet or smooth very long unless you get really lucky. The always do their job, and they keep on tickin (pun intended), but they can definitely be geary. 
 

The answer is… Sell it and get a Zillion.

As long as JDM Zillion SVs can be had for ~$40 more than Tatula SVs, there’s zero reason to ever consider buying a Tatula SV IMO.  
 

As far as uses, a Daiwa 8.1 SV is a great bottom contact, dock skipping, jig pitching reel. 

 

[Pogues2300]

It’s funny I have four tatula sv and none of them have issues but on the flip side I have two new zillions and one of them feels geary  under load. They are the usdm versions though so even more expensive. To answer the question I use the tatulas for every technique from finesse to frogging and cranking down to 16 feet or so.

[Tatulatard]

7 hours ago, Big Hands said:

My SV TW103 is pretty noisy, and it has been a bit disappointing in terms of casting performance. I took it to a couple of tackle shops to talk about it. One of them had one still in stock. It was making about the same amount of gear growling noise as mine does. The growling gets noticeably louder just as the bearing cap eliminates the side play from the spool too. My gears had a slight 'tick' a few months back, so I put in a new set. They aren't any quieter than the originals ever were.

 

Mine spun better in free spool than the new one I looked at today, but given that I have cleaned and oiled my bearings, that's not especially surprising. And if I am being honest, it hasn't been a great performer overall, and it doesn't seem to excel at any particular thing either. It isn't horrible, but it's definitely a below average performer among the reels that I own despite being one of the most expensive reels that I own.

 

I guess I'm still searching for the right course for this horse.

Spool it with heavy flouro and skip baits.  

[waymont]

I’ve had 6 Tatula sv 103, and two ct type R. Never had even a little issue with any. 

[Boomstick]

I have the originals, one was always noisy, the other two are quiet.

[JediAmoeba]

I have 1, an 8.1.1 that is geary. But it's also one of the smoothest casting reels. The noise doesn't bother me. If you want to reduce the noise pack a little more grease in there. Being the side plate is not aluminum the sound is amplified.

 

The reels are absolute workhorses though and I employ 6 of them in my arsenal. 2 have been going strong for 4 years now.

[Darth-Baiter]

mine is geary.  mild.  my Curado 150 is gearier..  my other 150 is silk.  

 

total crapshoot.  but they all seem to harass fish perfectly.

[Tatulatard]

I swear the aluminum side plate on the 150/old tat makes a difference.  My old type r and HD are both quieter and smoother than my newer plastic side plate tatulas using the exact same gears despite being older with more use.

[Fishin Dad]

I have a number (8) of SV reels.   I just really them.   They cast well, are totally controllable when skipping and pitching, and I like the size.   I still love the older model zillion sv the best.  I wish I could find more for a reasonable price.  I like the old Zillion SV better than my new one.  I know that is rare to hear.  

[AmmoGuy]

1 hour ago, Tatulatard said:

I swear the aluminum side plate on the 150/old tat makes a difference.  My old type r and HD are both quieter and smoother than my newer plastic side plate tatulas using the exact same gears despite being older with more use.

 

I don't think that theory holds up. I have a few Coastals with aluminum plates. Only one of which has stayed relatively smooth. Conversely, I still have two regular Tatula 100s that have stayed relatively quiet.

 

I think it's just more hit or miss these days. 

 

[JediAmoeba]

1 hour ago, Fishin Dad said:

I have a number (8) of SV reels.   I just really them.   They cast well, are totally controllable when skipping and pitching, and I like the size.   I still love the older model zillion sv the best.  I wish I could find more for a reasonable price.  I like the old Zillion SV better than my new one.  I know that is rare to hear.  

I love mine as well! They are super solid and it doesn't feel like a baby reel in my hands 

2 hours ago, Tatulatard said:

I swear the aluminum side plate on the 150/old tat makes a difference.  My old type r and HD are both quieter and smoother than my newer plastic side plate tatulas using the exact same gears despite being older with more use.

I agree which is what I was trying to say above - the side plates really seem to amplify noise

[txchaser]

Just checking, you do have the spool tension backed off enough to have a tiny bit of side to side play? It should click a little when you try to move the spool back and forth. 

[Big Hands]

On 6/8/2023 at 6:11 PM, txchaser said:

Just checking, you do have the spool tension backed off enough to have a tiny bit of side to side play? It should click a little when you try to move the spool back and forth. 

 

No. This is not a zero-adjust like the 2020 Tatula. This is the 2017 model. I have a Tatula 100 that has zero-adjust, and this one just has a spool tension cap like most baitcasters.

 

On 6/8/2023 at 7:37 AM, JediAmoeba said:

The noise doesn't bother me.

 

The noise is a minor annoyance to me. I do find it odd that it is geary sounding when I just replaced the drive and pinion gears. That said, if the casting performance was better, I would live with the noise.

[AmmoGuy]

2 hours ago, Big Hands said:

 

No. This is not a zero-adjust like the 2020 Tatula. This is the 2017 model. I have a Tatula 100 that has zero-adjust, and this one just has a spool tension cap 

“Zero adjust” is just a marketing term, and a knob that’s harder to turn. 
 

All SV reels should be set up the way @txchaser described. Regardless of whether they have the “zero adjust” “feature”. 
 

If you add any pressure to an SV spool via the cap, you won’t be happy with its casting performance. 

[Tatulatard]

13 hours ago, Big Hands said:

 

No. This is not a zero-adjust like the 2020 Tatula. This is the 2017 model. I have a Tatula 100 that has zero-adjust, and this one just has a spool tension cap like most baitcasters.

 

 

The noise is a minor annoyance to me. I do find it odd that it is geary sounding when I just replaced the drive and pinion gears. That said, if the casting performance was better, I would live with the noise.

Zero adjust doesn't exist.  It's a hard to turn knob to discouraged turning it.  Both reels should be set the same way with a tiny bit of side to side play and left alone.  

[KP Duty]

On 6/8/2023 at 3:00 PM, Fishin Dad said:

I have a number (8) of SV reels.   I just really them.   They cast well, are totally controllable when skipping and pitching, and I like the size.   I still love the older model zillion sv the best.  I wish I could find more for a reasonable price.  I like the old Zillion SV better than my new one.  I know that is rare to hear.  

The '16 Zillion is my jam also...just love the frame on the '16 zillion/'17 Tats versus the new lower and wider frames.  I have one geary tat out of 8, but none see heavy use.  IMO, geary reels should be a thing of the past!

 

[Fishin Dad]

8 hours ago, KP Duty said:

The '16 Zillion is my jam also...just love the frame on the '16 zillion/'17 Tats versus the new lower and wider frames.  I have one geary tat out of 8, but none see heavy use.  IMO, geary reels should be a thing of the past!

 

I look once in a while for those older Zillions and they are from Japan and they list the condition as questionable, so I always pass on them.  I would love to grab a couple of new ones if I could.   They just feel so connected.  Like you are not reeling anything, yet have total control.  It is a hard feeling to describe.   I do love the size of the standard tatulas as well.  I am 6’3” and don’t love puny reels.  

[Tatulatard]

On 6/8/2023 at 3:42 PM, AmmoGuy said:

 

I don't think that theory holds up. I have a few Coastals with aluminum plates. Only one of which has stayed relatively smooth. Conversely, I still have two regular Tatula 100s that have stayed relatively quiet.

 

I think it's just more hit or miss these days. 

 

Maybe not on the new tatulas but the 150 and 200 are noticeably quieter after years of use than the same gears in the plastic side plate fuego ct, tatula ct and 17 sv.  I have an 8:1 tatula type-r and an hd custom from 2015 that's quiet reeling even though you can definitely feel the gear mesh under load.  I don't know if that aluminum side plate keeps the pinion better aligned over time so there is less wear of its is just a noise issue with the density of the side plate material but its very noticeable comparing those old aluminum side plate tatulas to newer plastic side plate tatulas using the same gears and bearings.