Shimano Chronarch are dead

[ABU is overpriced]

Is it just me or these reels have completely lost their popularity? I have not seen a single person talk about the newer Chronarch models since the first month the chronarch mgl came out. Surprised they're still making them. 

Used to be such a popular platform back in the E and D days, but now, completely forgotten.

[PBBrandon]

Eh I wouldn’t say they’re dead, a bit of an afterthought these days sure, for a few reasons

 

1. in need of a reboot, it’s a 7 year old reel. Pretty old in reel years with all of the new, nice, sometimes gimmicky, tech that is always coming out

 

2. Abundance of great options these days. Lew’s has stepped up their game big time in the past couple of years, and reels are getting better at every price point. Going back to age, a few reels in the 200 dollar range have gotten as good if not better than the 300 dollar chronarch

 

 3. the JDM market has pretty much made the current chronarch seem overpriced. You can get a Steez for 300, Zillion for 200, Met for 250, etc. Truly high end reels for mid tier prices

 

I’ve owned a couple chronarch MGLs, and they are great reels, just needs a reboot and a good one to get back in the game

[MediumMouthBass]

TW reviews have a few people very displeased with their MGL's, mainly the thumb bars breaking and having to be replaced, sometimes even more than once.

 

It seems like recently on here and other places all the talk is about either the 21 Zillion (on the high end) or the SLX MGL (on the low end), as an owner of both i can see why. With the Zillion being over $200 from Japanese shops and the SLX MGL 70 selling for around $100 nowadays (since they are now last gen) can you tell me that if i bought a new Chronarch it would be better than the Zillion for an extra $100? Or be 3x better than the SLX MGL 70 for 3x the price?

 

They sure do look like nice reels but a bit overpriced.

[T2DM]

I used to have one, Well I still have it but it's in pieces right now, one of the side plate screws stripped on me a while back and been using some parts out of it for my other reels. I still have 90% of the parts like the spool, 2 gear sets (7 speed and 6 speed), handles, etc. It's a shame since the reel still looks brand new, but oh well.

 

I probably will skip the next Chronarch if Shimano ever release another one.

 

If any of you guys need some parts out of it, then let me know, I'm willing to donate.

 

It was a Chronarch MGL 151HG.

 

 

[ABU is overpriced]

They should reboot them, make em out of aluminum like the older versions, and position it to compete with the 21 zillion. Of course, the reel better be great if Shimano wants to compete with the king.

[PhishLI]

18 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Is it just me or these reels have completely lost their popularity? I have not seen a single person talk about the newer Chronarch models since the first month the chronarch mgl came out.

Are you basing this idea on fishing forums? If so, I wouldn't go by that. I've yet to come across a fisherman face to face in the wild who engages on forums. They tend go on FB pages if anything, and even that's rare. Other than a few handfuls of enthusiasts who cross post on several different boards like BR, TT, and others, there isn't really a consensus on anything. Say JDM to most people in the real world and their eyes glaze over. In one ear and out the other. Assume that if they're still making it, it sells, and that's all that really matters in the end. I have no particular love for my Chronarch because of its ergos, but it's a dang cool looking reel which is probably enough for most people inclined to buy one.

 

 

13 hours ago, T2DM said:

I used to have one, Well I still have it but it's in pieces right now, one of the side plate screws stripped on me a while back and been using some parts out of it for my other reels.

I was disappointed when I first took mine apart. Coarse threads into plastic. Uhg. Same with the Curado K. I have Banax builds with machine-screw threaded inserts molded into the plastic.

[GReb]

I’m sure they still sell enough to keep them in production but the 7 year old design definitely has lost its sizzle. At one point it was the entry reel to get the MGL spool which is now offered through the whole lineup. I’d expect a refresh soon and when it happens they’ll be back in the spotlight. The Chronarch line will always have a following because of their great reputation throughout the 2000s

[rangerjockey]

6 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

They should reboot them, make em out of aluminum like the older versions, and position it to compete with the 21 zillion. Of course, the reel better be great if Shimano wants to compete with the king.

I like the old Chronarch but I don't obsess over reels. Today's reels are so good that for the price of a SLX or Tatula your in the game and they are all you need. 

Some guys are really into it and I get it but for me I'll worry about finding fish .

[ABU is overpriced]

8 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Are you basing this idea on fishing forums? If so, I wouldn't go by that. I've yet to come across a fisherman face to face in the wild who engages on forums. They tend go on FB pages if anything, and even that's rare. Other than a few handfuls of enthusiasts who cross post on several different boards like BR, TT, and others, there isn't really a consensus on anything. Say JDM to most people in the real world and their eyes glaze over. In one ear and out the other. Assume that if they're still making it, it sells, and that's all that really matters in the end. I have no particular love for my Chronarch because of it's ergos, but it's a dang cool looking reel which is probably enough for most people inclined to buy one.

 

 

I was disappointed when I first took mine apart. Coarse threads into plastic. Uhg. Same with the Curado K. I have Banax builds with machine-screw threaded inserts molded into the plastic.

Forums, youtube comments and a bit on twitter. 

[Randy Price]

I agree with @PhishLI.  None of my fishing buddies (I'm in a club with 60 guys) and only a couple of them pay any attention to anything on the 'net.

[FishTank]

I have the Chronarch MGL and it's a good reel. I've had no issues with it. It's easy use and set up and brings the fish but if you compare it to what's out there,  I don't think its as good of a reel as the JDM Zillion or Metanium. Also, it's not much different than the Curado MGL. So to me, it really doesn't stand out from Shimano's other reels. 

 

I hope Shimano revamps this line. It was once the workhorse reel of choice if you wanted a step up from the Curado. I still have my 51E and wouldn't trade it for anything.  If Shimano were smart, they could stick the "50" model number on a reel and it would sell like crazy for just the nostalgic connection to models like the Core, Chronarch, and Calcutta.

[casts_by_fly]

I've got 4 chronarchs in the house right now- Bantam 100 from ~2005, a 200e that's about 8-10 years old, and a pair of the current models.  My dad (not much of an internet user let alone a forum goer) loves the chronarch and has fished them since they came out.  His current lineup is 6 of the current model in various gear ratios.

 

The MGL Chronarch is a fantastic reel.  Good form factor, light weight, and casts a mile with either spool tension or using the brakes (pick your style, my dad and I are opposites and both work fine).  Keep it clean, very lightly lube the bearings, and its a silky reel.

 

The metanium and Bantam are similarly great reels in their own avenues.  On one hand you'd say horses for courses.  At the same time, for bass fishing I would use any of the three for any rod or technique without thinking about it.  They are functionally interchangable for me.  So then it just comes to price point.  I bought both my Bantam and Met JDM and they were $205 or so.  A USED chronarch was running $250 or so at the time.  That's a no brainer for me.  

[Robin]

The old ones are not dead. Mine will not die! I have three of the 100s that are more than 20 years old. I have replaced the bearings once or twice, but they still feel as smooth as they did when I got them. They have seen fresh and salt water use and have withstood the test of time. These were purchased way back when the Chronarch was top of the line for Shimano here in the States. I doubt that I will ever part with them. I love all of the new Shimanos and there are a number of newer models that surpass the current Chronarch. In my opinion, they still cannot match the build quality of the old Chronarchs though.

[rangerjockey]

6 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Forums, youtube comments and a bit on twitter. 

That's your first mistake. 

[thunderblack]

Shimano chronarchs are a great reel! The ci4 and the MGL. 

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Im loving the curado and citica 100 sizes ...i had some 200 sized  modern  curado ..maybe im wrong but the Japan made reels seem to be made better then the Malaysian  reels..i sold all of them i had .even the thumb bars seem better as does the loud clutch  engage...amoung other things

[LonnieP]

I have a Chronarch MGL. It’s a decent reel, I just don’t like how it feels in my hands

[casts_by_fly]

7 minutes ago, LonnieP said:

I have a Chronarch MGL. It’s a decent reel, I just don’t like how it feels in my hands

are you a Daiwa guy? I find that for me there is a clear difference between the two and can see why some would have a clear preference. 

[LonnieP]

22 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

are you a Daiwa guy? I find that for me there is a clear difference between the two and can see why some would have a clear preference. 

Yes I’m partial to my Daiwa’s 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I think the Chronarch badge has struggled since the Curado G debacle, where shimano tried to structure the lineup like it was in the B and D where the Curado was the work horse, Citica a little more affordable, the Chronarch more refined. But the public got spoiled by the Curado E. We’ve come to expect more refinement in the Curado name than the workhorse tank that was the B. Personally, I liked when shimano and Daiwa each had 4-5 low profile bait cast reels and each was a meaningful step up.  I think there’s that many tatulas alone today. 

[ABU is overpriced]

8 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

That's your first mistake. 

Why is that? That's a pretty broad demographic. Its not like you can have a more accurate take when it comes to higher end stuff.

[PhishLI]

15 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Forums, youtube comments and a bit on twitter.

Like I said, it's a small group making these noises across platforms which has nothing to do with the tens of millions of people with freshwater fishing licenses who simply buy what they buy for whatever reason. Brand familiarity, nostalgia, etc. Less than a microscopic proportion of those would even know when the launch date of the plastic Chronarch occurred. The rest of them could care less, so "long in the tooth" or "dated" is just a goofy metric. Perhaps not for the gear enthusiast, but remarkably few fishermen are gear enthusiasts, even if they buy a lot of gear.

[ABU is overpriced]

5 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Like I said, it's a small group making these noises across platforms which has nothing to do with the tens of millions of people with freshwater fishing licenses who simply buy what they buy for whatever reason. Brand familiarity, nostalgia, etc. Less than a microscopic proportion of those would even know when the launch date of the plastic Chronarch occurred. The rest of them could care less, so "long in the tooth" or "dated" is just a goofy metric. Perhaps not for the gear enthusiast, but remarkably few fishermen are gear enthusiasts, even if they buy a lot of gear.

Well of course not, but i am not referring to the more casual demographic for the simple fact that... well, i'd bet money that most of them don't even use a baitcaster, let alone a $300 baitcaster. What i am referring to are folks that don't consider spending more than $100 on a fishing reel as a waste of money, and those people are pretty vocal across the socials. Never do you hear one mention the Chronarch. This line of reels have been completely deleted from everyone conversation.

[rangerjockey]

7 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Why is that? That's a pretty broad demographic. Its not like you can have a more accurate take when it comes to higher end stuff.

You Tube is full of wanna be pro's and experts. There are a few who actually know what they are talking about but most are looking for a way to boost income without a real job.

I was in the Golf business for over 20 years. The internet is full of folks giving advice on golf clubs that couldn't break an egg.