21farms Posted October 1, 2008 Posted October 1, 2008 micro, i stand corrected regarding my statement that the SX and STX has both types of brakes. when i first read your post, i thought for sure you were wrong but when i got home and opened up my SX, sure enough, no centrifugal brakes i've had two revo S's and have opened them up numerous times to adjust the brakes but my SX i've only had for about 3 months and have never once bothered to take off the sideplate because it casted so well straight from the box. so this was my first look inside...thanks for the correction.
Super User Micro Posted October 1, 2008 Super User Posted October 1, 2008 Frank, I was a little concerned about your assertion. With the merger of Pflueger and Abu Garcia under the Pure Fishing banner I thought for a moment that Abu may have decided to adopt the Pflueger combo brake so that they didn't have two lines of reels with different brake systems. IMO, that wouldn't have been all bad as the Pflueger (also high-end Johnny Morris reels) have outstanding combo brakes. But it appears not. That concern was further fed by the fact that Bob Hulme, the head of reel service for Pure Fishing, told me week before last that the service centers for Shakespeare, Pflueger and Abu Garcia were combining and consolidating in Iowa (I think Iowa). I haven't had a chance to talk with him since he passed that info along so I couldn't ask. But for pure rumor it appears to me Abu will continue along on its own path.
21farms Posted October 2, 2008 Posted October 2, 2008 micro, i have mixed feelings about the current combo brakes. on my new pflueger summit, i have the magnetic control turned completely off and have turned off all but one of the six centrifugal brakes but still only get so-so casting distance. [i actually liked pflueger's previous-generation inertial transfer braking (ITB) much better...it works so well, i can't figure out why they ditched it (although some of the BPS reels are still using it).]
booneangler Posted October 3, 2008 Author Posted October 3, 2008 i tried the way you said to set it up micro and it worked good gonna try it again tomorrow i think it should be fine now
Super User Micro Posted October 3, 2008 Super User Posted October 3, 2008 Good to hear that. Once you get used to it, it will cast a country mile!
Big Tom Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 Good to hear that. Once you get used to it, it will cast a country mile! It took me a while to get used to mine. Technically I guess I never really did so I finally gave up and turned the magnetic brake 3/4 to all the way on. I still got my spool brake set to where the lure can free fall through the water and the reel still slings baits forever so I don't see the problem having that much brake on. I am sure I could gain a couple of extra yards but they are not my designated cranking reels so I do not really need to sling my baits ten miles anyway.
Super User burleytog Posted October 3, 2008 Super User Posted October 3, 2008 The magnetic Revo is a different beast than any reel out there. You can't set it up like you do other reels.
Ragen Posted October 12, 2008 Posted October 12, 2008 Micro, I landed here after doing a google search on Revo SX setup. Your post on the correct setup was right on the money. THANKS!!
Ragen Posted October 18, 2008 Posted October 18, 2008 What changes would you make if you wanted to set up and SX for pitchin'? Thanks in advance!
Super User firefightn15 Posted October 19, 2008 Super User Posted October 19, 2008 To the ones with distance issues, I think it is fair to say that with all the normal variables (line weight, lure weight, etc), rod length plays a big part in casting distance. Take a 66mhm avid and a 70mhm avid with the same reel, line and lure and it's not hard to see what difference there will be in distance. IMO That being said, my Revo s' and sxs' w/ 12# test cast a country mile with minimal adjustments.
Super User cart7t Posted October 19, 2008 Super User Posted October 19, 2008 I dumped my SX and STX reels and went with Pflueger Patriarchs and Johnny Morris reels. I did keep a pair of Revo S's. There's just no comparison between either the Patriarch or the JM reels and the SX or STX. In fact, there's no comparing the castability and ease of set up with the S vs the SX or STX. Technically, the SX and STX have the wrong kind of brakes on them. Mag braking is really more of a beginners brake. Anyone with decent thumb control can essentially turn the mag brakes off and not really have any difficulty in feathering towards the end of the cast. It's at the beginning of the cast where the problem comes in. Centrifugal brakes stop that instant overspin that occurs on the moment you snap your wrist and initiate the cast starting the spool spinning. That's where the problems are with the SX and STX. The spools slightly overspins and then you get loops on the spool. If they wanted to do one thing to those 2 models it should be getting rid of that worthless mag brake system and put a centrifugal on. Otherwise those are great reels. Just way to touchy to set up.
Super User Micro Posted October 20, 2008 Super User Posted October 20, 2008 There you go again, Cart. :
Super User cart7t Posted October 20, 2008 Super User Posted October 20, 2008 Of all $100 + baitcasters on the market, how many don't have centrifugal brakes? 3 - Revo SX, STX and Premiere. When Garcia asked Skeet Reese to design his own signature Revo he requested Centrifugal brakes be added and the linear mag brake removed. I think that speaks for itself.
Pencil Pusher Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 Daiwa reels, with few exceptions - the Advantage inshore comes to mind, have magnetic brakes, including the $450 steez. The BPS and Pflueger reels, for the most part have Pinnacle designed Inertia or dual braking systems that are combination centrifugal and magnetic brakes. So you're statements that mag brakes are for beginners and only on less expensive reels is in error and misleading.
bpm2000 Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 Of all $100 + baitcasters on the market, how many don't have centrifugal brakes?3 - Revo SX, STX and Premiere. When Garcia asked Skeet Reese to design his own signature Revo he requested Centrifugal brakes be added and the linear mag brake removed. I think that speaks for itself. arnt most of the higher end daiwa line mag brakes? magforce V/Z (or is it a combo brake?) like sol, luna, steez, zillion, etc etc i still dont get what this fuss is all about the revo SX/STX. I suck with baitcasters compared to the seasoned many and I can cast these things fine most of the time. I have noticed however compared to my centrifugal reels the cast knob needs to be a lil tighter as already mentioned.
Super User Micro Posted October 20, 2008 Super User Posted October 20, 2008 So you're statements that mag brakes are for beginners and only on less expensive reels is in error and misleading. Bingo.
Super User cart7t Posted October 21, 2008 Super User Posted October 21, 2008 So you're statements that mag brakes are for beginners and only on less expensive reels is in error and misleading. Bingo. Nope, mag braking was originally introduced to attract less experienced anglers to baitcasters over 25 years ago. It was basically a gimmick as reels at the time had already been fitted with centrifugal brakes. Any angler with enough patience could learn to toss a Daiwa Millionaire or a 5000 series Garcia with minimal problems. Mag braking was merely a sales gimmick to overcome peoples fears of baitcasting reels as ungainly and difficult to use. It worked though most experienced anglers rarely used the mag braking since it didn't do much more than what a trained thumb could do.
Super User Micro Posted October 21, 2008 Super User Posted October 21, 2008 Then why the heck would you extoll the virtues of the dual brake on the Pflueger and Johnny Morris? Those have magnetic brakes. If its as "useless" as you claim, then not only is it a waste of space, it MUST be a waste of weight. All that extra weight and spool mass for a brake system that has no virtue whatsoever. Imagine how much better those reels would have been, and how much less they would have weighed, had the Pflueger just left off the magnetic portion. Unless, of course, that your theory is so much hoo haw. Nice try, Cart. Next....
wagn Posted October 21, 2008 Posted October 21, 2008 I can't figure out why people can't just say that there are 2 different brake systems for 2 different types of anglers? I use Diawa, Shimano, and Revo reels. I prefer magnetic brakes myself, but it really comes down to preferance and what you are comfortable with. I've never had any problem with my Revo STX reels and enjoy fishing them even though my favorite is my Diawa Zillion, it just feels right in my hand. My next purchase will probably be the new Curado.
Pantera61 Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 Yup, magnetic brakes were originally introduced for the beginning angler BUT as with most things in life put it into the hands of an expert and it begins to do wonderful things. Consider the centrifugal brake as axe and the magnetic brake as a stiletto. The centrifugal brake is perfect for throwing heavy baits, like cranks, spinnerbaits and T and C rigged plastics long distances or flippin' heavy jigs and worms at rod tip range. Magnetic brakes provide precision spool control for tactics such as skipping a bait, pitchin' a bait and finesse plastics. it takes just as much thumb control to skip a bait using casting tackle, if not more so. It's boils down to the old shop class adage, "Use the right tool for the right job."
Super User Micro Posted October 22, 2008 Super User Posted October 22, 2008 If you set your reel up properly and practice, it doesn't matter what your brake system is. If you're competent with your rig, a magnetic brake or centrifugal brake doesn't matter. It simply comes down to preference. I use one of my Revo STXs to throw lighter cranks on a 6'6" medium rod. I use the other to throw heavier plastics and spinner baits on a medium heavy rod. And I use yet another to throw frogs on a heavy/extra fast rod. The reel handles all these well when it's set to the task. I have two Revo SXs and two Revo SCs, both with magnetic brakes, that I use to throw weightless plastics, and heavy spinnerbaits. The work great. And I have two Revo Ss with centrifugal brakes I use to throw Carolina Rigs and flip heavy jigs, but they have worked well throwing light baits on lighters rods. It comes down to proper set up and competance that comes with practice.
Pantera61 Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 If you set your reel up properly and practice, it doesn't matter what your brake system is. If you're competent with your rig, a magnetic brake or centrifugal brake doesn't matter. It simply comes down to preference.I use one of my Revo STXs to throw lighter cranks on a 6'6" medium rod. I use the other to throw heavier plastics and spinner baits on a medium heavy rod. And I use yet another to throw frogs on a heavy/extra fast rod. The reel handles all these well when it's set to the task. I have two Revo SXs and two Revo SCs, both with magnetic brakes, that I use to throw weightless plastics, and heavy spinnerbaits. The work great. And I have two Revo Ss with centrifugal brakes I use to throw Carolina Rigs and flip heavy jigs, but they have worked well throwing light baits on lighters rods. It comes down to proper set up and competance that comes with practice. I'll take a reel with a magnetic brake and you can take a reel with a centrifugal brake, same rod, same line. We'll see which performs better. Part of that "competence" you speak of is knowing which end of the shovel to pick up.
Pencil Pusher Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 I will argue that magnetic brakes were not introduced for the beginning angler. They were, at the time, a technological advance in baitcasting reels. All of the top of the line baitcasters from Daiwa, Shimano and Abu (the major players in the baitcast game at the time) had magnetic brakes. The less expensive reels from these same three manufacturers had basic centrifugal brakes; non-adjustable two pin brakes. If a change in the braking system to inhibit overruns means it is for the beginning angler, the it follows that the Shimano digital control reels of today would be the ultimate beginner's reels. I don't buy it.
Super User roadwarrior Posted October 22, 2008 Super User Posted October 22, 2008 I posted this last week on Senko77's thread in the Flea Market: After the discussion with Micro, I decided to follow his instructions precisely and fish the reel exclusively over the Columbus Day weekend (three days). I swapped out a CTE200GT on my Loomis MBR844C and dedicated this rig solely to fishing a 1/2 oz jig and trailer, about 3/4 oz total weight. Results: Worked well, but still blew itself up twice. I'm going to stick with this set-up until next spring. By then I will either like the STX or get rid of it. 8-)
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