wow...jdm tackle...really?!

[shadyhaven]

i was just looking at a jdm website and saw a $399.00 pocket knife. holy cow. for that money i hope that it slices,dices,soufles,and catches fish for me. this was an ordinary 3-4inch nothing special except it said megabass. really?! i guess there is a market or they would not have made it. how many of you would or do purchase jdm versus a tried and true barlow or old timer? just using the knife for reference. jdm tackle sure is neat but is it worth it? or just a fetish?

[djmax22]

I would never buy a $400 knife that said Megabas. That is insane. I would buy a $400 JDM reel which might be insane also. ;D

[J Francho]

I would buy a $400 JDM reel which might be insane also.

Yep, and I'm crazy enough to immediately rip it apart and upgrade the bearings.

TD-Ito Alphas Ai:

[.ghoti.]

J Francho, me like the muffin tin for organizing parts during cleaning. What a good idea.

Consider it stolen.

[J Francho]

The muffin pan is critical.  I have a couple 12 compartment pans, but I mainly use 6 compartment pans, especially in cases where the reel isn't mine, and I need to leave the reel dissembled.  

I simply wrap the pan with plastic wrap, put it, along with a work description worksheet, the schematic, and any larger parts in a Sterilite "sweater box."  That way I can be confident that no parts are lost, the reel is well documented, and when I have a lot of reels, I can go "Henry Ford" on them, by breaking down a bunch, then cleaning a bunch, and assembling a bunch.

If you have cats that have access to your workshop (I have one 19# Siamese), you'll want to cover the pan if you leave it.  Something about jingling parts in the pan that really appeals to evil cats.

[BassNub]

u got money lol

[J Francho]

I guess.  Money is just a tool.  It took a lot of effort to earn that money to be able to buy that reel.

[MALTESE FALCON]

When I want a knife, I buy a Schrade. They are quality knives, at an affordable price. Then I can spend the other $350.00 on fishing tackle.

Falcon

[moloch16]

Yep, and I'm crazy enough to immediately rip it apart and upgrade the bearings.

You would think a $400 reel would have some pretty darn good bearings.  What did get for $400 if the bearings are inadequate?

[J Francho]

They are very good stainless steel ABEC 5 bearings, but I replaced them with ceramic ABEC 7, which are on paper "better," and AFAIK, no OEM uses these in their reels because they are "high maintenance."  There is no other reason to do this, other than I can, LOL.  Ever hear of guys buying a performance auto only to upgrade and tune it for better performance?  Same thing here.

[.ghoti.]

J, I only do my own reels, about 20 of "em; and for a few select friends. I don't have to worry about keeping track of any parts over an extended period of time. If I don't have time to finish one, I don't start.

I'm not doing as many as you appear to be doing, so I don't have to get that organized about it.

But, I'm still "stealing" your idea. My wife informed me that I would have to buy my own pans. Hers are off limits.

[J Francho]

Yeah, you don't want to cook with them.  Get a nice "non stick" pan for around $8 - they clean up easier than the cheapie pans.

[Munkin]

I do like the JDM LC colors better than most of the US ones. Megabass makes some nice stuff and the finishes on their lures are the best but they are not worth the money to me.

Allen

[Paul Roberts]

John, your scaring me -more than I scare me.

[The_Natural]

I think the general perception is that if it is JDM....it's expensive.  Daiwa Japan and Shimano Japan have full product lines...just like in America.  You can spend $400, but that represents the high-end, and you can easily spend $400-$600 here in the states on a casting reel (Calais DC/Steez/Stella).  I paid $250 for my pixy's, $200 for my alphas, and $160 for my Scorpions.  Let's just hope the new Mg50 isn't at the same price point as the Aldebaren.