Abu Garcia Record
Moderator: Cyberlunge
Abu Garcia Record
I am an old school Abu fan but I'm growing more and more tired of the lack of quality I see in their reels especially since Berkley bought them out. I picked up a new Record at the Chicago show. Love the feel, love the gear ratio, great reel for me to run twitch baits and jerk baits. Problem is I blew the anti-reverse in less than a month of use to start of the season. Returned it to Rollie & Hellens and got a new one just before I left for a week on Georgian Bay. On the last day of the 6 day trip I once again fried the anti-reverse. This time I sent it back to Pure Fishing's (Berkley's repair arm) repair folks with a pretty snotty note saying I was unimpressed with the alleged claims that the Record would hold up to musky fishing. They called me back and asked what line I was using on it. When I told them 80 lb Power Pro, the guy told me that is why I'm frying the antireverse and I quote "using that stuff is like the reel is pulling in a log everytime." He suggested I use a line 1/2 that in test strength. I then questioned him about what serious musky angler would use less than 80 lb test super line. He said that their pros only use 7000 series Big Game reels for muskies and those reels can hold up to the larger test superlines. I thought that was interesting but asked how it was their pros palmed 7000's when working jerk baits. Unfortunately, bottom line is, the Berkley guys just don't get musky fishing nor are they listening to the comlpaints and trying to improve their products. Good thing is they will repair and/or replace your reel promptly but for $130+ dollars I was expecting a bit more from this "improved" product than my having to send it back once a month for replacement.
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Will Schultz
- Posts: 7675
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:06 pm
- Location: GR, MI
Re: Abu Garcia Record
Are you sure it's an Abu or does it say Shimano on the side?Scrappy wrote: They called me back and asked what line I was using on it. When I told them 80 lb Power Pro, the guy told me that is why I'm frying the antireverse and I quote "using that stuff is like the reel is pulling in a log everytime." He suggested I use a line 1/2 that in test strength. I then questioned him about what serious musky angler would use less than 80 lb test super line.
I'm not sure his argument that lighter line would help is very well thought out. Line 1/2 that test that is no stretch, is still NO STRETCH - DUH. The industry standard is 80 and 100# if the reel doesn't handle that then they need to get back to the drawing board.
My one piece of advice: Never buy a reel when it's first on the market...
I'm testing some reels right now that I'm really happy with, so far. If they hold up I will be sure to let everyone know. Scrappy, you'll get to see them on LSC - you can try them if you want when we're out.
Last edited by Will Schultz on Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Self interest is for the past, common interest is for the future.
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Bryan Saenz
I picked up a Record before season just because I had some gift cards to spend, and it was pretty. I haven't had any problems with mine, it has been my primary set up this year. In short, it has been everything I expect from all my other C series Abu reels, but a little smoother. But, that's weird, I have never heard of the anti-rev going out on an Abu, ever. But then again everybody I know uses 40 lb braid 
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Kingfisher
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:45 am
- Location: Muskegon, MI
- Contact:
Records
Hi Guys, well I have the biggest one . The one that came with a trolling handle. Its about the size of a 6500. I have two of them. One works great with no problems with the antireverse the other gives me fits with the tension ajuster. I get some real nasty overruns with it. Both of them had the thumb rest rubber part fall off so I just removed the whole piece. I think I should have stayed with the St. Croixs. Mike