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ABU....China Or Sweden?

10K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  twaskom 
#1 ·
I feel stupid for asking this question, but, other than reading on the box, made in (wherever) how do I know which reels are made in Sweden and which are made in China? Is there a list? I haven't seen 1 on the website. And so many are made anymore, its just hard to keep up with.
 
#7 ·
Moose:

The new model C3 7000 (a.k.a.) 7000 C3 or 7000 Catfish Special are very well made reels.

I am a traditionalist and wish all Abu reels were still made in Sweden but the world has changed.

Tonight I was fishing with my 6500 CL Big Game reel that was purchased in 2003 and it still performs as new.

The 6500 c3 Catfish Special is an excellent reel as well.

I hope the Chinese-made 7000 c3 models hold up that well.

Good luck with your future purchase.
 
#11 ·
This isn't meant to start any bashing or anything - it is a serious question.

Most people will bash the made in China reels as being junk and only want the Sweden made. And in the same breath will swear that Penn Fathoms are one of the best reels on the market. Yet those are made in China also.

Pure Fishing owns Penn, Abu, Ambassadeur and probably 90% of the fishing gear out there. The best reels I have owned were (and are - still own 5) the Alphamar 16s. Made in China and the twin of the Fathom. Now discontinued because their price point was $50-75 cheaper than the Fathom and cutting into the Fathom sales.

I just bought 2 Fathom 20s and have not been able to use them yet - but I hope they are every bit as good as the Alphamars are.

So - my question is - why do so many people look at the China Abus as junk but praise the Penn Fathoms? Or do they mistakenly believe the Penns are made in the USA?
 
G
#12 ·
This isn't meant to start any bashing or anything - it is a serious question.

Most people will bash the made in China reels as being junk and only want the Sweden made. And in the same breath will swear that Penn Fathoms are one of the best reels on the market. Yet those are made in China also.

Pure Fishing owns Penn, Abu, Ambassadeur and probably 90% of the fishing gear out there. The best reels I have owned were (and are - still own 5) the Alphamar 16s. Made in China and the twin of the Fathom. Now discontinued because their price point was $50-75 cheaper than the Fathom and cutting into the Fathom sales.

I just bought 2 Fathom 20s and have not been able to use them yet - but I hope they are every bit as good as the Alphamars are.

So - my question is - why do so many people look at the China Abus as junk but praise the Penn Fathoms? Or do they mistakenly believe the Penns are made in the USA?

I don't look at the ones made in China as junk. I've never used any high end reel. The C3 6500 and 7000 will be the first nice reels I've ever owned. On top of the tangling with cat fish rods the reels will be going on. I'm use to cheap Zebco reels/rods. It just seems like everyone claims the reels made in China aren't any good. I've never really figured out why.

I'm glad you brought this up. I'm eager to see the responses.
 
#20 ·
I don't bash the china reels but some are just cheap reels so,,,,you get what you pay for. Now one that irritates me is the Abu 6500S. The S model to me is an entry level reel and should not have been labeled to appear like the old standard Abu 6500.

If you take a Corvette and put a lawn mower engine in it, then fill it full of cheap parts, it should not be called a Corvette. So, I am not upset with the reel itself but rather the company for not (identifying) calling it what it is.

The other round reel lookalikes is entirely another matter to me.
 
#21 ·
For me, it's not the fact that they are made in china. The chinese can build a reel just as well as anyone else, a reel is childs play, I mean hey, they build Iphones! It's the fact that most of the abu models that pure fishing chooses to let them put together are not made with good quality parts and are not designed well, but this lies solely in the hands of the designer which is abu, or pure fishing.
If pure fishing had a 6500s made right here in the USA, it would still be a lower quality reel because of the design and parts used, it doesn't matter who puts it together.
The penn fathom, as mentioned above, is a good example. Great reel made in china. There isn't anyone to blame for the lower quality reels, it's just the way they are designed and the price reflects it.
They just put lower priced models in the lineup so people will have more choices no matter their budget. I really don't think the chinese have anything to do with the quality of a reel since the design and parts used are dictated by pure fishing, they are being built exactly as they are designed.
Not really the country that makes it, just the model number that we need to look for when choosing.
 
#26 ·
Bruce, I think you will be pleased with the 7000 reel. Even the current ones made in China are still good quality. The 6500-S is the one to stay away from. I would not touch a 6500 unless it was stamped Made in Sweden and hat is the main thing for people to key in on. The China ones are around $70-$75 and are in every Walmart if you want to check them out. Chad is 100% right above that the Chinese can make good products but for some reason, they (not sure who they is) have decided to cheapen this reel up. My comment above is only saying that I wish they kept the quality that the 6500 reels were known for and then gave this new reel a unique name. Nothing at all wrong with it being an entry level reel but I would have made it a separate model.

If folks just do a little research before they buy, that is all that is necessary.
 
#27 ·
The 6500 C3 I bought was the catfish special. I will be trying it out on the water in a few days. The other 6500s I looked at and left at the store didn't have made in Sweden stamped on the reel. The 7000s I looked at, at 4 different stores so far, didn't have made in Sweden stamped on them and thus the question. I will be looking at getting a 7000 soon, but only if its quality.
 
#28 ·
Bruce, you did well with the Catfish Special. Now the 7000 that are made in China now have (up to this point) been good reels and have maintained their quality. Several on here have them with no issues. If you want a 7000 that was made in Sweden, I would recommend eBay. Just check the sellers rating and number of items sold. Of course ask all the questions you may have. I have purchased 10 6500s and 4 7000s from eBay and have been happy with all.

Tight lines
 
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