Buying Reels From Auctions

4094 Views 20 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Pennsylvaniacatchaser, Aug 31, 2005

Abu

Discussion Starter · Aug 28, 2005

I buy several Abu reels from ebay. Like the saying goes "You never know what you are going to get." I look for the cheap ones that say hard to reel or needs repaired and alot of them just need to be reassembled correctly. I have bought several that say like new and they look new on the outside when receiving them but the internals are a different story. Many of them I get have been disassembled and reassembled incorrectly with parts in the wrong places or missing parts. There are not that many parts in the Ambassadeur baitcasters so they are about the easiest reels I have found to work on. Just a tip, when you are not buying new in the box such as from auctions, yard sales or pawn shops you better take a look inside to see if they are assembled correctly and grease and oil them while you have them apart. I have noticed the 6500c3 original reels have changed, I have some older ones that have a bearing on each side of the spool and one built in the sideplate. The 6500c3 no longer says 3 ball bearings on the decals because some of them only have two and a round cutout in the sideplate to hold the spool spindle where the third bearing used to be. Just my observations and I would like to have several more to see what is inside.

Abu

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MUDHOLE KID

· #2 · Aug 28, 2005

Hey ABU,you're the reason I can't buy those cheap reels,you're out bidding me<lol>.I do the same thing man.I love to play with these things and build good ones from junkers.I've took some of the old 90year models 6000's and started converting them to a near prefect 6500 serires.It's all about bearings.I've bought a box of replacement spool bearings and right know working with a local bearing co. to find the crank bearings in the sideplate.All you have to do is tap a bearing into the old sideplate of an older 6000 and put a sleeve(#22001) in it instead of the nylon bushing .Change the spool bearings out and you're almost right there with the 6500.The newest 6000 already have this crank bearing in them so all you really have to do is change,the spool bushings to bearings.Now, try to convert some of the old one's to 5 bearing reels won't work,but 3 bearing reels can be made out of 1 bearing reels easy.You just have to play with them.I think of all my reels and reel parts as an ABU LEGO set .I can play with them for hours.By the way I've asked several ABU dealers and parts dealers if it was possible to buy the crank bearingsthat are in the sideplates and they saY"NO YOU HAVE TO BUY THE SIDEPLATE" rip is the word.It' fun and money saying.

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Abu

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 28, 2005

MUDHOLE KID, Love reading your posts and get alot of good information I can put to use from them. Thanks for the help on the sideplates. I have several bearings and changed the one bushing out on the 6000's spool but didn't have a clue you could get another bearing in the sideplate without buying the whole sideplate. I have been thinking about trying some of the Abec 5 bearings, they are expensive when they advertise them as reel replacements but they are the same bearings as good skateboards are full of and alot cheaper to buy from some of the skateboard websites. Now I just need to find a cheap way to put a bearing on each side of the worm gear in the levelwind and toss the plastic pieces they ride on. I would love to have one 6000 full of Abec 5 bearings and see what it will do without any brakes. You probably outbid me on more of the auctions. I am too cheap and constantly update the page looking for the buy it now bargains.

Finally got me a nice portable livewell put together but lookout, I just found a huge ol' chest type freezer and my bait tank for gills is starting. I have an old swimming pool pump I am going to try and I still need a big filter. My goal is to keep alot of gills alive all winter and I will probably have a thousand questions after searching the old BOC.

Gearing up is half the fun of landing a trophy flat. When I should be repairing computers I am dreaming up new ideas for catfishing.

Abu

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MUDHOLE KID

· #4 · Aug 28, 2005

you're right about the bearings,if you scearch,you can find them cheaper.The question is,do you want to spend big $$$$$ on ceramic bearings or go a little cheaper and buy a good quaility stainless or chrome bearing.I when with stainless,their half the $$$$$.Have fun.It don't matter if it's as good as a 6500 or not,the point is you did it.Sooner or later I'll find everything it takes to make a 10$ peice of junk into a 50-70$ treasure.It's very possible.Then the number of reels you can go through is endless.I'll be looking forward to sharing new ideas.Good luck on you tank and that's something I've got to do.

spoonfish

· #5 · Aug 28, 2005

Great posts on the reels guys!
I too get some from e-bay an have been lucky on most I've recieved so far and with a few parts I have saved quite a bit, I get peen 209s.
But know youve got me wondering on the bait tank. I have a 12' pool with the filtration system. Heck I can't use it in the winter any way LOL. I also have a commerical bait pump with 7 lines and stones that I purchased when I had a bait shop, however I dont have my tanks any more. Looks like I mite be in the market to find a big ol chest freezer.

MUDHOLE KID

· #6 · Aug 28, 2005

Hey spoonfish

If you're wanting to save a little$$,and don't need a working unit,look around the recycle centers,(trash dumps).They'll let you have one if it's there.

MUDHOLE KID

· #7 · Aug 28, 2005

Abu
If you get those spool bearings make sure they're 4mm x 10mm x 4mm.If I find out about the sideplate bearings I'll give you a shout out

rodpod

· #8 · Aug 29, 2005

I dont think I have ever seen any really good deals on ebay for reels. I was wondering if anyone ever goes to pawn shops and finds good deals there?

MUDHOLE KID

· #9 · Aug 29, 2005

I've probally bought 30-35 reels off e-bay since last year.Anywhere from 4000-6500 ambassadeurs.I've got took once,I think the rest where real good deals with a few steals.If I'm around a pawn shop I'll see what they have ,but most the time they're wanting new price.I've bought 6500c3's off e-bay for 45.00$.I think thats as good as you can get.Yeah they work great.Gotta shop man,there's deals out there.

rodpod

· #10 · Aug 29, 2005

Everytime i spend too much time on ebay they seem to retain their value pretty well. Especially after shipping. There have been a few times where I have mispelled Ambassadeur and Abu garcia, or find where people listed them in the wrong category. People are hip to that too. I did get outbid by one dollar for a 6500c4 for 55 dollars. What is your secret to finding them so cheap?

spoonfish

· #11 · Aug 29, 2005

I find the ones I'm interested in and put them in my e-bay watch list. Don't bid until the last 1 or 2 minutes and put in what ever your maximum amount you are willing to pay may be. You win some you loose some. It's where people keep bidding them up and think there winning that gets them up so high priced. If they do that I drop em from my list and look for others.

Catfish Fever

· #12 · Aug 29, 2005

I've made three really good purchases on ebay. One Shimano 6500B BR, in the box for $74.00, two 6500B's BR, one for $67.00, one for $72.00, again, both like new in the box. The last one I purchased, for the wife was a 3500B BR for $7200, like new and in the box. All prices included S/H. I use the first three just about every day.

MUDHOLE KID

· #13 · Aug 29, 2005

Time is the secret.I'm a junky.I thought i had one lastnight.I admit ,it's getting a little tougher.Fishermen are adapting to the in's and out's of the great lake of e-bay.It's just like fishing,you do it long enough you'll be able to out fish the opponent.New 6000 ambassadeurs sell for about 55-60$ at wal-mart.I think I can go on e-bay at any time and get a 6000 for less than that,I just don't look for new reels any more.I try to find the roughest ,cheapest reels I can and rebuild them to good usable reels.I have all the reels I need in my boat so know I just play alot.Time is the key,keep watching.I myself will wait till there's about 5 seconds to end time and bust it with one bid.I like to hurt peoples feeling(lol) :evil-big:

ryang

· #14 · Aug 29, 2005

One thing I look for is not only the price of the reel (Ive only bought 1) but to make sure after Shipping and hadling what the price is. If Im going to pay basicly the same price as what I would at the store after S/H then why buy thru E-Bay

G

· #15 · Aug 30, 2005

I've gotten two 6000's off of EBAY. The one was used, and I paid $35 for it, and it had a couple of scratches on it, but it works fine. The other was brand new, I paid $50 for it, and was hot when I got it. I opened the box, and the crank handle was in 3 pieces. Not only that, but I had to wait 4 1/2 weeks to get it after filing a complaint. Next year I'll get two more, but I think they will be new from Wallyworld.

Ray

MUDHOLE KID

· #16 · Aug 30, 2005

I just watched a 6500C3 go for 36.00$ with 6.00 s/h That's 42.00$ for a 65-70$ reel.It was in excellent shape.They're out there.I just don't need anymore for now,"well my wife thinks I don't need anymore"(lol)Item number: 7178046210

Abu

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 30, 2005

Mudhole Kid: very good information on the bearings, I will definitely look into the different types. I would like to have a reel full of Abec 5 bearings with one on each side of the worm gear for the levelwind and get rid of the plastic pieces it rides on, turn the brake all the way off and see what it would do, I know I could remove the levelwind but I have a mess when I guide the line on without a levelwind.
The last three Ambassadeurs reels I bought from eBay were with Buy It Now; a 6600AB like new $35.00, 6500c3 Ultra Cast excellent condition $35.00 and a 6500c3 Original like new for $40.00, all had free shipping. I was waiting for the same seller to put up more reels, as soon as he listed them I bought them within a minute of listing. When you find the first reel go to sellers other items and refresh the page to see if they list anymore with Buy It Now option really cheap. I rarely ever bid unless it is the last 8 seconds so I get the final bid in, I have two pages opened for the same item and have my bid ready to go with the press of a button, I keep refreshing the second open page and watch the seconds tick away and then back to the first open page and place bid.
For Buy It Now I have the words Ambassadeur, Abu and Garcia bookmarked in the fishing category sorted by newly listed items first, when a good deal comes up I buy immediately after looking at the sellers feedback. I have bought 3 brand new red 6000's for $35.00 each with free shipping with Buy It Now. Abu

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MUDHOLE KID

· #18 · Aug 30, 2005

Sounds like you're on it man.I've done a little more looking around for the one-wat clucth bearings that makes the reels anti-reverse to get rid of the clutch dog.So far everyone wants to try and sell me the complete sideplate with the bearing pressed in it.It'a IAN bearing and I've found 2 dealers that have them ,but they're high$$.So I'm going to keep looking for a cheaper deal.They want 9$$$$ for the clutch bearings.As far as the levelwind bearings,they have them too,I found them also .Let me look and see if I can get you a part #.What would be ideal ,would be have an old 6000 with 6 bearings and anti-reverse.I also found out that all the sideplates on the older 6000's won't except the clutch bearing.If you've have enough junk laying around like me though that's no biggie,I'll just pick up another sideplate.I think that levelwind bearing size is 3mm x 7mm x 3mm ,I'll check on it and yell back at ya."""""""""WE CAN BUILD IT BETTER,FASTER THAN BEFORE"""""""

MUDHOLE KID

· #19 · Aug 30, 2005

part # 21680 is for the level wind bearing.They're high.When you get into these mini bearings they must not like to make them,high$$$$.I know you look at Mike's repair page ,but may need to look at the Boca Bearing page too.These are for a C4 series but they should fit.Look into it close before you buy then though.We may need to start a reel repair thread,we sort of strayed from the frist post

Abu

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 30, 2005

Thanks for the Boca bearing info and levelwind bearing help. I started reading on the net all I could find about bearings, it showed me how little I do know about them.

I did figure out that I want low maintenance bearings. Looked at some of the reels the tournament casters use and they are definitely not for fisherman. You probably already seen the bearings for the levelwind at Mike's come in a kit and all I want is the correct bearings to replace the plastic inserts. I have a couple Shimano reels here with the Anti Rust Bearings, going to tear the reels apart and see what size all the bearings are. I know we got offbase from the original thread. I made a post in the Repair Help forum and hope to get a section for reel repairs added.
Abu

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