500 to 501 questions

[pyros46290]

Lets just say I really love my 500's. They never fail and can handle every species that I fish for. I run 65# braid line all the time so the 500 spool holds just a crap load of line, and I really dont even get to use half of it. So if i got the 500 in a narrower version it would hold just about the right amount of line i would realistically use or need. So i have been looking into converting one of my 500 to a 501 and got a couple questions.
-are all 500/501 side plates interchangeable?
-do i just need the frame bars, reel seat and spool to convert a 500 to 501?
-would a tiburon frame and spool be direct 'bolt on', and is it 'worth it'?
-tiburon web site says 'wont work with chinese made reels'. how do i know if it is chinese made?

[Keta]

"-are all 500/501 side plates interchangeable?"

Yes

"-do i just need the frame bars, reel seat and spool to convert a 500 to 501?"

Yes

"-would a tiburon frame and spool be direct 'bolt on', and is it 'worth it'?

Yes for "bolt on", the other half is subjective.  Penn 29L-501 spools are hard to come by and not cheep (I'm looking for 2 myself), cross bars are easier to find but they are also not cheep ($7.50x4).  Price the Penn parts and the Tiburone kit, then determine if it is "worth it" to you.  It was to me.

"-tiburon web site says 'wont work with chinese made reels'. how do i know if it is chinese made?"

Somewhere, probably on the stand, there should be "made in china".  I'm just guessing here, I've never seen a PRC Jigmaster.

[Aiala]

Or, it might ultimately prove less costly to find a decent 501 on fleaBay (assuming you don't overpay), something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-SALE-PENN-JIGMASTER-501-/261823925196?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf5ec0bcc

That way, you'd have two great Jigmasters to cover all your angling possibilities. 

~A~

[Bryan Young]

Or, it might ultimately prove less costly to find a decent 501 on fleaBay (assuming you don't overpay), something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-SALE-PENN-JIGMASTER-501-/261823925196?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf5ec0bcc

That way, you'd have two great Jigmasters to cover all your angling possibilities. 

~A~

That's a nice specimen...

[Keta]

There is still 2-1/2 days to go on it, it will go for much higher than $25.00 though.    I picked up a really nice maroon 501 that was posted as "large deep sea reel" for $28.00 and was the only bid.  It looked unused.

[pyros46290]

haha i was already watching that reel on ebay. didnt want to mention it and have to start bidding against you guys and drive up the price    that may just be the route i ultimately go, so i have 2 complete reels. keep the 500 for cattle boats and the 501 for use on my boat for sturgeon, halibut, salmon, lings etc. I think its a little overkill for stripers out here, there are good numbers of them but the vast majority is on the smaller side so i have been using light bass gear on them and lovin it

[Black Pearl]

haha i was already watching that reel on ebay. didnt want to mention it and have to start bidding against you guys and drive up the price    that may just be the route i ultimately go, so i have 2 complete reels. keep the 500 for cattle boats and the 501 for use on my boat for sturgeon, halibut, salmon, lings etc. I think its a little overkill for stripers out here, there are good numbers of them but the vast majority is on the smaller side so i have been using light bass gear on them and lovin it

Don't forget that you can also replace the spacer bars with the SS spacer bars I made.

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12127.0

[pyros46290]

those are nice crossbars. any chance there will be another run of the 4:1 SS gear sets?

[Aiala]

Don't forget that you can also replace the spacer bars with the SS spacer bars I made.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12127.0

Yup... I did that! (Tiburon plates, too.)



~A~

[Black Pearl]

those are nice crossbars. any chance there will be another run of the 4:1 SS gear sets?

We are in the progress for 2nd generation 4:1 gear set. It should be available in few months.

Thanks,
--Alan

[Doug]

Once you use the 501 you will not like the 500 so much. The 501 allows easier line handling ( keeping the line on the reel level). It has less of a tendency to  rock or wobble  during retrieve with a good size fish on as due other narrow reels. Just my opinion. Doug

[pyros46290]

ok while on topic of the side plates, i have seen some 500s (i think they were 500s anyway) that have the metal ring around the outside edge of the side plates. is that the side plate off another reel or can you add a ring onto the side plate??

[Porthos]

If you were in Chino Hills, (a.k.a, L.A vincinity) you could jump on this:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/spo/4929236889.html

[pyros46290]

yeah that would be nice if it was local, ill keep scouring until i come across one. or at least some parts. thats a heck of a deal for whoever gets it though