SERVICING — ABU Ambassadeur 4500C

[LLCC]

A wise author once said: Fashion comes and goes, but a good style will stand the test of time. ABU Ambassadeurs have worn this same face for decades. Yet each time I look at it, I never feel that it is out of style!



Here is another reel from my friend's collection of Ambassadeurs that he passed me to service. Even though this is a relatively modern incarnation of the venerable ABU Record Ambassadeur Casting reel, it has retained most of Ambassadeur's simple design so servicing this immediately after doing the Shimano Antares DC7 was a breeze by contrast.

The reel had only 1 second of freespool when I received the reel. After cleaning up the ball bearings, here's what I got from the spin time of the ball bearing:

This go to show that ABU once used very high grade ball bearings!

I'll start this step by step guide with a few shots of the reel before I cracked it open...

The full step by step guide is in the link below:
https://gaspinggurami.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/servicing-abu-ambassadeur-4500c/

Hope that helps,

LL

[Alto Mare]

You do some nice clean work LL. I was so impressed with that ABU that I had to grab one, very nice little reels.
Thanks for sharing your tutorials here for us.

Sal

[thorhammer]

Love that 4500. My go-to bass reel is a 1973 5500 that is basically exactly that but wider. I have two of those I got at a yard sale and with just a drop of Hot sauce they out cast my Calcutta TE's. I have the 1500 and 2500's also; guess I need to hunt down one of the 4500's.

John

[foakes]

Very nice work, Lawrence --

ABU has a great history -- plus some really solid products.

These have caught a lot of fish over the years.

Good to see how many of us like these reels.

Best,

Fred

[LLCC]

Thanks for the kind words guys, 

I really love those old Ambassadeurs.

The new generation Amb Revo series of low profile reels are nowhere close to the refinement that these old reels possess.

If only I can find them at a garage sale here...

LL

[wallacewt]

there is a lot of work doing a tutorial
but it will last as long as the reel in question is still around
your tutorial may last 50years
lets have more tutorials
thank you sir

[reel man]

Years ago, I goit into ABU Pro Rockets that was a reel produced in Sweden for an international market and not available to US.  They have the traditional level wind and ball bearings in the spool, they also had a  bar that actuated the freespool.  I liked the other models that had the thumb bar, so converted the cages over with the 5600 models to incorporate the thumb bar, and removed the lever on the right side of the reel. Intsalled the carbon fiber drags to allow catching big yellow tail.  The reel held up well, so is a lot of fun with not only the easier fish to catch, but will stand up to bigger, more aggressive critters.

[steelfish]

Years ago, I goit into ABU Pro Rockets that was a reel produced in Sweden for an international market and not available to US.  They have the traditional level wind and ball bearings in the spool, they also had a  bar that actuated the freespool.  I liked the other models that had the thumb bar, so converted the cages over with the 5600 models to incorporate the thumb bar, and removed the lever on the right side of the reel. Intsalled the carbon fiber drags to allow catching big yellow tail.  The reel held up well, so is a lot of fun with not only the easier fish to catch, but will stand up to bigger, more aggressive critters.

Jerry, that abu pro-rocket catching big Yellows sounds like a solid reel, I have an abu 6500c3 but only use it from shore or for inshore, perfect reel for spotted bay bass and triggerfish, but never tried to catch Leopard groupers or YT with that one.

I know the Abu Record 60 is also a strong reel, do you know the difference Vs the pro Rocket version?, I have a guys offering me one Record 60, he knows Im an Abu fanboy so, I might get it, still now sure.