Abu

[MolBasser]

Totally old thread, but I was looking for the 4500CB schematic as I have one from the 80's and I found this thread.  It was my first "real" bass fishing reel.  It does indeed center itself and then stop.  This reel has seen some action, let me tell you, but it still free spools well even though I haven't used it in years.  I'm going through all my gear and selling stuff I don't use and I just can't bear to part with this reel.  I need to find an old pistol grip rod from the era to pair it with.

The self centering level wind wasn't very effective.  The mechanism adds quite a bit of friction during the cast.  The good news is that it can be removed and it'll function just like any other Ambassadeur.  I believe Abu did this as a workaround for not implementing a disengaging level wind like smaller low profile reels use.

I haven't fished with it in years, but I don't remember ever thinking that its casting length was adversely effected.  I caught plenty of fish with that reel.

[Gfish]

Maybe a relatively narrow spool would help reduce friction on one of the ones that stops the line guide in the middle. I have an 80's Ultra Mag where the line guide completely disengages on a cast and slides back and forth as the line goes out. But, the spool is so narrow, it probably doesn't make much difference. At least not until you get into the larger(wider) reels.