My 1st 5000D

[jgp12000]

The 5000D arrived,I am really surprised these guys werent more popular.I can see it being my goto for live bait fishing.Bait clicker + the handle turns when the fish pulls line.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Sorry to say I never watched the video you sent. Spend some time with a polisher and you'll have a lot of fun with that. I'm glad you finally got your unicorn.

[oc1]

James, you will have to explain how-the-heck that thing works.  I pitcher is worth a thousand words.

[jgp12000]

Steve,
The best way I can describe the function of the 5000D is:
There is no A/R,you cast the reel the same,if you let go of the handle & a fish takes the bait the drag engages & the handle turns backwards as the fish runs.When you Grab the handle it becomes direct drive.

They also  made 4000Ds w/o clicker & 5500Ds.

[JasonGotaProblem]

It's a regular ambassadeur, without an AR dog, that has a clicker. Everything else is the same. And it's green.

It still has the post the dog would ride on, just no dog. So one could add a dog and have a green ambassadeur with a clicker.

Abu made it to appeal to those who liked direct drive reels. It's not direct drive. It has a drag like a normal amby. But if you crank down the drag tight, it'll probably feel like one

[tincanary]

There is an AR dog in the 4000/5000/5500D reels, but it doesn't really function as an anti-reverse if that makes any sense. 

Here are the parts laid out in the order they're installed.  Note how the ratchet gear is independent of the driveshaft and not keyed, while the drive gear is keyed.  As a fish is pulling line, the AR dog catches the ratchet gear so that it remains stationary while the driveshaft and drive gear are free to rotate backwards.  Drag tension dictates how easily the handle can turn backwards.  The drag washer is a 3902 and probably good for a pound or two worth of drag.



These parts are for a 5500DA and will readily swap into any 4.7:1 Ambassadeur with that same style of brake plate.  So you can convert a 4500/5500/6500C or even a 1500/2500/3500C if you file down the catch pins on the driveshaft to clear the press arm catch on the brake plate.

[jgp12000]

Thank you Rob,I was about to elaborate,but a Guru like yourself or Jason with photos says it all. I can hear this clicker some modern reels,I can't. IMO me being able to see the handle move backwards is also a visual alert,fish on.

[tincanary]

The D reels were the first bass specific reels Abu made and were intended to function much like the American made direct drive reels, but with a free spool feature and usable drag.  Those direct drives like the Shakespeare Marhoff and Langley Lurecast dominated the market here until the Ambassadeur was released.  The original Ambassadeur 5000 was intended to be a sea trout (Atlantic salmon and sea run brown trout) reel at its inception but quickly found a home in the USA in bass and inshore fishing circles.

[jgp12000]

Rob any idea what these reels cost back then,this is a 74'? I was 11 years old when they came on the seen.Had I known , but I was a Zebco 33 guy then

[JasonGotaProblem]

Thank you for clarifying. I specialize in being wrong. In this case I made the mistake of assuming my sample was representative of the population. It came from Keith, and may have been home made. He made some interesting mods to reels.

[oc1]

Thank you gentlemen.  That's interesting.

Maybe I've become old-school in my old-age, but there are a lot of advantages to not having an AR when the bite is finicky and they peck at it.  You can give the fish line until it commits and engulfs the bait.  With a 5000 you have to mash the clutch button at the first sign of a nibble so as not to put resistance on the bait.  Also engaging the clutch after a fish is hooked and running can cause problems.