Hi everyone - I bought this reel of one of our local auction sites and when taking it out from its home to give it the once over inspection I found theres no embossing - picture on the tail plate end of the reel. I've never seen one like this before .
Matt...
(http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad223/mattman1965/DSCF1672_zpsacf146e3.jpg) (http://s938.photobucket.com/user/mattman1965/media/DSCF1672_zpsacf146e3.jpg.html)
(http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad223/mattman1965/DSCF1673_zps7bb2d6b1.jpg) (http://s938.photobucket.com/user/mattman1965/media/DSCF1673_zps7bb2d6b1.jpg.html)
And a close up of the tail plate .
(http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad223/mattman1965/DSCF1680_zps61d58556.jpg) (http://s938.photobucket.com/user/mattman1965/media/DSCF1680_zps61d58556.jpg.html)
Very nice. Not all Penns had designs on the sideplates.
Matt, everything checks in as a penn side plate. I'm betting someone sanded it down to make it unique :-\
I have a Jigmaster without any embossing on the tailplate. There's no evidence of sanding. So, I wouldn't be surprised if there are at least a few unmarked tailplates on Jigmasters and Squidders.
(http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q523/rumbum01/P1010577_zps551e073f.jpg)
Thanks guys I've had a closer look and there are definitely no sanding marks on the plate - and its just not smooth enough so think its came out of the mold just like it is. I managed to get a good pic of the plate on an angel to the light. ;D
(http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad223/mattman1965/DSCF1683_zps7dffe561.jpg) (http://s938.photobucket.com/user/mattman1965/media/DSCF1683_zps7dffe561.jpg.html)
All good another Penn reel that's different in my growing collection.
Matt...
Matt, I have a few of the Jigmaster's plates as George is showing, yours is the first I've seen. Let's see what the pros have to say.
Sal
I've seen thousands and serviced dozens of squidders from early 40's to modern day and this is the first blank tailplate that I've seen. My thought process is when a new replacement mold was made, a few test samples were made prior to spending $$$ on adding the etchings. I have a blank early 40's long beach, and I've seen a blank mid 40's long beach 66.
.......so to answer your question, I'd say you have a very cool non-typical squidder with a blank tail plate.
I am thinking Max may be right --
One thing to remember, as Michael, Sal and others will attest to -- penn was a frugal company in many ways.
No waste --
So if there were prototype parts laying around, or parts from the builds a year or two previous -- they got used.
Penn came in as an alternative, lower priced, quality reel for the majority of anglers.
In those days, the company was not into serial numbers -- or minor distinctions between model runs or years.
If it was in the bins, or on the benches -- it got put together, boxed up, and shipped out to retailers.
Just as long as the parts worked -- and the beauty of Penn, was that the same parts would work for decades.
Personally, I've got to admire that logic -- waste not -- use what you have in your house.
Best,
Fred
Thanks Max & foakes I've never seen one like this either especially in the Squidder series line of reels . I bought the reel to use in our river for catching Kahawai and off the mole or rocks for snapper and gurnard - I've yet to find an alloy spool for to use so I loaded one of my older - rougher looking plastic spools and backed it with 50lb braid about 80 meters - 20 lb main line with 30lb leader. I've taken the blank tail plate off and replaced it with one of my spares .
And thanks again everyone
Matt...