Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Conventional and Bait Casting Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Penn 99/Jigmaster/SurfMaster/Squidder Tutorials and Questions => Topic started by: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 11:20:30 AM

Title: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 11:20:30 AM
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?
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Keta on March 29, 2015, 01:12:03 PM
"-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.
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Aiala on March 29, 2015, 01:33:37 PM
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~
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Bryan Young on March 29, 2015, 02:31:07 PM
Quote from: Aiala on March 29, 2015, 01:33:37 PM
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...
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Keta on March 29, 2015, 02:34:58 PM
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.
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 03:22:20 PM
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  :D  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
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Black Pearl on March 29, 2015, 03:38:19 PM
Quote from: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 03:22:20 PM
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  :D  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 (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12127.0)
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 04:36:09 PM
those are nice crossbars. any chance there will be another run of the 4:1 SS gear sets?
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Aiala on March 29, 2015, 04:36:48 PM
Quote from: Black Pearl on March 29, 2015, 03:38:19 PM
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 (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12127.0)

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

(http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah207/ladyaialaAiala/Penn%20501_zps2khkcrit.jpg)

~A~
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Black Pearl on March 29, 2015, 04:38:06 PM
Quote from: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 04:36:09 PM
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
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Doug on March 29, 2015, 04:39:49 PM
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
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: pyros46290 on March 29, 2015, 04:53:30 PM
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??
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: Porthos on March 29, 2015, 05:06:35 PM
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
Title: Re: 500 to 501 questions
Post by: pyros46290 on March 30, 2015, 02:37:18 AM
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