This is a reel that gets a lot of flack in fishing forums, but I'm not sure why, as is seems to be a very well built reel. There must be a few folks out there who are in the know...as resale prices indicate...one of these in good shape brings more now than it did when new. My brother snagged this one for me as a Christmas gift, and the fleabay pics below indicate it was in pretty good nick.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787004226_5ff18c4ac3_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knSEXU) (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787106332_3e17a7bddb_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knTcjm)
Opening the reel, I was shocked at the components, lots of steel. If this thing is a "cheap Taiwan" reel...I'm just not seeing it.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787004196_0a6304df7c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knSEXo)
Look at those gears! Compared to the 6500c gears on the right, it should be obvious this thing is a beast. I saw in those forums where a guy said these reels did not come with steel gears from the factory...that the steel gears were aftermarket. Then I saw ads where Abu said that it did come with steel gears. Maybe Doc Janssen can shed some light on things. :-\
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787004066_d3c883bc8d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knSEV9)
No need for a bridge upgrade here...she sports double AR dogs right out of the box! Note that on the bottom of the main gear there is an old style drag clicker, a feature I kinda like.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50786243043_e53080dd6f_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knNLG4)
There just isn't much brass or plastic under the hood. You have a brass driveshaft(gear sleeve) and a plastic spacer bushing. Everything else is stainless steel. It even has a 5-stack drag! :o
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787106142_d1f1172506_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knTcg5)
I'm not sure what material these drags are made from...it appears to be some kind of teflon or delrin. Once again, in the forums, they get bashed pretty hard. The googans all say when they get wet they stick. This does happen with teflon...kinda like trying to scoot your butt across the bath tub...it chatters. I greased the drags with Cal's purple and they work fantastic. The grease should help keep the water out. I lost about 5 pounds off the top end, but I prefer 15lbs. of smooth power to 20lbs. of chatter.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50786242963_b536fb291b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knNLEF)
The frame is your typical Abu type cage, but it does have 6 screws on the stand, and the cross bars are pretty heavy too. I tried to twist it by hand, like you can do with the little 5500/6500, but it definitely feels more solid.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787003841_b5b914f5f1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knSERg)
The spool has a nice heavy shaft, and the bearings are entirely different sizes.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787105997_78a1bb5f99_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knTcdz)
You'll see a lot of these reels missing the rubber bumper from the shift lever. Three tiny o-rings make a perfect fix! ;)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787003716_5e85a0f33e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knSEP7)
The finished piece sure is a looker, and it has all the muscle to walk the walk. 8)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50787105872_e6c7231e2c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2knTcbq)
Thanks for posting. Ive never seen that reel before. It sure looks well built.
Its always nice to be pleasantly surprised!! Great looking reel and a nice job as always.
Cheers:
Todd
Good job, Mike !
Nice.
Abu Garcia's answer to the Daiwa Black and Gold series?
Looks pretty sturdy. As always, great pictures. That plastic spacer bushing on the gear sleeve is present on the old Ambassedeur 5000 series, kinda strange amongst all that metal.
I've never heard a this'un either.
I also like the on-the-gear drag clicker on the Abu baitcasters.
What's a range, a 20lb. reel? The presence of an eccrentic system's throwin me a little.
Quote from: Gfish on January 01, 2021, 06:09:09 PM
What's a range, a 20lb. reel? The presence of an eccentric system's throwin me a little.
With a set of Dawn's CF drags...yes...this reel will make 20 pounds easy. Abu claims the stock drags will make 20 pounds too, but I can't deal with the top end chatter, so I sacrificed a few pounds by greasing them. It's a wonder they made any power at all...what can possibly be slipperier than greased teflon? ;D
I don't have pics of the eccentric system G...but just picture a Penn set up in your mind...it's identical other than the cam is plastic. 8)
That's a really sweet reel. How much bigger is it than say a 7000? What kind of fish would it be used for? Looks much too big for anything near me lol
Quote from: tincanary on January 01, 2021, 09:29:34 PM
How much bigger is it than say a 7000? What kind of fish would it be used for?
It's not much bigger than the 7000...side plates are about 1/4 inch larger in diameter. The biggest difference is the drags. The 7000 uses the typical Abu 3-stack while the 9000 and 10,000 use a 5-stack. I'll use it for large catfishing.8)
I nabbed one of these in 10000 size a few years back- VGC, $35.00. Now I'm gonna have to open it all the way and see if it's got the SS gear set.
Mike, I think the 9000 has about everything you might ask for in a cat reel to sling a moderate distance, let alone drop off the rail.
Nice build as always Mo - and the 3 O-rings to replace the bumper on the shift lever - that's genius! I will probably "borrow" that idea in the future... - john
There's a Cadillac. Your brother must have been really indebted over fishing trips or something. :) :) :)
-steve
I have a Swedish-made black plated 10000 in LW and non versions- the LW is decently sturdy due to LW guide track bar, but the non-LW has only two very wimpy crossbars- like Penn 9 diameter. It holds, say, 425 yds of 20 (very similar to Jiggy 500 in size)...but I'd never bump up to 300yds 30lb (mono) on that reel and try to get 12 lbs drag in that reel. I considered drilling out for bars, but I have enough things that size not to.
was there a 9001/10001 lefty?
Nice looking reel.
Quote... Maybe Doc Janssen can shed some light on things....
Oh, sorry... i wasn't really paying attention for a minute. Um, right— the Big Game Series.
Well, i don't really know much. The series was introduced in 2004 and included 7000 up to 10 000 sizes. I don't know for how long; a few years anyway. They were made in Taiwan.
I recall there was some noise at the time about the quality of components, specifically the brass gears had a tendency to fail, it was said. BUT, but but, bear in mind that people say dumb things all the time, and i do not know for sure if this was actually true or not. I think that this came of people, or a certain someone, using these reels for deep dropping big lead and habitually stopping the drop by simply poking the reel into gear, which of course would be detrimental to said gears.
I do not recall any mention of stainless steel gears. However, they do mention the double dog feature in the catalog at the time. (Abu, ahead of their time as usual) Maybe, and this is actually a totally feasible maybe, the reels were later improved and upgraded to feature stainless steel gears in later production.
Interesting, maybe these were really decent reels that just flew under the radar, and you just rediscovered them.
.
PS: Phil, they listed a 7001 as available in 2004. Dunno about later years, can maybe look later.
.
Cool reel I never knew existed, thanks for posting!
On a side note, did that Abu open end come with a reel or was it purchased? Also got a chuckle over teeny turner, Proud Mary popped in my head ;D
Quote from: Robert Janssen on January 02, 2021, 12:28:49 PM
I recall there was some noise at the time about the quality of components, specifically the brass gears had a tendency to fail, it was said. BUT, but but, bear in mind that people say dumb things all the time, and i do not know for sure if this was actually true or not. I think that this came of people, or a certain someone, using these reels for deep dropping big lead and habitually stopping the drop by simply poking the reel into gear, which of course would be detrimental to said gears.
I do not recall any mention of stainless steel gears. However, they do mention the double dog feature in the catalog at the time. (Abu, ahead of their time as usual) Maybe, and this is actually a totally feasible maybe, the reels were later improved and upgraded to feature stainless steel gears in later production.
Thanks Robert, information on these guys is really spotty. I haven't been able to gather much...only a few advertisements and some eBay pics. These ads indicate that the gears were steel, so that guy who stated the steel gears were aftermarket could be mistaken. I saw a main and pinion both in steel on eBay...that's about it. I'm interested to see a few others open these reels and share their findings. 8)
Quote from: thrasher on January 02, 2021, 01:30:56 PM
Did that Abu open end come with a reel or was it purchased?
I bought it on eBay thrasher...last I looked there were still some being sold. 8)
Okay. The presence of the HS and HSN models indicate that this ad is of a later year, since these models weren't mentioned in 2004 but came later. I will have a look in later year catalogs and see if it comes up there. I just don't have them in front of me right now. Maybe we can get some info, fill in some blanks.
BTW, what does the foot stamp on your reel say?
.
Nice reel Mo - and well photographed as usual. As luck would have it I have a 10000i that has 'Big Game' on the tail plate but it looks a little different to your 9000.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_15_41_341952365.jpeg)
This could be one of the models that gave the 'Big Game' ABUs a bad name - it has a brass gear, IAR + one dog and three drag system. Your reel looks a lot sturdier with the double dogs, SS gears, five stack...... clearly a different 'Big Game' series.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_15_26_341941866.jpeg)
The box it came in has a made in Sweden sticker but there is no indication on the reel itself where it was made
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_16_27_3419755.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_16_24_341961945.jpeg)
The specs on the box
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_16_41_34198857.jpeg)
and the foot stamp for Doc (160117 15)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_16_52_34199612.jpeg)
Mike
Quote from: Robert Janssen on January 02, 2021, 02:18:16 PM
What does the foot stamp on your reel say?
Thanks again for the help Doc...foot stamp is 130014-01.
Quote from: mhc on January 02, 2021, 03:40:43 PM
This could be one of the models that gave the 'Big Game' ABUs a bad name - it has a brass gear, IAR + one dog and three drag system. Your reel looks a lot sturdier with the double dogs, SS gears, five stack...... clearly a different 'Big Game' series.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/34/7995_02_01_21_8_15_26_341941866.jpeg)
Thanks for posting Mike. Yes...yours is one of the later "i" models...and they returned to a more common Abu 3-stack set up. They also lost the double dogs, Penn style eccentric, and all the stainless steel. Still a fine reel, but not the same animal. 8)
Okay. Sorry for delay.
Just went and had a more thorough look.
MHC's reel is, according to the foot stamp number if i have deciphered that correctly, designed in 2006, and manufactured after one revision in april of 2007. As noted, a later "i" version 10000i.
Mo's reel seems to be designed in 2003 and made in january of 2004 without revisions, which would suggest that it is one of the first year, first model original Big Game series.
As we have seen before, the Big Game series was presented in the Swedish version of Tight Lines in 2004, in a basic lineup of 7000, 9000 and 10000 sizes. Described as featuring the double dogs and multiple disc teflon drag.
The next year, 2005, the lineup was broadened to include the BG 7000HS, 7000HSN, 7000LD*, and both 9000 and 10000 in CT (non-levelwind) versions. No mention of stainless gears anywhere, and the same multi-disc teflon drag.
In 2006, this lineup and description was identical. I think this was the year (or maybe the year after) i ran into Abu's production manager at the time and the subject of the brass gears came up briefly. Nothing particularly important or interesting was discussed.
In 2007, my catalog seems to be missing, dunno why, but the 7000i was introduced in red livery.
In 2008, they describe a list of improvements to the 7000 9000 and 10000, including Carbon Matrix drag washers, double dogs and overly dimensioned gears, as well as a stronger thisorthat and theotherthing.
They mention having improved the 7000i in more than twenty ways, (which makes me wonder what the hell was wrong with it to begin with) along with IAR and double dogs. The 10000i and 9000i are shown in black livery, and a BG 7000i HSN, BG 9000i and BG 10000i are listed in the fine print.
In 2009, same as year previous.
Nowhere, including the advertisement a few posts up, do they actually mention stainless steel gears, or what changes were made exactly. If anyone really wants to know, they would need someone who is good at Abu schematics to compare and decipher any differences. KenD would have been perfect for the job, but maybe others can as well. I myself cannot be bothered.
*actually introduced the previous year, but dressed in blue
.
Thanks for that additional info Doc...much appreciated! 8)
Quote from: Robert Janssen on January 08, 2021, 02:06:41 PM
Nowhere, including the advertisement a few posts up, do they actually mention stainless steel gears, or what changes were made exactly. If anyone really wants to know, they would need someone who is good at Abu schematics to compare and decipher any differences. KenD would have been perfect for the job, but maybe others can as well. I myself cannot be bothered.
I have confirmed from schematics and photos of the actual gear that the 10000i (16 01) used a brass main gear.
I have confirmed from schematics and photos of the actual gear that the BG 10000 (13 02) used a steel main gear (#1092375), as well as a steel pinion (#1092379, currently available on ebay ). The BG 10000 CT (14 01) used the same gears, as did the BG 9000 (13 02) and BG 9000 CT (14 01) models.
The prior modal 10000 CL (94 03) used a brass main gear.
So from 2003 to 2006, the "Big Game" model came with steel gears. The prior and later 10000 models (no "BG" designation) had brass gears. Incidentally, only the "BG" models seem to have the plus sized drag stack.
It should be noted that the available schematics indicate revision from the initial production (could not find those schematics). So I can't say for certain that the original production of these models had steel gears not brass.
Anyone wanting a steel main gear for the BG 10000 (13 02) or BG 9000 (13 02), they have one left for $5.29 on closeout here
https://stores.tunasreeltroubles.com/abu-garcia-1092375-main-gear-complete-closeout/
(https://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/n-yp39j5/zs9lj5a/products/6535/images/24161/031__90209.1514018026.500.750.JPG?c=2)
Mike,
Being of sound mind and excellent abilities to rebuild a reel such as the ABU BG9000, would you recommend it as a quality investment not only to catch a record flathead but also as a future trading card so to speak ?
I've read and studied several post that yourself and others have done concerning the BG series reels as well as pre-BG reels. Very well done and also very informative. I wouldn't say that I'm a "tight" individual but rather and individual who doesn't like to have to keep buying stuff to just replace stuff.
My hammers are EastWing if a name can be read. Truck is a Chevy and I have had lots of Fords. I personally don't like buying junk just because that's all they had to sale.
Thanks for the honest opinion Sir
Mic
Quote from: Mic on January 16, 2021, 12:06:12 AM
Mike,
Being of sound mind and excellent abilities to rebuild a reel such as the ABU BG9000, would you recommend it as a quality investment not only to catch a record flathead but also as a future trading card so to speak ?
Hi Mic,
Yes...the BG 9000 has the muscle to land big fish. Even with the brass gears it would still be a strong reel. The problem with fishing one hard, would be parts availability if you ever did bust anything. I'd like to have a fresh driveshaft(gear sleeve) for mine, but after searching the net I only found one, and it was in Canada, and the shipping charges were ridiculous.
this is a monster of an Abu ambassadeur
great find Mo.
the abu 7000c is capable to catch saltwater Leopard grouper and is just 3-stack and brass Gear while yours has SS gear and double dog, this was made to catch those giant monsta Siluro ( Big Catfish in Europe )