Penn Reels - just as you find them

Started by Superhook, October 30, 2015, 10:43:36 PM

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AC49

Hi All

I picked up this Penn 500SA reel yesterday here in South Africa.
Was hoping the experts here could assist with trying to fathom out the SA on the box label. Ted has already suggested that the SA sticker could be an early label for the 500A reel box before dropping the S once the printed box was ready.
Any info would be appreciated.
Maybe Mike can explain ..... I have included some 500A box pictures to compare.



Regards
AC49

Alto Mare

I'm not able to detect anything are of the ordinary with that reel, with the exception of the label.
I'm thinking A for Africa and SA for South Africa.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Maxed Out

#1292
Quote from: Alto Mare on October 29, 2018, 11:10:01 AM
I'm not able to detect anything are of the ordinary with that reel, with the exception of the label.
I'm thinking A for Africa and SA for South Africa.

Sal

Upon closer inspection..... I do see a difference in these 500A reels

Take a good long look at the plastic spools on these reels. They do not have the normal huge oversize arbor. In fact the shape of these plastic spools are very similar in design to a newell jigmaster spool. This is completely different shape from the standard 500 plastic spool, with what appears to be a much smaller arbor and a radius transition to the flanges. Perhaps Alan can post shot of just the spool.

Maybe I'm way off base, and possibly just my OCD working overtime  ;) ;)

Either way, thanks for posting these very cool reels and boxes....amazing !!

 Ted
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

AC49

Ted here are some pictures of the spool as requested.

Regards
AC49


Maxed Out


Thanks Alan, right away I notice several differences between the 500A spool and the standard plastic 500 spool.

....just like the 49A....the spool is the difference

  Ted
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Alto Mare

Quote from: Maxed Out on October 29, 2018, 08:39:41 PM

Thanks Alan, right away I notice several differences between the 500A spool and the standard plastic 500 spool.

....just like the 49A....the spool is the difference

  Ted

Ted, you mind sharing what it is you see different?


Alan, thanks for posting these, the box alone is a treasure to have.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Gfish

#1296
I just donated a non-A (not SA either) jiggy with a plastic spool so I can't reference it directly, but the arbor does look smaller in diameter on the SA version. And that's the first plastic spool I've seen where the line hole wasn't broken out a bit.

Alright DC. You can't beat $5 for old Penn!
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

Maxed Out

Quote from: Alto Mare on October 29, 2018, 08:59:11 PM
Quote from: Maxed Out on October 29, 2018, 08:39:41 PM

Thanks Alan, right away I notice several differences between the 500A spool and the standard plastic 500 spool.

....just like the 49A....the spool is the difference

  Ted

Ted, you mind sharing what it is you see different?


Alan, thanks for posting these, the box alone is a treasure to have.

Sal

Different design flanges, smaller diameter arbour....even the ribbing under the flange is completely different than a stock plastic 500 spool

Ted
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Alto Mare

Quote from: Maxed Out on October 29, 2018, 09:44:49 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on October 29, 2018, 08:59:11 PM
Quote from: Maxed Out on October 29, 2018, 08:39:41 PM

Thanks Alan, right away I notice several differences between the 500A spool and the standard plastic 500 spool.

....just like the 49A....the spool is the difference

  Ted

Ted, you mind sharing what it is you see different?


Alan, thanks for posting these, the box alone is a treasure to have.

Sal

Different design flanges, smaller diameter arbour....even the ribbing under the flange is completely different than a stock plastic 500 spool

Ted

Maybe I don't see things as I used to...very much possible, but I've seen that type spool before. I actually still have a few in black and i know I have one exactly the same as theone we're talking about somewhere in one of these drawers.


Sal
Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Maxed Out

#1299
 
You are right Sal, it's just my imagination gone wild

Ted
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Penn Chronology

I kind of think we are reading too much into this. I feel the "500SA" label box is meant for a Penn 500S Jigmaster. The "A" simply means Africa like it does on all the other Africa Export reels. I believe the wrong reel is in the box.

Alto Mare

Quote from: Maxed Out on October 29, 2018, 10:13:16 PM

You are right Sal, it's just my imagination gone wild

Ted
Ted, when I came home from work yesterday, after reading your message I went straight for that drawer.
No one that I know of pay close attention to details on these reels as you do😉.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

AC49

Thanks Mike my thoughts exactly but always good to hear from you. I bought the only 3 reels he ever owned so maybe the reel boxes somehow got swapped in the tackle shop .  ::)

Many thanks
AC49

Maxed Out

#1303
 A few tidbits I would like to point out....

JMHO  The earliest box (500SA) only lists capacity of Dacron, which tells me it is the earliest 500A box. If it was a later 500s box it would have nylon or mono capacity on the label also

Just observations: The blue/white 500A box claims the spools are specially made for monofilament, yet the line capacity on the box is for Nylon and Dacron. Early USA blue/white box is same and doesn't list mono capacity

...and I guess they have different monofilament in South Africa  :D :D , because the same exact dark blue box and gold box here in the U.S. lists mono capacity at 275yds of 30# mono.....but the 500A Blue box lists capacity at 400yds of 30# mono. The 500A gold box 400yds also. Go figure !!
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

AC49

Ted I can remember Mr Cacioppo mentioning that Penn started referring to Dacron on their reel boxes in about 1969 to conform with IGFA line class requirements to claim a Record Catch. Before that time it was Monofiliamt and Nylon.

I'm still confused how we in South Africa score the extra 125 yds on the same spool then ??? ???
No wonder we burst so many Jigmaster spools  ;) ;)

Cheers
AC49