Question About Heddon Greenie Daisy’s

Started by foakes, June 10, 2019, 03:44:47 PM

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foakes

Has anyone figured out the scheme to the numbering system on these green Heddons?

I haven't devoted much time to it — but the few times I did — the numbers made little or no sense to me.

There is a large crate of these old Heddon's out in the storage shop — and I am curious about the model numbering system. 

It will have some sort of exact meaning — since everything else Heddon did, was accurate and meaningful.

Not interested enough in these reels to buy a book that may or may not have the info.

Just curious about anything the experts on our site may know about the model number sequences.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

festus

Fred, I've thought about this too.  The series with the L/R suffix, 205 L/R, 210 L/R up to 270 L/R has some consistency, 205 L/R is the smallest, 270 L/R is the largest.

Then the dark green series with ball bearings from 281 up to 284 get larger by number.

Otherwise, their numbering system stumps me.  The problem with ebay is the sellers seldom label their reels as small, medium, large, etc. or give their weight in ounces.

BTW, I just scored a NIB Heddon 248 for $12 plus shipping.


Midway Tommy

Quote from: foakes on June 10, 2019, 03:44:47 PM
Has anyone figured out the scheme to the numbering system on these green Heddons?

I haven't devoted much time to it — but the few times I did — the numbers made little or no sense to me.

There is a large crate of these old Heddon's out in the storage shop — and I am curious about the model numbering system. 

It will have some sort of exact meaning — since everything else Heddon did, was accurate and meaningful.

Not interested enough in these reels to buy a book that may or may not have the info.

Just curious about anything the experts on our site may know about the model number sequences.

Best,

Fred

I haven't researched it much either, Fred, since I'm not real big into the early Japanese production market. They switched to Japanese spinning reel manufacture in the late '50s after Daisy purchased Heddon in '59. There were seven name or complete owner changes from 1959 through 1983 when Pradco purchased them and moved production to Ft Smith, AR.

The best I have been able to surmise, with all the company & management changes over the years, is that whoever was in charge at the time a new line came out picked some number out of thin air and went with it for that model line. Generally, as the numbers get larger in a model line so do the reels, but there are multiple model lines and numbers don't cross over between models. All of the Heddon open face reels stay inside a 200 category but there are multiple model groups within that 200 range. It seems that each model group has its own mechanical uniqueness, and/or quality, and exterior design depending on those features and maker.
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

foakes

Thanks Tom & Chester —

Yep, still a mystery — or maybe just the way it is.

I will put in a call to the Heddon Museum — and let you guys know if anything becomes less murky.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

happyhooker

Quote from: foakes on June 10, 2019, 06:17:01 PM
...

I will put in a call to the Heddon Museum — and let you guys know if anything becomes less murky.

Best,

Fred

Yep, the Heddon Museum states they have an example of all reels offered by that company in their catalogs from 1902 to 1984.  I'd love to call them, but I'm afraid I'd talk their ears off for a couple hours they probably don't have, and would still have plenty of questions left over.

I, too, have tried to get a handle on the Heddon numbers.  Besides the 281-284, I am guessing the 233, 248 and 277 are "related", and are sized by number (smaller number, smaller reel). Also, the 212, 222, and 266 seem to me to be a group; the 266 is a large "ocean" reel, but I can't decide if the 212 or 222 is the smallest between the two, but lean toward the 222 being the smallest (it is not an ultralight, or light reel, though).  Finally, it seems obvious the 280, 290 and 295 "finger trigger" reels are a group, and they are sized by number.

Unsure why numbers were chosen for different reels.  Seems like whatever hadn't been previously used was a candidate for later reels, although some numbers did get used at least twice.

The 230 looks like a loner.

Still working on this, so will welcome any further insights that may be offered.

Frank

Midway Tommy

#5
QuoteThe 230 looks like a loner.

No, actually it wasn't. They had an early non-green USA made Spin Pal series that included a just plain "Spin Pal", a 200, a 220, a 230, a 240 & a 260, most of which had the numbers only on the box. Colors were maroon or black, depending on date & model, except the 200 underspin.

Here's a 230 from the mid '50s. Partial nylon body & came in maroon and also black.

Second photo is a 260 from about '55/56.
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

festus

#6
Fred inspired me to go grab my thinking cap and try to crack Heddon's code, so I reshuffled this list from another thread into numerical order.

It is obvious that the R/L reels were in a series, so I highlighted those in red font.

The "top of the line" series has been highlighted in green.

I thought maybe I was onto something else when I compared my 233 with its bigger brother, the 277.  
Was thinking maybe a 2 followed by a double number (222, 233, 244, 255, 266, 277) might be a series.  Nope, I can't find any proof there is such a thing as the 244 or 255.  And the 222 is a larger reel than the 233.

Then I looked into the Heddon 1971 online catalog and cleared up some things.  The 233, 248, and 277 are part of a series I highlighted in blue font. The 212, 222, 238, and 266 seem to be a series according to 1971 catalog so I highlighted those in purple.

204 appears to be the one of the smallest, line capacity is 80 yd 6 lb mono, reel weighs 7 oz
205 L/R has line capacity of 200 yd 8 lb mono, weight 12.5 oz
210 L/R 200 yds 15 lb mono weight 17 oz

212 has line capacity of 200 yd 15 lb mono, weight 15 oz
215 has line capacity of 175 yd 6 lb mono, weighs 6 oz, external hammer type bail closure
220 L/R has approx line capacity 200 yd 8 lb mono weight 12 oz
222 has line capacity of 200 yd 8 lb mono, weighs 12 oz
230 has line capacity of 200 yd of 10 lb test, weighs 12.5 oz
233 has line capacity of 200 yds 6 lb test weighs 9 oz
234 convertible, has line capacity of 200 yds 6 lb test weighs 9 oz
235 line capacity of 200 yd 6 lb test, weighs 7 oz, external hammer type bail closure
236 has line capacity of 200 yd 6 lb test, weighs 7 oz, external hammer type bail closure
238 has line capacity of 200 yd 6 lb test, weighs 10 oz
242 large size, weighs 24 oz
245 medium size, weighs 13 oz
246 medium size, weighs 13.3 oz convertible
248 has line capacity of 200 yds 10 lb test weighs 13 oz
251 is a large reel designed for lake trout, salmon and muskie, convertible
252 no info on size, convertible
260 L/R has line capacity of 200 yd 15 lb mono, weighs 18.3 oz

266 has line capacity of 200 yd 25 lb test weighs 18 oz
270 L/R Ocean Spinning Reel.. Holds 200 yds 25-lb test mono....Weighs 20 oz

277 has line capacity of 200 yds 15 lb test weighs 18 oz
280 med
281 has line capacity of 100 yds 6 lb test weighs 9 oz
282 has line capacity of 200 yd 8 lb test, weighs 13-1/2 oz
283 has line capacity of 200 yd 15 lb test weighs 16 oz
284 has line capacity of 200 yd 20 lb test weighs 18 oz

290 med
295 heavy salt

EDIT:  I grouped the 238 with the 212, 222, and the 266.  In the 1972 catalog, the 238 is listed as weighing 2 oz less than the 222.

EDIT:  Added the Heddon  235

EDIT:  Added specs on 220-R

festus

Quote from: happyhooker on June 10, 2019, 07:41:42 PM
Quote from: foakes on June 10, 2019, 06:17:01 PM
...

I will put in a call to the Heddon Museum — and let you guys know if anything becomes less murky.

Best,

Fred

Yep, the Heddon Museum states they have an example of all reels offered by that company in their catalogs from 1902 to 1984.  I'd love to call them, but I'm afraid I'd talk their ears off for a couple hours they probably don't have, and would still have plenty of questions left over.

I, too, have tried to get a handle on the Heddon numbers.  Besides the 281-284, I am guessing the 233, 248 and 277 are "related", and are sized by number (smaller number, smaller reel). Also, the 212, 222, and 266 seem to me to be a group; the 266 is a large "ocean" reel, but I can't decide if the 212 or 222 is the smallest between the two, but lean toward the 222 being the smallest (it is not an ultralight, or light reel, though).  Finally, it seems obvious the 280, 290 and 295 "finger trigger" reels are a group, and they are sized by number.

Unsure why numbers were chosen for different reels.  Seems like whatever hadn't been previously used was a candidate for later reels, although some numbers did get used at least twice.

The 230 looks like a loner.

Still working on this, so will welcome any further insights that may be offered.

Frank
Here is a pic I found on ebay of the 290 which obviously would be an example of the finger trigger model.

happyhooker

I guess I could have been clearer when I said the "230 looks like a loner."  I meant a "loner" in the sense that it did not look like it matched up in any series with any of the other two-tone green Heddons.  But, yeah, be careful with some of those Heddon numbers that were duplicated.  Two reels with the same number might be entirely different.

Frank