Vintage Abu Ambassadeur
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Vintage Blue Abu Garcia Ambassadeur w/ Thumb Drag?
My dad was telling me that some years back AG made a blue Ambassadeur w/ the thumb drag/thumb cast. He said that they didn't make too many of them and I have been trying to find one for him for Christmas. He thinks its either a 5000 or 5500 but not sure. Anyone know what I'm talking about or know where I can get one? Thanks.
Abu Garcia don't make too many "one hand" operation baitcasting reels. It really sounds like an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur PGS or an EON series reel in 5600 size to me.
The main color for PGS reels is silver and the main color for EON reels is dark grey/grey. However, those reels do come in other colors as well. Unfortunately, odd colors are not easy to find. I know blue is among one of the odd colors available but I kind of doubt if you could find one locally.
Those reels are very light in weight. The drag is very smooth and quite strong. They are very easy to cast and long, accurate casts are quite easy to achieve. Those reels are quite similar except PGS series will be a little smoother to operate than EON series due to more bearings. There aren't that many metal parts on those reels and they are quite saltwater corrosion resistant.
Now, here's what I don't like about those reels. Those reels are heavier on one side and they will feel a little awkward if you're not used to them. Both series of reels will look pretty ugly if there are enough scratches on them though. I am not talking about major scratches too; I am talking about light scratches from normal use. EON's will be a little more scratch resistant mainly because their surface finish aren't shiny. Even though their drags are pretty strong, the reel itself doesn't "feel" too strong to me. Their bases are made out of graphite and their covers were made out of plastic (or graphite). Every time I made hard, long casts with them, the reels will sound quite loud. It felt like every single part of the reel will eventually start to vibrate and fell apart. The sensation is a little hard to describe (I got a similar feeling before when I pushed a rental early model Hyundai to top speed on the highway). Other than being not very scratch resistant, none of the things I mentioned above could be considered a problem though. They just annoy me a little that's all.
So far, those reels haven't give me any major problem yet. The only thing that ever failed on me is the spool tension adjustment mechanism on one of the reels. If you fish a lot and change the spool tension often, then this part will be the first thing to fail. They are a little too delicate to be messed around with frequently. By the way, this is one of the reels you really don't want to maintain yourself.
PGS 3600:
http://www.great-lakes.org/graphics-2/Abu%20GarciaPGS%203600.jpg
EON 5600
(Grey):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ABU-Garcia-ambassadeur-EON-3600-SPORT_W0QQitemZ200286290039
(3 Tone special edition)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ABU-GARCIA-AMBASSADEUR-6500-C3-BAITCASTING-REEL-W-BOX_W0QQitemZ130274688435
PS: I use my PGS a lot more frequently than I use my Shimanos. Yes, they are a little annoying but I still like them very much. I like them enough to buy a pair of EON's which I don't need. I got EON's because I couldn't find PGS reels at the time.
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