Whats going on with Reel manufacturers

[spears]

I wanted to ask others out there what there thoughts were:

Reel manufacturers using parts in making up new reels.

I would have to think that any reel manufacturer is using the same parts in there range of reels to an extent.
Either holding a reel at a tackle store or viewing on line a lot of the components are looking the same.Just different colors and main body shape.

Re:
Machined handles
Rotor
Main shaft
Drag washers
Bail wire and roller

So what about the internals. Are they the same in a number of the reels they offer.Be it the shimano,Diawa,Penn range etc.
I just can’t see any manufacturer tooling up big time in making a new line except for the body ,rotor and drag knob.Maybe a bit more..?
What about bearings..Was told shimano use the same bearing through out the whole range of there spinning reels..but this isn’t just a shimano thread.Look at the big picture..
I ask this.. not just one manufacturer but the popular majority out there that we have used over the years.

[TimiBoy]

Spears,

I'm struggling to understand just exactly what it is you are trying to say...

What is your question?

Cheers,

Tim

[spears]

Are manufacturers e.g.: (shimano or diawa or penn and others) using the same parts though out the there range of reels..
To the greater extent but not all.
For example shimano’s handles can be swapped over to another shimano which makes it the same part being used..so what about the rest of the reel(s) they make..

[reelchippy]

So what is tour point.sorry i to dont understand.

[Benny69]

I think he's asking if he spends $100 on a reel does it have the same internals as the one that costs $1000? Parts might look the same but have huge differences in quality

[Kleyny]

i havent really looked that hard to be honest.
But that kind of thing happens in car industrie for example,
Ford and Nissan shared the patrol and a few others for a while.
Holden and Suzuki shared the barina for a while.

Why to save money

neil

[TimiBoy]

Thanks for clearing that up.

Shared components actually make a helluva lot of sense. Items such as handles are pretty good as they are, what's the difference between low/high quality? For Shimano overheads, they are pretty much the same. It saves money on manufacturing (reduced changeovers, longer runs, which lead to lower costs) which is (hopefully) handed on to consumers. Same with screws, spindles, gears and so on. There may be bearings which are used on several reels as well.

The distinction between models is about design for a specific job. As many parts as possible would be shared, but those specific to the job would have to be designed and made for that job.

Standardisation makes sense in Business. Just because a low end model has the same handle as a high end, doesn't mean it's a rip off. In some cases it might indicate that - Shimano Torium vs Trinidad for example. I've heard they have all same components except for the body, which is a different colour, but cost 250 v 650. I'm not sure I believe it though...

If two companies demand a bearing from a bearing manufacturer, it makes sense for that manufacturer to work with both, so that they both use the same bearings. Again, ease of production = lower costs.

If you want every part of every reel to look different, you will pay more.

Tim

[spears]

I think he's asking if he spends $100 on a reel does it have the same internals as the one that costs $1000? Parts might look the same but have huge differences in quality

Parts might look the same but have huge differences in quality

How do you know this.Have you done independent tests on the metals.
Do you work for a reel manufacturer.
As for the comment $100 v $1000 might be pushing it... >> could be wishful thinking for anyone.

So what happens if people were to find out that a $600 reel has the same internals as a $300 reel
I guess it probably doesn't matter to most cause if the reel performs then one is happy..i think..?

It may happen to a lot of products we buy besides fishing stuff

[1lastcast]

I doubt that a $600 reel would have the same internals as a $300 reel .

I know that sometimes the handles interchange but the rest of the reel or at least most of the reel would be different and the internals would be different and probably better bearings , gears and drags etc.

otherwise they would be selling thousands of the $300 one and very little of the $600 ones people are not that silly ( i don`t think anyway )

Regards MONOSTRETCHO

[Cheech]

Spears, I get where you are coming from, and tend to agree. There are probably lots of occasions we pay the extra for a better reel, but internally they are not much different to a cheaper reel. I wonder if some of the differences is not just the internal components, but also the way they are constructed which adds to the cost. Eg, simpler design may be cheaper to manufacture, even if the parts going in are the same. Add-ons like spiffier looking spools, and better bail arms seems to contribute to the differentiation between them as well. Even if internally they are as good as each other.

[CreelReaper]

Hey guys and gals,
I know many a year ago shimano and shakespear appeared to share a lot of internal parts in some of their smaller spinning reels. I also noticed on a few occasions that reels that looked similar in size and shape only differed by the bearings inside. One reel would only have bushes and the other bearings. Tim, I think you have pretty well hit the nail on the head. Business is business, and designs/parts will be similar. As an example the main gear in a lot of medium sized spinning reels across the brands years ago were identical in dimension. The only difference is the material that has been used to produce them.

Shane

[sleepygreg]

Take a trip to china, the Szhenzen area to be exact, and have a tour through one of the factories that produce fishing reels. You will find that a particular factory produces certain types of reels for ALL of the major brands.....dial in the requirements and prices, colours, volumes and quality....and your reel spits out the other end....give them your logo and its printed on the body of the reel. Thats the way of the world now.....you get what you pay for......no matter what company it comes from. Hard to swallow i know.....but thats the way it is. the factory produces the product to the customers specs....be it top end or bottom end. Its the labour component and total disrespect for patent and copyright that allows them to do it..

Greg

[spears]

Are you talking about Kumyang

this is how they advertise

Kumyang is a Korean-Sinai Joint Venture company and is one of the world's leading fishing reel manufacturers. They make high grade reels for many of the fishing worlds top names including Zebco, Quantum and Eagle Claw in the USA, Zebco, Quantum and DAM in Europe, Leeda in the UK and Mustad in Norway.

http://en.fishreels.cn/newEbiz1/Ebiz...6fa12338057d4d

Weihai Kum Yang Fishing Tool Co.Ltd. lies in Weihai that is the national-level environmental protection exemplary city. It is a special export-oriented Sino-South Korean joint ventures producing line wheel of fishing. For several years developing, now it contains KUMYANG brand, and it can produce more than 2 million of high, middle-grade fishing wheel.
Company introduce large technical staff from S. Korea, technical force is rich, it is one of the manufacturers taking the lead in developing the line wheel of fishing by oneself at home.
Technological research results of the company for many years（INFINITE ANTI-REVERSE SYSTEM OR ONE WAY CLUTCH）have the patent in China, U.S.A., Japan, Europe, Korea S. And BAIT RUNNER SYSTEM have the patent in China, Europe, Korea S. The company produced SPINNING 34 series in the medium-to-high grade fishing line wheel, more than 130 kinds. The products are sell to America, Germany, Italy, Canada and other countries and district, have very high popularity in the international market.
The company will still insist quality is first, the price is optimum, make great efforts to offer most outstanding a round of products of line of fishing to vast domestic and international consumer. General manager Fan Zhijin with all staff hearty to welcome the arrival of vast domestic and international customer and instruct.

[bayfisher]

There is no doubt that many reels in a companies range are the same components. I spent the last hour trying to find an really good article i once read about marketing in the world of fishing reels. It basically said that manufactures make reels that slot into price ranges with each reel being say slightly better then the one below it, but as the reel rises in price the build price starts to flatten out yet the profit percentage margin sky rockets. The actual difference in manufacturing price of say a $400 reel an $600 reel is not that much but because the more expensive reel is made for a different market it is allocated that price slot.
Anyways some food for thought.

Cheers Chris