New book out by Karl T. White, Zebco "The Family Reel&q

[Larry Moellman]

Picked up a new book out by Karl White at the Carthage tackle meet, called, Zebco, "The Family Reel", The First 30 Years. I know Clinton Beeler was going to write a book, but seen this one and picked it up. He says that the first Model 33, Black, Chrome Push Button, Plastic Spinnerhead is worth $500, that almost all of them have a metal spinnerhead, that the plastic wasn't made hardly at all because the line would wear into the plastic. I looked at the one I have, and glory be, it has a plastic spinnerhead! And it's in the box! Any buyers? Pretty interesting book, didn't know the 1st Zebco Prototype was made from a Folger's Regular Grind Coffee Can, 1947. The book has a lot of pictures of the different reels & boxes with values. Thanks, Larry

[cws/carl schultz]

remember when it comes to reel values buy by luckys sell by whites[he has always been ahead of his time with values] and use lawsons for value i would still be intrested in a book by clinton with first hand knowledge[his dad] and all those prototypes

[Reel Geezer]

All ORCA member that have been around for a while know that the first prototype was made from a Folger's can, for it was written up in the Reel News 4-5 years ago. We have had two historical articles publisted about Zebco during my tenure as Editor.

[Larry Moellman]

I've belonged to orca for 2 years now, sorry for my ignorance!

[Reel Geezer]

Larry, I'm sorry if I sounded like I was chastising you. I was just trying to illustrate the advantages of being an ORCA member. Carl White has been a member for only about a month, so you're ahead of him.

This book will be reviewed in the next issue of The Reel News by Roger Schulz.

[SWIM JIG]

Folks, before this thing gets away from reality, lets look back at ZEBCO, they were the ZERO HOUR BOMB CO. a mfg. of exploding items for the oil well industry, Along came Mr R.D. HULL a West Texas watch maker that made a BETTER MOUSE TRAP ie fishing reel, a piece of plywood, 6 nails and a Folgers coffee can, he then took his concept to the (ZERO HOUR BOMB CO. in 1947, (now lets see) Texas, a oil state and Oklahoma ) a oil state, seems like a nice Idea, and the Bomb co chanlanged Mr Hull to make a working prototype! in less than a month he did so and another reel company was developed! This is the only reel company that has ever been named because of a sitting U.S. President, (I will let Clinton tell that story in his book) R.D HULL was inducted into the Sporting Goods industry Hall of Fame in 1975) As clinton explained to me by email a long time ago most likly R.D. HULL may have the only known collection of ZEBCOS with one reel or more of everything ever made or thought of (ie. many items never made it to the public) As for a frst model that sold there are a lot of them out there, and as a researcher, Our Own Paul windstead of Mt Vernon OHIO has done and still doing extrem research on the company, he also had one of his reseach items published in the well known mag, ( CUTTING TOOL ENGINEERING mag march 2003 page 67) I will enclose a copy of the page with my reel fix column for the next reel news issue! People, I have been associated with Zebco for a lot of years as a WARRENTY center check ZECOS web site. I have been in contact With Roxanne Gerchaman, and Mary B. about parts, updates and offering our way of doing repair in a much less complicated way, they have incorperated our ideas, Also another long time Warrenty center Is our OWN member Sponskys Reel Repair in Elmora Pa, see their ad in ORCA. What this is leading to this!,dont be in a hurry to belive all you read in books, ie some are good, however prices are sometimes just subjective, Carl said it BEST buy by one sell by the other! To all reading this , a item is ONLY WORTH WHAT someone else is willing to pay! Supply and demand controls this and the amount of publicity! ( the positive side of ZEBCO they were and still are pioniers in reel making , they were one of the first to use one way anti reverse clutches in their reels. Now , You folks can form your own ideas, However at this time we are very lucky to have most of the Founders of ZEBCO still around to do its history of the beging to the present time! With thoughts of a book on ZECOS true History By Clinton Beeler, Col. Milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG OHIO

[orourke]

Just thought I'd chime in to say Milt does a great job with his responses. A great advertiser for ORCA members, his business and this club. I wish every organization I was involved in had as dedicated a cheer leader as Milt is for ORCA. Rave on Milt!

Dave O'Rourke

[cws/carl schultz]

GEE ITS TO BAD MILT DOESNT GET EXCITED ABOUT ANYTHING[WAHOO]
and hes been that way since i met years ago

[orourke]

Carl:

I didn't think you knew how to work the upper case letters. You must be excited too

Dave

[cws/carl schultz]

i donT KNOW JUST keep hitting KEYS TILL IT COMES OUT RIGHT[smarty pants]

[clinton_beeler]

Strange, I've been looking at my early 33s and most of them don't have a cover lock. Larry, does yours?

Yup, still working on the book. Scanned 73 megabytes of documentation last weekend. I may have to publish mine on CD-ROM.

The coffee can demonstration piece is at the Tulsa Historical Society. You can see that and the "beer can" reel by appointment.

Milt, do you have a copy of the parts list and exploded diagram for the "Standard" model? Also if you need any, let me know.

Regards,
Clinton

[Ron Mc]

I can tell you something about Zebco service. I have never paid for a part. Whether it's for a Lew's reel, or just now, the handle for my daughter's featherweight - you call them, they take your address, and they send the part out - don't ask for a credit card or payment.
Good folks, Clinton.

[SWIM JIG]

Ok just a bit more hisory and to the present time, today the the 43rd prsident was sworn in however his DAD G.W. BUSH sr. has and still does go to the factory and gets parts for his ZEBCO,S yes he does his own repair and tunning of them, he LIKES ZEBCO products and as we know, can have anything he so desires, I too can do Braggin Rights He also uses E-Z Action LURES our Bass and Salmon Lures! does he pay for them? YES! Heck I even charge myself for what I use! Folks have Clinton tell you what reels G.W. uses on his Boat Fidelity, can Barb Out fish him? that I will keep to myself! So if ZEBO is the choice of Presidents past and present, well now that says a great deal about the Company! Clint, can you give more imfo? I dont want to interfer with your book! Col. M. Lorens aka SWIM JIG OHIO conection

[clinton_beeler]

I really know very little about the former president. I have a picture somewhere of him at Zebco but that's about it. As far as who is the better fisherman...I wouldn't touch that one with a twenty foot pole.

Zebco has always had a great warranty policy. The reels are warranted against defect in materials and workmanship. Simple enough eh? What's a defect? Anything that broke.

Father once made the comment that he could repair a reel. His cohorts were skeptical so off they went to the repair department. A reel was placed in front of him. He took out a two pound hammer and struck the reel squarely. "This reel is fixed, send them a new one."

One day father was called to the repair department. "You have to see this" he was told. When he arrived there was a 202 on the bench that looked like it had been stepped on by an elephant. The letter was from India and said (very politely) that the reel had indeed been stepped on by an elephant. Mind you this is not normally regarded as defective, and the cost of postage would be more than the reel was worth, but as father put it "sometimes you just have to know." Several weeks later a thank you note arrived. It contained a photograph of the priest and the children who lived at the orphanage holding the reel with a row of fish in front of them. These people weren't fishing for sport. That pretty much said it all (I saw the picture).

I can think of several companies that I wish had a warranty like that.

Regards,
Clinton