beginner collector....

[topwater202]

been at this collecting now for just a few months, have about 50 pieces mostly all from e-bay...i enjoy the old oddball stuff like the zebco 44,just odd stuff. i wont buy any junk just the near mint-mint stuff,like the shakespear closed fave spincast reels. does anyone know much about the zebco 44 reel? ANY ADVICE WILL BE APPRECIATED..ty..patrick lacefield

[john elder]

hey, Ty...welcome to the sickness. This board can serve as your Reel-anon site, like it does for the rest of us and you can't hardly go wrong with mint only, but you'll sure miss out on a bunch of nice reels, if that is your only cut-off! Nothing more enjoyable to me than taking an old reel that has been abused and thrown in the corner and bringing it back to life to collect or return to the game! Join ORCA...you'll meet some great folks and you'll not find a better knowledge store than the Reel News!

[mortepa]

Zebco is a great place to start collecting. A company with a lot of history, and with many models to explore. I myself wish I knew more about the company. Good luck Patrick,

- Paul

[SWIMJIG]

I dont remeber what issue it was that paul windstead wrote about Zeco History, (PHIL help us Out) he researched the factory records and at one time was the SIG man for ZEBCO, as for the 44 with the ring for your finger, they are a nice reel, and yes new or loke new is the best way to go! the 55,s are one of the harder ones to find, and as zebco made more modle changes to their line than any other (modern reel co i know about, they even surpass shiamano and daiwa . For a free phone cal and a few dollars you can get factory books on their reels, their # is (1-800-588-9030) ask for parts, and tell them you want to buy some factory manuals, we have them from day one in the 1940s , we are as you mqay have guesed a service and repair center for Zebco, Yes if you are lucky you may need to build a addition to your home just to have one of each model and model change and color change! there are some very unusal spinng open faced reels and very few were made, they also made the Zebco cardinals , that is a chalange in itself! Happy hunting and ask your questions from us members, and also share your imformation with alll of us, glad to have you on board! Col. milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG

[clinton_beeler]

Hello. My name is Clinton Randall Beeler and my father is Clinton Randolph Beeler. He ran ZEBCO from 1965 until his retirement in 1989. I am currently doing research for a book on the company and its products. The model 44 was made from 1956 until 1977 and is what father describes as an "under the rod spincast". It was designed by R.D.Hull (1912-1977). The model 55 was made from 1956 to 1964. White lists it (the 55) as the most valuable ZEBCO reel. He is wrong. The most valuable production reel was the "gold" reel of 1982-3 of which only 77-100 were actually made. The collectors community is only now becoming aware of the model 1970 spinning reel for which a pre-production run of about 100 units were made (not including the clear "salesmans samples of which about a dozen were made) and the model 910 which were produced in such a small quantity that father says "only one shipment was made" (the size of that shipment is not known. It could have been a pallet or a semi-trailler load, nobody seems to know and it does not show up on the production sheets.). I hope that you enjoy collecting reels and in particular the ZEBCO brand.

Regards,
Clinton

[RonLewis]

I guess "mint" is a good way to go if you're collecting as an investment, but I (being an avid fisherman) personally think there's no greater pleasure than holding a used but lovingly cared for old reel in your hands, and trying to imagine the fish it caught, the pleasures it gave to another fisherman in another time and another place, and before technology gave the fisherman such advantages. Welcome to the most gratifying hobby I've discovered yet. And if you keep your eyes and ears open (and join ORCA!) you'll meet some interesting people who are more than willing to share their reel collecting knowledge and experiences with you.

[Brian F.]

I agree with Ron. It's nice to have brand spanking new reels in the collection but the ones I really like are the reels that were personally used by friends and fishermen I came to know. Many of these fellows have passed on so the sentimental value can't be measured. Ohhh, and they definitely caught a lot of fish!

[clinton_beeler]

On the one hand I have to agree that a like-new reel is a thing of beauty. I recently sold a Cardinal 4 from 1975 that had never even had line on the spool. It was perfect in every respect. On the other hand I was recently given a South Bend style 1131A by a friend complete with its original leather case and both are in excellent condition. What makes these so special are their provenance. Lloyd F. Smith inherited the reel from his father , Lloyd George Smith who was a member of the AVG (Flying Tigers) and later the 5th Air Force (USAAF). It is believed that he , in turn , inherited it from his father , A.O. Smith who bought the reel new. In White's price guide it is dated at 1912 (the year the Titanic went down). I would call it a level wind , but there is no mechanism to wind the line (which is still on the spool) evenly on the spool. How in the world did people use these things? Can anyone tell me more about them? I have arrived at the conclusion that some reels are worth more than money. Father suggested that ZEBCO prove its preemminence in the industry in 1982 by building the original "Gold Reel". It was based on the tooling for the original ZEBCO ONE model but with teak wood inserts and knobs , a teak handle and gold plated line guides on the rod and ball bearings and machine-cut brass gears. He gave me number 072 of the 77-100 that were actually made. It has never been used. There is indeed much to be said for the history of any reel. Who wouldn't love to have a reel that Hemmingway used? I guess I'm going to have to join ORCA. I have the addiction. Anyone else?

[Jim Madden]

Clinton, your 1131A is later than 1912. The A came after 1913, but I can help you pinpoint the year if you'll give me the serial number under the foot. Yes, it is pre-level wind. The old rods had fore-grips on them so you could hold the rod above the reel and wind the line back and forth evenly on the spool with your fingers. Some guys could weave it back and forth just using the top of their thumb. There's all kinds of information for you here in ORCA, but it sounds like you've got a lot to give too. Jim

[john elder]

yes, Clinton...you have to get a camera and post some pics of that gold reel! I'm sure many of us would enjoy seeing it!

[Bruce Davis]

I am wondering if this is the same reel as you guys are talking about I have this certificate of Authenticity which is framed that starts out
The Brunswick Leadership Series Zebco 24 Carat Gold Plated Reel and Rod This certifies that the serial number shown in the lower left hand corner represents the control number of the fine Limited Edition product that will be scheduled for manufacture for you personal use signed by Jack F Reichert Chairman of the Board the # lower left reads 32/250
so I would say 250 of these reels made?

[clinton_beeler]

WOW! Father told me that each reel was registered when sold , but I've never actually seen a certificate. Here's what happened. Brunswick decided to prove to the world that they made the best of everything so each division was tasked to come up with something appropriate. Billiard division made an outrageously great table. Mercury Marine had the guys from the racing department create a hand fitted , hand tuned engine etc..
They put all this stuff out in a special catalog that I remember seeing. Father was talking to the other guys in the front office when the order came from corporate and they didn't know what to do so father said to gold plate a reel (easy to do when the covers are stainless steel) etc. It was sold as a combo with the rod for $400 which was a lot in those days. The finish on the teakwood rod handle is different from the finish on the reel. Don't get the rod handle wet. Father says he once saw someone fishing with one and the finish on the rod handle was ruined. In the catalog it said that production was limited to 250 , but it was a special order item and they were only assembled as they were ordered. When the time period was up the remaining parts were destroyed. Father's not absolutely certain of the number made except that it was under 100. I have one (072), father has 075, R.D.Hull's brother Otto has one, and I'm pretty sure that ZEBCO has one in their museum. Do you have the rod and reel that go with the certificate? If so , guard it jealously as it is probably the rarest production spincast reel ever made. By the way, Jack was the chairman and CEO of Brunswick at the time. John Charvat was the president of ZEBCO division (they may have been calling it Consumer Division or something like that at the time).
Regards,
Clinton