Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

ORCA Online Forum - Feel free to talk or ask about ALL kinds of old tackle here, with an emphasis on old reels!
Post Reply
unechan
Big ORCA Fan
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:14 am

Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by unechan »

Hi all,

I've recently commenced collecting the Marhoffs and noticed some very minor variations amongst the three Model GEs that I own - variations of the drag/brake knob indicators;

Type 1: "MORE" arrow counterclockwise / "LESS" arrow clockwise


Type 2: "MORE" arrow clockwise / "LESS" arrow counterclockwise


Type 3: Arrow directions same as Type 2 but different font & alignments (letters more to periphery / longer arrows)


Assuming that these knobs are original, I am wondering whether these variations are just appearing randomly, or reflecting the manufactured period... I understand that Model GE have been produced for more than 15 years (from end WW2 to 1960s) so that the minor parts design change may have occurred pretty frequently.

Regards,
Hironobu (Osaka, Japan)
User avatar
Ron Mc
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3384
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 7:49 am
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Ron Mc »

my dressy model GE with marbled sideplate doesn't have it.
But I don't enough about these reels to offer a date.
Image
wrong99
Star Board Poster
Posts: 2578
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:42 am
Location: S.F. Bay Area ORCA MEMBER

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by wrong99 »

Are you sure yours is a GE, Ron? I thought the marbled plate version was pre-war.
User avatar
Ron Mc
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3384
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 7:49 am
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Ron Mc »

No worries Mark, I looked at the tailplate before I posted - Model GE

also found this Model GE that's dated - 1948 paper in the box
Image
User avatar
gadabout
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 368
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2003 8:42 pm
Location: Melville, NY

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by gadabout »

Never noticed these details before. For what it’s worth, my Marhoff GE corresponds to your Type 2.
User avatar
Eric J
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:43 pm

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Eric J »

I know that some were made in Canada. Maybe that’s a difference? As mentioned the GE’s were made from 1946 until discontinued. That was a long run.
Interesting that on one it is tightened counterclockwise and the other clockwise suggests the internal mechanism is also different. Is one a left-handed reel?
wrong99
Star Board Poster
Posts: 2578
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:42 am
Location: S.F. Bay Area ORCA MEMBER

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by wrong99 »

Canadian Shakespeare reels were stamped under the foot with the Inglis name.
unechan
Big ORCA Fan
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:14 am

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by unechan »

Eric J wrote: Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:57 pm I know that some were made in Canada. Maybe that’s a difference? As mentioned the GE’s were made from 1946 until discontinued. That was a long run.
Interesting that on one it is tightened counterclockwise and the other clockwise suggests the internal mechanism is also different. Is one a left-handed reel?
Eric, thanks for your comment - they are all right-handed reels. As for the internal mechanism, they were apparently different.

Type 1 - "MORE" counterclockwise / "LESS" clockwise: steel(ish) plate spring, brass (?) main gear, clip for level wind gear securement.


Type 2 and 3 - "MORE" clockwise / "LESS" counterclockwise: copper(ish) plate spring, main gear color more copper/bronze-ish, no clip for level wind gear


I need to further check the Marhoff spreadsheet !

Hironobu (Osaka, Japan)
User avatar
Eric J
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:43 pm

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Eric J »

It looks like the upper two may be nickel plated brass and the lower one may be chrome over copperplate.
User avatar
Bill Sonnett
Super Board Poster
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:19 pm
Location: Jackson Michigan

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Bill Sonnett »

As someone who fished with Marhoff's many years and still must have 25 of them hanging around here, I noticed years ago that the ABL knobs turned opposite ways on several GE's, I always assume the ones that turned backward compared to the majority of them were made to fish in the Southern Hemisphere.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
User avatar
kyreels
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1147
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by kyreels »

I always assume the ones that turned backward compared to the majority of them were made to fish in the Southern Hemisphere
LOL. Aussie style

I can only imagine the errors that may have occurred in operating this reel. But I am guessing that clockwise to tighten was more intuitive and a desired design change.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
User avatar
Bill Sonnett
Super Board Poster
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:19 pm
Location: Jackson Michigan

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Bill Sonnett »

Ron Mc wrote: Fri Dec 24, 2021 9:28 am my dressy model GE with marbled sideplate doesn't have it.
But I don't enough about these reels to offer a date.
Image
I collected as many Marhoffs as I could that were made in successive years (models) from Walter's (1907) through GE's After looking them over in including the three separate year models that had the marbleized plates, I notice that the GE (1946) palm plate is virtually identical to those on the three marbelized reels. As the Marbelized reels are all from the early and mid-1930's I believe that someone has replaced the palm plate (be it repairman, factory or fisherman) on your reel as they are interchangeable. The 1941 green Marhoff (GK) has a side plate that is not identical to either the other two reels discussed that come before and after. As I think has been mentioned GE was used from 46 to the end of production of Marhoffs.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
User avatar
Bill Sonnett
Super Board Poster
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:19 pm
Location: Jackson Michigan

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Bill Sonnett »

Marhoff repair tip: when in heavy fishing use, the small felt pad on the ABL occasionally comes off. Given the fact that it as well as the metal pad to which it is affixed is soaked in oil, I pondered long before coming up with a solution that worked to reattach the pad. After cleaning the metal and the felt pad with lighter fluid to get rid of the oil, I applied a small dollop of Shoe Goo on the metal and place the pad on it. Despite years of use I have never had one separate after this repair.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
User avatar
Ron Mc
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3384
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 7:49 am
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Ron Mc »

Hi Bill, that's fair enough - you're probably correct - I bought it that way, and happy with its match on that Montague Flash.
User avatar
Bill Sonnett
Super Board Poster
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:19 pm
Location: Jackson Michigan

Re: Shakespeare Marhoff GE - "MORE" & "LESS" variations ?

Post by Bill Sonnett »

Hope it works well Ron. I finally gave up trying to find one that cast well but after 5 or six of them I figured out that the plastic had warped or shrunk just enough to throw things out of alignment and reduce casting ease. This seemed to be a problem with several Shakespeare models that had plastic inserts.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
Post Reply