Help needed with BlueGrass #33

Mike Campouris · Post by **Mike Campouris** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:54 pm

Would anyone know a rough value on a Bluegrass #33 reel, I have not seen the reel yet but was told it is in ex. condition and works great, I was also told it had the Pat. dates of Carters pat. July 5, 04 and Nov. 28, 06. I'd like to make a fair offer on this reel, thanks. Mike

Post by **john elder** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:59 pm

mike: you need to find out the exact wording on the reel as to the maker...some are Horton...some are meek...some have sons...lots of different versions..I forget all the permutations...but there is quite a range in collector value, depending on what time-frame in which it was made.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 10:00 pm

the oldest reels have the patent marks on the faceplate
(a friend has one without the 05 patent mark, and with a black handle)

the name stamp is on the backplate

on the last c. 1915+/- Meek-made reels, the markings are reversed, and after 1916 the reels have the Horton mark. Later they got the Symplex mark.
The oldest reels are worth $150+ in EX condition.

they're really cool on an 8-1/4' Henshall-spec rod.

Robin Sayler · Post by **Robin Sayler** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 10:41 pm

As long as we're on the topic of the 33's. Ron i have one exactly like yours. Does yours have a 7 on the bottom? Also some numbers on all the parts inside mine all say 170? Are these some kind of serial number?

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 10:46 pm

Hi Robin,
faster for me to check my photobucket folder than to dig out my reel

couldn't tell you about marks inside offhand.

Robin Sayler · Post by **Robin Sayler** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:31 am

Hey Ron, Thats the number. I opened mine up and it is marked 170 on: inside of faceplate, main gear, plate the gear sits on, and inside of tail plate. Pretty much the only thing not marked is the spool. They are definetly nice reels have you ever fished yours?

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:07 am

nothing but lawn cast so far, but with the Henshall rod it will gently lob 3/8 oz. well out past 100 ft. I was thinking I would get a day on the lake with my dad this fall, but it hasn't happened. He's coming camping and fishing the Nueces Canyon with me next month, but those are little bass and fly tackle.

Robin Sayler · Post by **Robin Sayler** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:54 pm

Same situation here i was going to take it down to the dock behing my apartment and do some casting with it last thursday but when i woke up there was a foot of snow on the dock.

Mike Campouris · Post by **Mike Campouris** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:31 pm

John I was just able to talk to the guy tonight, he is saying there is no Meeks or Horton on the reel, I did find a Bluegrass #33 in Lawsons on page 32 but not really sure if it's the same reel or not. I'll be looking at the reel in the morning and will know more, he also said he would want $250 for it, thanks John and Ron !. Mike

Post by **john elder** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:01 pm

Mike: Can you run fast?

I believe that Meek, Milam, and Horton were pretty proud of their names and if it's a high end Kentucky reel #33, it should say Meek and Sons or Meek and Milam or Horton along with the #. Need a pic...take your camera and at least you can get a pic and do some more research before handing over the $.

Bill Muth · Post by **Bill Muth** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:22 am

There are Bluegrass 33s out there without the Meek or Horton mark, which were certainly made by one or the other. Horton in particular made trade reels for other companies, especially toward the end of their run. That being said, you can pick up a Meek 33 for somewhere between $100 and $150 at almost any show, and the Hortons tend to run on the lower end of that range, as would a no-name. Unless your seller has the box with the reel, $250 is too much. If you are looking for a nice Horton 33, I've got a duplicate that I would sell you for less than half that amount. If your seller has the box and papers, $250 might be about right. Good luck!

Robin Sayler · Post by **Robin Sayler** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:39 pm

Hey Bill, Do you by chance know what the numbers on the bottom and inside mean?

Mike Campouris · Post by **Mike Campouris** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:31 pm

I went and looked at the reel today and had my Meek 33 with me, turns out it was the very same reel with out the mfgs. name on it. Bill I think you are right about it being a trade reel, thanks again for all the help. Mike

Post by **john elder** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:06 pm

Good ole Bill! Saved you with the needed info, I assume...I'm guessing that if the guy was throwing out $250, you couldn't get him down to the 110 or so it was worth with a crowbar! Oh, well, there will be others, mike!

Younguy...you see those internal #s often in the older reels. Brian and I have spent some time trying to track them in old salt reels, including Pfl, vom hofe, and Montegue. They are likely production tracking #s so that if something is sent back in with a problem or for repair, they would know who to blame...and also that the reel was not a hybrid with some other reel. Spools were likely excluded, since they were often interchanged...that's my guess and I'm sticking to it...til one of the board mavens coughs up a better answer (not forthcoming from past discussions, as i recall).

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:49 pm

thanks Bill. cool-thumb

BTW, any photos of the markings on the Bluegrass 33 w/o a Meek mark?

Mike Campouris · Post by **Mike Campouris** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:36 pm

I did have the camera but never did take a picture. Mike

Bill Muth · Post by **Bill Muth** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:26 pm

I don't think I still have any Bluegrass 33s with no mark, they didn't excite me that much. However, I do have an Improved Bluegrass Simplex 25 with no mark, I'll try to get a pic posted this weekend.

John's theory on the internal numbers is what I always assumed, I've never heard an explanation that made any more sense.

Robin Sayler · Post by **Robin Sayler** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:58 am

Sounds good and it makes sense until something else comes along i'll go with that too...thanks guys

Bill Muth · Post by **Bill Muth** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:27 pm

Here is the no-name Bluegrass 25 that I referenced above (obviously I haven't gotten around to cleaning it, actually have quite a backlog in reels needing cleaning right now). This is the first 25 that I've seen without the Meek or Horton name. Pretty scarce, but probably not worth any more than a normal Horton 25.

Help needed with BlueGrass #33

Help needed with BlueGrass #33

Bluegrass #33

bluegrass #33