ABU 500 close face reels. What's the difference

[Paul-H]

Hi all

I have been looking to pick up an ABU 506 but after looking around I noticed that there where quite a few reels in this range, so my question is what's the difference, other than age between the various reels in the 500 range, 501, 505, 506 etc.

Thanks for any help

Paul

[Vole]

The only one I can help with is the 508: it's the right-hand wind version of the 507, and that was the only one to have an RHW twin.
They are the biggest of the bunch, designed for salmon spinning in Scandiwegia, iirc, and came loaded with blue 10lb "Abulon" line.
They have a seriously weird drag system: a knurled knob where the handle joins the drive axle sets the clutch tension that is applied when winding in under load, but back-winding a quarter turn decreases it by half, allowing a fish to let off steam. No intermediate measures available unless you gamble on re-setting the knob mid-fight. The comedic possibilities of this system, not to mention the need to wear brown corduroy trousers when deploying it, were forcibly pointed out to me, the first time I used the reel (and having forgotten what the adverts said about it), by a six-pound barbel, which I believe finally succumbed to a fit of the giggles, enabling it to be netted and become my rather sad little pb. for many years.

[Nobby]

They have their followers, but that assessment about sums them up, I think :brickwall:


I was mildly interested in the 505 as it has a 'proper' looking drag wheeel......

[Colonelgsc]

Hi all

I have been looking to pick up an ABU 506 but after looking around I noticed that there where quite a few reels in this range, so my question is what's the difference, other than age between the various reels in the 500 range, 501, 505, 506 etc.

Thanks for any help

Paul

I have to admit to a nostalgia fuelled liking for these little critters. I bought my 1st 505 in the early 60's and now have a collection of all the LH wind models. The one that gets a regular airing is the 507, followed closely by the 505. The 507 sits comfortably on my 'Suredale' when I'm Roach fishing. I even recall seeing a photo of 'modern guru', Terry Hearn, with a 507 attached to one of his rods, chub fishing, I think.

They are definitely 'an acquired taste' , as the honourable Vole rightly points out, but, when you're suffering with the wind they are a godsend :thumb:

But I digress. There's plenty of info 'out there', Paul; pay a quick visit to the following, and if you're still interested, Mr Google will surely assist.

http://www.realsreels.com/reels/halfenc ... fault.aspx

[Nobby]

It's when I'm 'suffering with the wind' that my wife usually tells me to go fishing or something.

[PerchBasher]

Chavender is the real closed face expert but my two pennorth on the 500 series as a long time user and fan is

505 The original model with a star drag – perfectly good reel, but the line was apt to wind around the drag in high wind also a rather gaudy red colour which put a lot of people off!
503 A basic model and you had to set the drag with a screwdriver!
506 A lovely reel, particularly the 506M (match) version which had a faster retrieve. Like the 505 and 503 many anglers did not like the synchro drag system (back wind a quarter turn to give line) so took the anti-reverse pawl out to play fish on the back wind.
501 Another great reel. By now Abu had worked out that most anglers played fish on the backwind and you can set the drag so the fish runs under pressure
507 has the biggest line capacity and although I’ve never used one, some closed face aficionados claim it was the best of the lot (certainly reflected on prices on eBay)
508 a left handed model of the 507

You can pick up a perfectly good 501, 503 or 506 on eBay for around £30 and like the Mitchell 300 they have stood the test of time. Whether you take the ant-reverse out is up to you. Personally, I think where people go wrong is failing to set the synchro drag correctly. I do a lot of trotting and at the risk of being iconoclastic prefer a closed face to a centre pin. Only trouble is, they don’t really “suit” a cane rod.

‘Er indoors bought me an Abu 706 last Christmas and while it’s nice and smooth and works perfectly well, the Chinese build quality is inferior to the Swedish made 500 series.

[Vole]

I haven't got rid of my 508, nor do I hold it in low esteem; in fact, I bought a second. For windy days and for far-off float work (except the silly range stuff when only an open face can cope) they are superb, as long as the clutch is not critical.

[Moley]

I rate the 500 series, as Vole says they really are the best reel to use when the wind is very gusty and 'pin control becomes a lottery.

I like the 508 and have never had a problem with them. I even caught a barbel from the Royalty over 10lbs with absolutely no problems. If you set the clutch system properly, commensurate with the line strength, they do exactly what they should. In fact they make catching easier, as there seems to be less to go wrong with them.

For a true master of the closed face 506, Pete Warren on the Trent, with Stick Float and Caster was the nearest I have ever seen to angling perfection. You just knew when you were in the presence of greatness. By the way he, like most match men at the time, removed the anti-reverse pawl, a 5 minute job, to allow back winding. Poetry in motion with the Trent roach, that man!

The entire 500 series are all good and reliable, so long as you do not over load the line. I have found, over time, that it is best to under load the line slightly and have not had any problems with the reels since. I don't know what the others are talking about, with their supposed 'problems' with these reels. If used appropriately, I have found them, the easiest reels I have ever used for close in, controlled float fishing!

Ask yourself this one simple question: Why did 'All' the top match men use the original 500 series of reels, for the Stick or Waggler?

Answers on a postcard!

Mole Power!!! :sun:

[CWK]

I agree entirely with Moley . In a strong wind you can't beat a 506 for float control .. I have 3 of them , excellent reels..

[Alan H]

Moley is right about not over filling the spool, I think many people make this mistake when they try a closed face reel for the first time, on my spools I only fill to about 2 to 3 mm below the rim, it will in no way impair your casting, on the contrary it will flow off with no problems.

I too have been fishing with the 500 series since the 60's (I only fish with closed face reels) , My wife bought me a 706 when they first came out and as perchbasher says they don't look the quality of the the old Swedish models, but saying that, I have caught some big Carp with mine over the last couple of years with absolutely no problem, a cracking reel I could recommend to anybody.

I don't think the 505 was a gaudy red, I think it was smart, I loved mine.