Internet rumors strike again! Sorry guys but I am going to vent. I have been seeing these same statements in emails and on other boards. I even had dealers tell me this. I just got back from Kentucky where I took a couple of tackle store employees fishing with the Curado G. Exact words from the store manager "Wow I have to say my opinion of the Curado has completely changed. I had no idea they were this nice. I believed all the complaints on the internet and refused to try one. Now I am glad I did. I think I am going to order a few for my tournament season." Hmmm...
The Chronarch E is built on the same tooling as the Curado E. The same parts that have been plastic for years are still plastic. Idle gears, clutch cam, yoke and worm shaft shield. The main gear and pinion gear are still brass alloy. The drive shaft is still metal. The handle is still cold forged aluminum. When I was working the Holder show earlier this year I had a guide tell me that the main gear in the Curado G was made out of plastic. I asked him where he heard that. The internet and other "guides" of course. I reminded him that we are Shimano and we stand behind our products. Why on Earth would we change to plastic without telling the world why it was better? He couldn't answer that and then realized that we did not have plastic gears in our reels.
Strikehook-Where exactly are the plastic internal working parts that you speak of? Have you fished the new reels? Have you taken one apart? How do you know they are less durable? The reels have been out exactly one year now. Did you perform long term durability tests on the gears and drag washers like we did? Oh wait the reel is made in Malaysia! That must be the reason! Asian Muslims are building the reels in a state of the art factory that is built by Shimano and run by Japanese engineers and QC teams. The reels must be junk since they are made in a country that most Americans have never heard of. All the while we are secretly changing the materials to plastic because plastic is terrible material! Its light and strong with reduced waste of excess materials.
We should stop all use of modern polymers in everything. Better rip that intake manifold off of your new vehicle. Like that polymer framed pistol? Everything should be metal! I want my reel, engine, car, truck, boat, TV, cell phone, sunglasses...to be made out of metal. Plastic has no place in modern society! The Ford Model T had its time and place, but I prefer good fuel mileage, fuel injection and air conditioning. Get over your fears of plastic and catch up to the modern world.
The reason for the price increase is because of the weak US Dollar vs. the Japanese Yen. The Curado E would have seen a price increase. For that increase we changed the drag material to improve performance to try and offset the additional cost. Hopefully the economy will turn around and we can make some changes.
Curado G is lighter and slightly less expensive since we removed 2 bearings from the reel (handle paddles). It has the same amount of drag and cranking power. The reel actually casts better in my opinion. I prefer the shape for my hands.
We did not drop the quality of the products or change materials to reduce quality of the reels. We change our products often to take advantage of new technology. This is very obvious in the spinning side. I'm sure we will see some changes on the low profile side in the future. We have already started in the conventional and round reel market.
And look at this
http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=444623
If the new Curado G is just as good as the Curado E was, why is the Curado E now the Chronarch E and costs $40 more MSRP than the current Curado? Something doesn't add up. And, even on paper there's no way the G can match the Curado E. It has 4+1 bearings instead of the 6+1 bearings on the E, so right there you've got yourself a noticeable difference.
The marketing ploy used to introduce the Curado G was poorly thought out, to say the least. The Curado G may or may not be a perfectly good reel in its own right, but since it's under the Curado name OF COURSE it's going to be held up to standard set by the Curado E. If it's not quite as good, a lot of people are going to upset that the new Curado isn't as good as the old one. Never mind the price drop; they see "Curado G", G comes after E, so the G should be better than the E or at least as good.
Shimano could have avoided this whole morass by simply raising the price on the Curado E while giving it the same features as the Chronarch E has, and then calling that reel the Curado G. The current Curado G should have been introduced as a completely new reel series between the Curado and Citica. In that scenario you would have had complaints about the higher price on the new Curado, but the reel that is currently called the Curado G would have been given a fair chance to prove itself on its own merit. Why? Because people would know that it's not supposed to be the same reel as the Curado E and so they wouldn't expect it to perform exactly like one. I've no doubt there would have been rave reviews about the new Shimano reel that's a step above the Citica but costs less than a Curado.
I've no experience with the Curado 200E or Chronarch 200E or any G-series reel. My Shimano experience is limited to the Citica E and D as well as a Curado 50E that I recently had the opportunity of dismantling for a cleaning and super-tune. All of them are quality reels and I'm sure Shimano wouldn't risk damaging their considerable reputation with a bad reel. However, they still made a bad marketing choice with the Curado/Chronarch name mashup.
Quote from: Fishwhittler on January 03, 2013, 02:32:13 AM
If the new Curado G is just as good as the Curado E was, why is the Curado E now the Chronarch E and costs $40 more MSRP than the current Curado? Something doesn't add up. And, even on paper there's no way the G can match the Curado E. It has 4+1 bearings instead of the 6+1 bearings on the E, so right there you've got yourself a noticeable difference.
The marketing ploy used to introduce the Curado G was poorly thought out, to say the least. The Curado G may or may not be a perfectly good reel in its own right, but since it's under the Curado name OF COURSE it's going to be held up to standard set by the Curado E. If it's not quite as good, a lot of people are going to upset that the new Curado isn't as good as the old one. Never mind the price drop; they see "Curado G", G comes after E, so the G should be better than the E or at least as good.
Shimano could have avoided this whole morass by simply raising the price on the Curado E while giving it the same features as the Chronarch E has, and then calling that reel the Curado G. The current Curado G should have been introduced as a completely new reel series between the Curado and Citica. In that scenario you would have had complaints about the higher price on the new Curado, but the reel that is currently called the Curado G would have been given a fair chance to prove itself on its own merit. Why? Because people would know that it's not supposed to be the same reel as the Curado E and so they wouldn't expect it to perform exactly like one. I've no doubt there would have been rave reviews about the new Shimano reel that's a step above the Citica but costs less than a Curado.
I've no experience with the Curado 200E or Chronarch 200E or any G-series reel. My Shimano experience is limited to the Citica E and D as well as a Curado 50E that I recently had the opportunity of dismantling for a cleaning and super-tune. All of them are quality reels and I'm sure Shimano wouldn't risk damaging their considerable reputation with a bad reel. However, they still made a bad marketing choice with the Curado/Chronarch name mashup.
How do you know the G series is so below the e series if you have no experience with either? :-\ I think this was his point. Your assuming.
And I'm assuming you didn't read his entire post, because your bearing argument doesn't mean too much, unless you base how good or bad your new reels are on how fast the paddles will spin
Both of these threads I got from a fellow named Bantum1. He works for shimano.
Quote from: jaynay71 on January 03, 2013, 06:14:29 AM
Both of these threads I got from a fellow named Bantum1. He works for shimano.
Thank you,
Up until now I was convinced that Shimano only made 2 good reels in the Curado G series,
and I got them both. Good to know there are actually more out there....lol
Hootie
Dan Thorburn aka Bantam 1 is a shimano employee. Can you guess what might happen to a shimano employee if they publicly said the oposite of what he is publishing about the G reel? Anyway, all of this aside, I'm not sure where they have seen posts saying that the main gears were plastic or the other rumors about the parts bing drastically inferior, but the fact is, they drastically underestimated what the informed fishing public would think about thier name change ploy. And thats exactly what it was, a marketing ploy. The G reel is just as good as any othe reel with equal features and build quality. It is not as nice as a reel as the the E curado was, if it was, then it would still be the same reel. It's an improved canean that took over the Curado name. The same can now be said about the Chronarch. Those who were familar with the Chronarch D new of the design elements that made it a superior reel. The new version of the Chronarch E is the reel that we would have received a year ago if we bought a Curado E, but it's now white and is called the Chronarch E. The Chronarch E is drastically cheaper now than the Chronarch D was priced at. It should be, it's priced at exactly where the Curado would have been priced had they just left it alone and raised the curado price. They didn't do that, instead they tried a marketing ploy of name changes that had an unexpected backlash. In my opinion, the same thing would happen to Chevy if they tried to put Corvette emblems on last years camaro and then put the camaro emblems on a slightly improved chevette.
Quote from: Pro Reel on January 03, 2013, 07:37:08 AM
Dan Thorburn aka Bantam 1 is a shimano employee. Can you guess what might happen to a shimano employee if they publicly said the oposite of what he is publishing about the G reel? Anyway, all of this aside, I'm not sure where they have seen posts saying that the main gears were plastic or the other rumors about the parts bing drastically inferior, but the fact is, they drastically underestimated what the informed fishing public would think about thier name change ploy. And thats exactly what it was, a marketing ploy. The G reel is just as good as any othe reel with equal features and build quality. It is not as nice as a reel as the the E curado was, if it was, then it would still be the same reel. It's an improved canean that took over the Curado name. The same can now be said about the Chronarch. Those who were familar with the Chronarch D new of the design elements that made it a superior reel. The new version of the Chronarch E is the reel that we would have received a year ago if we bought a Curado E, but it's now white and is called the Chronarch E. The Chronarch E is drastically cheaper now than the Chronarch D was priced at. It should be, it's priced at exactly where the Curado would have been priced had they just left it alone and raised the curado price. They didn't do that, instead they tried a marketing ploy of name changes that had an unexpected backlash. In my opinion, the same thing would happen to Chevy if they tried to put Corvette emblems on last years camaro and then put the camaro emblems on a slightly improved chevette.
I have 2 Chronarch 200E reels, 1 Curado 50E, and 2 Curado 200 G reels. In all honesty, I can't tell any difference in performance and function. I use them all, I catch fish, and they aren't broke or breaking or malfunctioning in any way. Am I missing something. C'mon guys, I want to complain too. I just can't find anything to complain about. Help me out here!! I don't know, maybe I'm just not picky enough. But BOY, am I HAPPY.....lol ~roflmao
Hootie
As long as you are happy with the G, then don't worry about what others think about it. My opinion of it is not very good, and thats based on the problems I have been seeing with them. If you do have one, I strongly suggest that you don't use it in saltwater or tanic water. They aproved it for saltwater use, but can't seem to explain as yet what is causing all of the very serious corrosion issues that are showing up in Curado G reels that are only a few months old. If you do decide to use them in salt, I sugest that you be very diligent about cleaning them imediatly after use.
I had 1 G, that was so I could see the difference in Japan VS. Milasia quality and to see if I could tell a difference. ALL I am saying is I sold the G and bought another E.
You know.............. There is a reason that you can buy a new G cheaper than a used E on Ebay. ;)
Quote from: -Shawn- on January 03, 2013, 08:35:15 AM
I had 1 G, that was so I could see the difference in Japan VS. Milasia quality and to see if I could tell a difference. ALL I am saying is I sold the G and bought another E.
You know.............. There is a reason that you can buy a new G cheaper than a used E on Ebay. ;)
I bought a NIB Curado 50E $40.00 cheaper than they sold for new.
Bought about a month ago.
Hootie
I bought all my Curados E's on Ebay for 138.00 and now used E's are selling for 140.00
In my opinion the curado has been on the decline ever since they discontinued the cu series.This is simply based on longevity in saltwater conditions with minimum maintenance.I've been through the every model except for the g ever since, while the others are in a black hole somewhere my cu,s are still running strong.That says it all as Im not real kind on my tackle.I wish they would go back to that basic design but I guess it was made too well.
Quote from: BB on January 03, 2013, 09:17:18 AM
In my opinion the curado has been on the decline ever since they discontinued the cu series.This is simply based on longevity in saltwater conditions with minimum maintenance.I've been through the every model except for the g ever since, while the others are in a black hole somewhere my cu,s are still running strong.That says it all as Im not real kind on my tackle.I wish they would go back to that basic design but I guess it was made too well.
In shimano reels, the canean might be the reel for you. Low bearing count and graphite composite frame and sides. Very similar to the old CU reels in construction. I'm not saying it's built as tough as that reel was, but it's a decent choice for salt.
Quote from: Pro Reel on January 03, 2013, 08:16:38 AM
As long as you are happy with the G, then don't worry about what others think about it. My opinion of it is not very good, and thats based on the problems I have been seeing with them. If you do have one, I strongly suggest that you don't use it in saltwater or tanic water. They aproved it for saltwater use, but can't seem to explain as yet what is causing all of the very serious corrosion issues that are showing up in Curado G reels that are only a few months old. If you do decide to use them in salt, I sugest that you be very diligent about cleaning them imediatly after use.
Quote from: hootiebenji on January 03, 2013, 07:50:23 AM
I have 2 Chronarch 200E reels, 1 Curado 50E, and 2 Curado 200 G reels. In all honesty, I can't tell any difference in performance and function. I use them all, I catch fish, and they aren't broke or breaking or malfunctioning in any way. Am I missing something. C'mon guys, I want to complain too. I just can't find anything to complain about. Help me out here!! I don't know, maybe I'm just not picky enough. But BOY, am I HAPPY.....lol ~roflmao
Hootie
Your welcome, lol
Curado G crankshaft with a few problems. Now, I have no idea if this reel was dunked in salt or if it was rinsed off or not, but I do know this reel has not been on the market very long and i have seen many reels that were not cared for at all for many years with less issues than this reel has.
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I don't own one, but I have used one. Do I think they are still a great reel, yes. Do I think they are a slight step down from the Curado E? Only due to not having knob bearings, and that does nothing for me to think negatively of the reel. The problem is the Curado E spoiled everyone. The G is built the way the Curado should be. I'm mean, come on, cry about knob bearings? What about the Core? The point is, people cried about the Ds, they cried about the Es, you can't please everyone. QC is still top notch, and I would put the G against any reel in its respected price point. I have a full arsenol of the E series from Citica to Chronarch, 200s and 50s, and a Citica G. I like the feel of the E series better in my hand, especially the 50s. Since I will be adding one more to my arsenal, its gonna be another Chronarch50E, since they don't have a 50 series in the G as an option. Also, if your so concerned about knob bearings, and I bet its all the Abu/Lews people(hehe), just get a HawgHandle and have a carbonfiber handle with 4 bearings. Have your opinions and fish what you want, I know what brand has always been good to me ever since I started with a CU-200.
I have been fishing Curados and scorpions for almost 20 years now. In addition to countless original curados and super free curados and scorpions, I recently (within the last two years) have purchased an E7 model and two G6 reels. I admit I was confused at first why they would change a good thing, but ignored the advice of a tech at a local tackle shop and went ahead and bought the G6's. Main consideration was price. I got them for $120 each new in box as opposed to the $180 ea. I would have had to pay to get the Chronarchs to match my E7. I was warned that the new curado was a downgrade from the E7 and I probably wouldn't be happy.
Well, I'm glad I bought the G6's. I have been using them for a year now with absolutely no complaints other than they probably don't look as cool as my E7. Casting continues to be smooth, perhaps slightly better than my E7. Retrieve is powerful and sure, the drag system is great. Like I said, they have performed flawlessly. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.
I have to laugh at negative posts made by someone who has never even used them. Much like the flawed advice I got at the tackle shop, the tech had never used them. He had only participated in behind the counter debate and idea sharing with his co-workers and they had come to the conclusion that these reels were not good without ever using them.
I have been a Shimano man for years............. The D sucked and the Citica D outsold them.
The E was a great reel Both the Citica and the Curado........... The G........ Don't care for it. Don't like the way the Caenan frame fits in my hand...... Don't like the reel.. Don't care for the Mylasian QC.
There have been ALOT of problems with these reels............ PERIOD. They are not near the reel an E was with or without the handle bearings.
Quote from: Pro Reel on January 03, 2013, 12:30:41 PM
Curado G crankshaft with a few problems. Now, I have no idea if this reel was dunked in salt or if it was rinsed off or not, but I do know this reel has not been on the market very long and i have seen many reels that were not cared for at all for many years with less issues than this reel has.
looks like it was lost at sea for a year, that's not normal use. I wouldn't even consider that possible.
Quote from: -Shawn- on January 03, 2013, 12:53:16 PM
There have been ALOT of problems with these reels............ PERIOD.
I guess I was correct. I did get the only 2 good Curado G series reels Shimano made.
HOORAY FOR ME!!!!
Hootie
Quote from: hootiebenji on January 03, 2013, 01:05:06 PM
I guess I was correct. I did get the only 2 good Curado G series reels Shimano made.
HOORAY FOR ME!!!!
Hootie
There gonna be worth ALOT of money, lol.
Quote from: -Shawn- on January 03, 2013, 12:53:16 PM
I have been a Shimano many for years..........was a great reel Both the Citica and the Curado.....Don't like the reel.. Don't care for the Mylasian QC.
X2
Ill gote myself on a previous post about the G's ...
" ... been a die hard Shimano user for years ... pretty much have owned/fished/tuned/serviced almost every model produced in USDM and JDM market since mid 90's. This new "G" concept of Malaysian made Citica/Curado is no where near the refinement and quality of past generations in my opionion. With the exception of the Citica D in the 200 platform which was Malaysian also (100 Citica was Japan as was all D platform Curados 100/200/300). The Citica 200 D had right componets but was wrong on tolerances (origin issues) ... I think that Citica was so so but still maybe better than the "G" platform (although G plams better/lighter) Just my experience with the "G" so far.
http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=104220.0 (http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=104220.0)
Quote from: bassmaster3541 on January 03, 2013, 05:54:57 AM
How do you know the G series is so below the e series if you have no experience with either? :-\ I think this was his point. Your assuming.
And I'm assuming you didn't read his entire post, because your bearing argument doesn't mean too much, unless you base how good or bad your new reels are on how fast the paddles will spin
No, I'm not assuming. I'm going on what Shimano's pricing format clearly states. I did read the entire OP, but apparently you missed my point. I never said the Curado G is a bad reel; had you read my post completely through, you would have seen that I said nothing of the sort.
The Curado G is merely a step down from the Curado/Chronarch E, just as the Citica is a step down from the Curado. Does anyone say the Citica is on the same level as the Curado? Who thinks the Revo SX is equal to the Revo STX? How about the Daiwa Zillion being compared with the Advantage? In each of those cases the less expensive reel is perfectly acceptable in its own right, but the more expensive reel is clearly a step above. Same with the Curado G and Curado/Chronarch E.
I'm well aware that a high bearing count doesn't necessarily equate to a better reel. Handle-knob bearings are often used simply to jack the bearing count up, but they are an improvement. The Chronarch E has them, the Curado G does not. Therefore the Chronarch E has an advantage in that category.
The Shimano Chronarch E is the same reel as the Curado E, with a few minor changes. Read this part of the OP:
Quote from: jaynay71 on January 02, 2013, 08:20:10 PM
The reason for the price increase is because of the weak US Dollar vs. the Japanese Yen. The Curado E would have seen a price increase. For that increase we changed the drag material to improve performance to try and offset the additional cost. Hopefully the economy will turn around and we can make some changes.
The Curado E is still being made with a different drag material. I understand the price increase due to the weakness of the US dollar, but instead of just raising the prices they decided to rebadge the reel the Chronarch E.
I've heard it said that they changed the names to get the reels back in their intended price ranges. The Curado has always been intended as the top workhorse in Shimano's stable in the $160 range. The Citica is its lower-cost brother with fewer features but still a solid build. The Chronarch has been Shimano's model that's a step above the Curado but not in Core territory. The name-switcheroo in 2012 was supposedly Shimano's attempt to restore this balance due to exchange rate changes, but what Shimano failed to take into account was what people have become used to with the Curado E series. Here's a quote from the Tackle Tour review of the Curado G:
QuoteThe competition in this segment is more cutthroat than ever before, and we are seeing brands like Abu Garcia, Quantum and Okuma coming out with very aggressive offerings, and the rebirth of brands like Lew's providing anglers with even more choices. Is the Curado G going to continue to be the monster reel that it was in the past? Only time will tell. Why do so many anglers have a problem with this reel? It is not because it is a bad performer but because the previous reels were such good performers that they set the bar so high.
That sums it up. That's why Shimano shouldn't be surprised that there are complaints about the cheaper Curado G. Saying people should "get over it because the Curado E spoiled them" is a fallacious argument; people are not going to judge the Curado G by what
Shimano thinks it should be, but by
what they've experienced with the previous model. Shimano could have avoided such complaints by accepting the legacy the Curado name has become associated with and leaving it as such.
Quote from: Fishwhittler on January 03, 2013, 03:00:44 PM
Shimano could have avoided such complaints by accepting the legacy the Curado name has become associated with and leaving it as such.
~c~
Quote from: JPD0144 on January 03, 2013, 03:23:01 PM
~c~
I would be perfectly willing to spend $200 to purchase New curado E reels if they had simply done that. I seem to remeber that the curado D was pretty close to that price and that they actually dropped the price when they brought out the E reels, Then, a few years later they brought out the E 50 at roughly $200. I know it sold at that price, but maybe it didn't meet expectations and so they decided if they called it a chronarch, people would be more willing to pay $200 for it? You might not belive that, but i have already personally seen it. A guy I talk to at the local tackle shop meeting place just recently told me how much he loved the new chronarchs and was going to get several of them now that they dropped to price to something he could afford. He always wanted a Chronarch but couldn't drop 3 bills on one. Now that they are just 2 bills he is thrilled to get his chronarchs. i asked him what he thought about the green curado E reels and why he never got any of those. His reply was that he tried a friends 2 years ago and wasn't impressed with it. I just laughed. He didn't think it was funny when i explained to him that the new white chronarch is the same reel he just told me that he wasn't impressed with when it was green. So, yes, the marketing ploy of rebranding does in fact work. I mean heck, who wouldn't buy a corvette if they came out with a new one at the price of a camaro? Would it matter if it was just last years camaro with covette emblems?
Quote from: Pro Reel on January 03, 2013, 04:25:46 PM
A guy I talk to at the local tackle shop meeting place just recently told me how much he loved the new chronarchs and was going to get several of them now that they dropped to price to something he could afford. He always wanted a Chronarch but couldn't drop 3 bills on one. Now that they are just 2 bills he is thrilled to get his chronarchs. i asked him what he thought about the green curado E reels and why he never got any of those. His reply was that he tried a friends 2 years ago and wasn't impressed with it. I just laughed. He didn't think it was funny when i explained to him that the new white chronarch is the same reel he just told me that he wasn't impressed with when it was green.
Good one Pro ! Thats one of the better stories Ive heard so far !
Sad to say but makes me worry in 5 years from now what we may be faced with if exchange rates dont improve.
Let me guess ... A Core 100mg7 for $149.99 made in Malaysia ? ~roflmao
Hate to think like this being that i bleed Shimano... but the way its going the Daiwa Zillion line on up are looking better and better.
... And to think I use to think "Daiwa" was a bad word ... ~shhh
At least at Icast this past year Daiwa stepped up to the plate and stuck to quality instead of watering things down ... Comon Shimano ... :'(
For those that are recent Shimano convert and think the G is great............ Here is some Recent history................ The Curado D's sucked and the Citica outsold them........... When the E's came out Shimano made sure they were one of the best reels on the market.......... They were.......... Then Shimano tried to play a shell game........... Most of the Lifelong Shimano users saw where it was going from the day they were unveiled at Icast.
I personally think that the new Bearings that shimano is using are not Japanese but Either Mylasian or chinese. They are not as smooth a bearing as Shimano used to use.
The more Shimano plays these games the more I think about switching to all Okuma............ Which performance wise are beating Shimano hands down right now.
Quote from: -Shawn- on January 03, 2013, 06:44:09 PM
The more Shimano plays these games the more I think about switching to all Okuma............ Which performance wise are beating Shimano hands down right now.
Come on over Shawn I made the jump and haven't looked back
Quote from: LgMouthGambler on January 03, 2013, 11:59:20 AM
Your welcome, lol
Should have known you would be lurking out there somewhere.....lol
All seriousness aside, C'mon LMG, we'll straighten them out somehow.
Ya know, years ago, before forums, before the internet, you read the catalogs, made your
choices, went fishing and enjoyed yourself. You had no one telling you, your equipment was
bad, your reel was no good, now it's all discontent, griping and criticism. What the heck happened?
What if my buddy prefers a different setup than me, "SO FREAKIN WHAT". Why is it that some people can't be happy unless they pee on someones else's cereal.
There, I said it. Now I feel much better!! :-\
Hootie
There is always going to be a debate about whether or not the curado e series is any different or better than the curado g series. Everyone is going to feel differently about it. If you're like me though, you sold your curado g not too long after you purchased it. It's nothing like my curado e, they're completely different reels and handle completely different. I love my curado e and chronarch e, but the g series SUCKS. After saying that, go buy yourself a Lew's reel and don't look back. You won't find a better performing reel with better customer service.
I would take a Chronarch E over any Lews reel, but wouldnt say Lews SUCKS. But hey, not everyone can be pleased by every company out there.
Quote from: centerfieldr162 on January 04, 2013, 02:16:53 PM
There is always going to be a debate about whether or not the curado e series is any different or better than the curado g series. Everyone is going to feel differently about it. If you're like me though, you sold your curado g not too long after you purchased it. It's nothing like my curado e, they're completely different reels and handle completely different. I love my curado e and chronarch e, but the g series SUCKS. After saying that, go buy yourself a Lew's reel and don't look back. You won't find a better performing reel with better customer service.
Awesome.
Quote from: LgMouthGambler on January 04, 2013, 08:39:08 PM
I would take a Chronarch E over any Lews reel, but wouldnt say Lews SUCKS. But hey, not everyone can be pleased by every company out there.
You know how it is on the internet........... lo
It isn't the first time Shimano has done this and it won't be the last...... But they outlived Lew's before and since Lews is built in the same Factory as most of Johnny Morrris's stuff I don't see them pushing Shimano out the door any time soon. ;)
Quote from: LgMouthGambler on January 03, 2013, 12:38:30 PM
I don't own one, but I have used one. Do I think they are still a great reel, yes. Do I think they are a slight step down from the Curado E? Only due to not having knob bearings, and that does nothing for me to think negatively of the reel. The problem is the Curado E spoiled everyone. The G is built the way the Curado should be. I'm mean, come on, cry about knob bearings? What about the Core? The point is, people cried about the Ds, they cried about the Es, you can't please everyone. QC is still top notch, and I would put the G against any reel in its respected price point. I have a full arsenol of the E series from Citica to Chronarch, 200s and 50s, and a Citica G. I like the feel of the E series better in my hand, especially the 50s. Since I will be adding one more to my arsenal, its gonna be another Chronarch50E, since they don't have a 50 series in the G as an option. Also, if your so concerned about knob bearings, and I bet its all the Abu/Lews people(hehe), just get a HawgHandle and have a carbonfiber handle with 4 bearings. Have your opinions and fish what you want, I know what brand has always been good to me ever since I started with a CU-200.
Spoiled everyone? I've seen you write this several times on different forums and I think you're missing the point to the average consumer who isn't a diehard Shimano fanboy, such as yourself.
I understand companies having to reach certain price points and change manufacturing locations, but most "new generations" of reels that come out each year are of an upgraded design, not a downgraded one. When Shimano comes out with a Curado H next year that is this year's Citica for the same price, does that mean we were "spoiled" with the G series.
I think it is a shady business practice or "ploy", as ProReel mentioned, for the average bass fisherman who doesn't read fishing forums everyday, or subscribe to Shimano's yearly "downgraded press release" subscription.
Just this guys $.02, and to be fair, I have a Curado 50e and 200e, but I will not purchase any further Shimano products. I have been more than satisfied with the performance of my PQs that I've had for over 4 years with nothing more than yearly oil/lube and cleaning done on them.
I read these threads and have to laugh at all the comments. Especially the ones about quality. Most come from a person that "used" one or heard or read. What's important in a reel is still in the G model, they took out paddle bearing and it brought the price down, IMO consumer wins. I have several and fish 4 days a week and I get the same performance out of a G as I do the E.
To each there own, that's why we have choices
Quote from: Mike Cork on January 06, 2013, 10:54:55 AM
I read these threads and have to laugh at all the comments. Especially the ones about quality. Most come from a person that "used" one or heard or read. What's important in a reel is still in the G model, they took out paddle bearing and it brought the price down, IMO consumer wins. I have several and fish 4 days a week and I get the same performance out of a G as I do the E.
To each there own, that's why we have choices
I'm a Shimano guy...their products just have not let me down. Ever. So it's hard to think about 'wandering off the reservation' and trying other reels/manufacturer products. Especially when I am 'one of those' guys who want the same reel...not a hodge-podge across my rod selections (also the same manufacturer)...
that said, the Okuma I had an opportunity to use was phenomenal. Better than my shimano? not so sure. Not as good as my Shimano? nope... it did have some features that my Curados don't...but one thing's for sure: I expect what ever reel I have to give me 10-15 years or more service with very little more than routine maintenance.
okuma, abu, pflueger, etc...some outstanding reels available to everyone...regardless of 'who you go with'.
I've made my choice and am very comfortable, confident in that choice. Would expect nothing less from folks who've chosen differently.
Like I said I have owned Shimanos since I bought my first B100 back in the early 80's so I have been fairly loyal.... But I don't have an issue calling shimano out when they screw up.. They have with the G. I had my hands on one BEFORE I-cast and after playing with it a short time, I could tell a difference from the E..
After all the fussing on the site I went and bought one just to make sure I didn't jump the gun... The handle bearings aren't the deal.. The parts are not the same quality that they were, the QC isn't the same and the performance isn't the same on the Citicas and Curados.
So, it wasn't speculation on my part. I can not in good conscience, tell someone that they are still the same Quality as an E when I know they are not.
Shawn this is my point exactly, your basing Quality Control on one reel? To get a true measure of QC you have to look deeper.
I'm not getting drug into this again. I love them, you hate them, I'm cool with that ~c~ ~c~
Bassh8er, one would not understand when not fishing a company who has not been on top of their game. Shimano always sets the bar for others, but unfortunately, when they have got as high as they can get on the price point and performance, you cant go any higher without price increase. Could they have just racked the price to $200, sure, but thats not what a Curado is. Would you pay $200 for a Revo S, prob not. Like I said, you cant just keep going up and up all the time, the Revo is just in its 3rd gen, some times you have to give a little.
Mike, The QC is a known deal mylasia vs Japan.. That is why the Curado has always stayed in Japan up untill now.
The Malaysian bearings are not hard to tell the difference from Japanese bearings.. I have both sitting in here on the desk.. There is a huge difference. I replaced them both with Boca lightening .
I can care less who likes them or who doesn't. But when the shimano team guys say the are a big step back.. I think that maybe it is not my imagination
I may buy a G on a deal for 80nib, hopefully they have lh. Ill buy an e later on and compare.
The G is a POS, Shimano is playing games........For $159.00 I could have bought two more Lew's SS1S or SS1H, and been 10X happier. My G series took a nasty dump after 5 trips, so it got returned for some Quantum's. Now, Shimano of Japan is a totally different ball game. They actually make the good stuff.....
Shamano should have left the darn reel alone.
Sorry you had trouble Baybass, I've got 4 as old as the model is and not the first problem. I'd actually pit them against any reel under $200. But I've got fantastic luck when I buy products ~c~
Quote from: Mike Cork on January 24, 2013, 05:06:31 PM
Sorry you had trouble Baybass, I've got 4 as old as the model is and not the first problem. I'd actually pit them against any reel under $200. But I've got fantastic luck when I buy products ~c~
Whoa whoa whoa Mike! The Chronarch is under 200 and it is pretty damn nice! I like my two Team Lew's better, but that is another price range altogether.
Fished the Chronarch- Love it. Have played with the Lews TP and Revo STX. I think it is a toss up among the three. I want to play with a Helios and a Smoke to see how they compare. Tackletour gave the smoke the highest rating out of all of them. Yet I reserve judgement!
Quote from: Down4ttown on January 25, 2013, 10:57:55 AM
Whoa whoa whoa Mike! The Chronarch is under 200 and it is pretty damn nice! I like my two Team Lew's better, but that is another price range altogether.
You are correct sir, I should of said any other brands reel under 200.
There are a lot of great reels out there, Lews has done wonders as of late, Okuma has knocked a couple out of the park, and the Revo has always been a good reel.
Everyone jumped on this band wagon of the Curado is crap and IMO they are just as good as any of the old curados or the current competition in the same price range. I hold my ground.
I never said they were crap. I said they were a step down in quality and not as nice as the E... They aren't... They are on par with the Citica E, but the platform is not as solid..
As far as dollar for dollar... A 200.00 okuma will outperform it in every way out of the box.. But then again.. They way outperformed the E too..
My E5's can now cast as far as the cayenne on the same rods, but only after I upgraded the E's to boca OS bearings.
My whole complaint was and is.. Do not go backwards!!! The G is a step back.. Then painting the curado E white and calling it a chronarch and thinking no one would notice is like shimano saying "hey, they are all stupid, they will never notice.. "
That is why shimano lost market share and why you can buy a new G cheaper than a used E right now on EBay..
1 word for all of you diawa yeah 20 years ago my dad would have smacked the taste out of my mouth for saying that word but we aint listening to a mitchell 300 clicking now they got the best reels for the money imo you cantbeat their reels in any price range
hell i may just go get me a zebco 33 and a cherrywood rod
Not going to lie. The Helios is calling my name. Good reviews and is as light as it gets. The only lighter reels come with a much higher price tag.
I think the new Chronarch is much better than the curado E,I have them both right now brand new the chronarch is much more refined,no slop, tight reel.I would not trade my chronarch for a curado e no way no how
I do love the chronarch.
Quote from: BB on January 26, 2013, 05:44:37 PM
I think the new Chronarch is much better than the curado E,I have them both right now brand new the chronarch is much more refined,no slop, tight reel.I would not trade my chronarch for a curado e no way no how
BB, It's the same exact reel, just painted white and black instead of green. The reel that is now called the Chronarch is made with the same tooling on the same line and all the same parts as the Curado E was. The exception is that they used slightly different handle knobs and changed one drag washer to carbon fiber instead of dartainium. They are also now offering it in an E6 version which is something they should have done all along. If you have a like New Curado E thats not as refined or has more slop than your new Chronarch, then you somehow got a bad reel that should not have made it through the inspection process.
I personally prefer the Curado E over the Chronarch E because i think the white and black is bland looking. I wish they would have went with a more pearl looking color similar to the Chronarch B and used brushed aluminum accents instead of black. I prefer the deep Green of the Curado E over this bland looking white and black, but they are still basically the same reel.
You maybe right that I got a bad one,I broke both of the reels down cleaned all the excess grease out flushed the bearings,relubed it lightly and with the chronarch it's like silk,the curado is good but there's some slack in the reel hard to explain not bad but not like the chronarch
That would probably be that the Curado E is older and has more wear.
Like pro reel said they are identical mechanically
I have the e series and g series. I love them both... not much difference... just one less bearing.
I love my E series, I went out and bought another right before they decided to make the change, and I honestly have not tried the G series, I was waiting for everyon'es blood to boil about it good or bad before I did. Still, it is Shimano, they are not going to make a crummy product in that range and up. I would not think so, at least. I do have other reels from various manufacturers, and they are all the same with regards to the quality vs price line. Once you get into reels that are from $140 and up price range, you get better stuff. Try it with 99% of the products out there, you will cast them and just feel violated with some of the entry level reels. Then, with the more expensive reels, you get what you pay for. I stand by Shimano, even if I haven't thrown a G series yet. Hell, even if you bust it, send it back for a refund. Too easy.
Well I guess my Curado just wasn't broken in because now I can't tell any difference between the chronarch e or curado e.But I ain't crazy it was a little rough at first.On a side note I have been testing a citica G for just over a year now and I mean harshly.Throwing spinnerbaits in the salt for 30" plus redfish using and abusing it and it's held up very well,so if the Curado G is better than that well,it's a fine reel as much as I hate to say it
I know this is an old thread, but wanted to chime in as well. LMG got me thinking about buying a Shimano reel for awhile. I got a good deal on a NIB Curado G7. Until I picked it up, I knew nothing about shimano reels. I have been die hard Abu for years.
I never got to use an E series reel so I had nothing to compare it too. I fished it hard for 4 days. On the 5th day, I bought another G7 :'( I was that impressed. I love my Revo S to death but nothing I had, at the time, compared to how smooth this G7 was. Don't get me started on the distance. 1/4 oz tube and weight was launched further than I have ever launched a tube before.
I had, in two weeks time, two different Gen 2 Revo STX's go tits up on me. I traded one in for a NIB Chronarch and the other for another Revo S and some gear. I'm seriously wanting a Revo Winch, but after using my Chronarch now for a week, I will honestly say, I may never buy another reel in my life than the Chronarch.
My experiences with it are amazing. I kinda feel spoiled using it. I can tell a difference in it over the Curado G, but not much. It's lower in profile and feels a tad more solid. Same gear set up, I can get 15-20 feet more out of the Chronarch.
LMG is on my hit list lol ~rant
Quote from: Rockchak06 on March 04, 2013, 04:12:50 AM
I know this is an old thread, but wanted to chime in as well. LMG got me thinking about buying a Shimano reel for awhile. I got a good deal on a NIB Curado G7. Until I picked it up, I knew nothing about shimano reels. I have been die hard Abu for years.
I never got to use an E series reel so I had nothing to compare it too. I fished it hard for 4 days. On the 5th day, I bought another G7 :'( I was that impressed. I love my Revo S to death but nothing I had, at the time, compared to how smooth this G7 was. Don't get me started on the distance. 1/4 oz tube and weight was launched further than I have ever launched a tube before.
I had, in two weeks time, two different Gen 2 Revo STX's go tits up on me. I traded one in for a NIB Chronarch and the other for another Revo S and some gear. I'm seriously wanting a Revo Winch, but after using my Chronarch now for a week, I will honestly say, I may never buy another reel in my life than the Chronarch.
My experiences with it are amazing. I kinda feel spoiled using it. I can tell a difference in it over the Curado G, but not much. It's lower in profile and feels a tad more solid. Same gear set up, I can get 15-20 feet more out of the Chronarch.
LMG is on my hit list lol ~rant
Hey Rockchalk, another bassresource guy jumping ship? LMG is quite a preacher isn't he. I've been on this site for quite a while. Didn't visit it much because of lack of activity, but now that we are getting some talkers over here, gonna have to hang around here more.
Hootie
Quote from: hootiebenji on March 04, 2013, 05:15:55 AM
Hey Rockchalk, another bassresource guy jumping ship? LMG is quite a preacher isn't he. I've been on this site for quite a while. Didn't visit it much because of lack of activity, but now that we are getting some talkers over here, gonna have to hang around here more.
Hootie
Hey yo!
Not jumping ship yet lol just wanted another place to play. Ya he's a preacher and a tad on the bat shit crazy side, but he made some good points on them that I used to make my decision.
If I could just find a used premo 200 e7 Curado, I'd be happy!
Hey RC, I have said mint used CuradoE7, but it will cost you a Chronarch, lol.
I need to let the bank roll cool down first lol. Get me my rods sold, ill buy you a brand new........
Quote from: Rockchak06 on March 04, 2013, 07:29:08 AM
I need to let the bank roll cool down first lol. Get me my rods sold, ill buy you a brand new........
.............., lol. Your such a tease.
Quote from: hootiebenji on March 04, 2013, 05:15:55 AM
Hey Rockchalk, another bassresource guy jumping ship? LMG is quite a preacher isn't he. I've been on this site for quite a while. Didn't visit it much because of lack of activity, but now that we are getting some talkers over here, gonna have to hang around here more.
Hootie
^this guy!^ ~c~
Quote from: LgMouthGambler on March 04, 2013, 07:51:46 AM
.............., lol. Your such a tease.
I almost said yes ~b~