Curious about these reels.
Any of the local MA/RI shops carry em?

How's the drag?
I've noticed a few people using them for eeling.
They work well with braid?

I recently got a left handed SX. I used to fish Abu 6500, and 7000s exclusively over the penns and Shimanos. This thing is awesome! The drag is silky smooth. Getting used to a lever drag inshore takes some getting used to, but I really like it. The machined pieces, rather than a cast spool and frame make for very tight tolerances. The spool will spin quite a while if you just spin it with your thum in freespool.

I fish from a boat. These things would probably need mags if you were casting them.

I have one and I echo what slapshot said. It has a great drag and it will spin almost forever. I do not have enough skill to cast it from the beach without mags though. It is strickly a boat reel for me.

I have one and like it. But I use it for fluke fishing. Have 30 or 50# braid on it and it is rugged. The drag is powerful and smooth. I like the lever action. You can pre-set it just the way you like for strike and apply the max as needed without fear of breaking anything. The handle is strong and solid. It is a small reel but packs a lot of power in it. There is very little play or slop in this reel. It casts well has excellent bearings but as I said I don't use it for surf casting only bottom fishing. The only thing I don't like that much about it is the feel of the handle. It works fine it is just not as ergonomic as the shimano's. I prefer a handle with a slight bend in it or a more comfortable grip...it feels like a big game reel (a la penn 50W) only tiny. But I still like it. On other minor thing is don't overload it with braid. There is no level wind so it you don't lay it on the spool right it could give you some casting problems or rub against the frame.

Over all I like it a lot, not a prefect reel but very rugged for the $.

Sandy,
I think there is another handle availbable for it that might fix your "problem."
I just bought an SX and an MX for my daughter-in-law. G&B fishing systems, which is the east coast dustributor for them, has a website.

MM, thanks. Checked out the site...didn't see anything but shot them off an email. If they had a different handle that would make it really sweet.

I've handled them, but have not fished them.

My first impression is that they are awkwardly proportioned for beach casting, but that they would make a schweet boat reel.

And they'd hold about a billion miles of 50# braid. :hihi:

Have an SX and like it a lot. So far, it's mainly been used for boat fishing although I did mag it for when I get a conv. surfcasting rod. Really like the lever drag for the same reasons that everyone else has mentioned. Brought a 30# in on it last weekend and was really able to put some cranking power in on that fish.

The only thing I don't like about it, and it may be different when on a surf rod (because of how you hold it), is that the reel sits kind of high which makes for uncomfortable fishing for your hand. Again, I'm guessing that it may not make a difference with a longer rod but don't know for sure.

On top of everything else, it's a sharp looking reel!