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Let me address a couple of questions in the threads since my last post.
The Abu drags do suck. However, you can improve them. The Penn washers that fit a 965 are an exact fit for the 6500 size reels (I used to use 704 washers but they were a little smaller and got chewed up around the edges over a season). Also, SmoothDrag washers are also available for all Abu reels.
The Calcutta drag is now awesome. The original drags were great as long as they stayed dry. Around 1999 or so, Shimano replaced the old drag with a material they call Dartanium and offered free upgrades at the shows over the winter. It stays smooth now, no matter what. You will never get the same distance out of a Calcutta than you will from a tricked-out Abu, but it's a smoother caster and feels more solid. Abu 6500 frames can flex under stress, too. The one piece frame on the Calcutta will not.
The difference between the old BG series reels and the rest of the Abus is that the original, made in Sweden BGs had brass plates and a heavier frame. The new champagne colored 7000 series BG reels, besides being made in Taiwan, have aluminum plates like the rest of the Abu line. I fully expect the re-introduced 6500 BG reels to be the same, Taiwanese made with aluminum plates.
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