I choose the Abu 6600C4

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by numbskull

You guys talking about these reels (see picture)
I don't know how the morrum or C4 is built, but I went through a bunch of these "Promax 6600" abu's when they first came out, and they were crap.

The rivet holding the reel foot to the frame projected enough to catch thin braid (#20) and snap it during casts (happened on 3 different reels to me).

The sizes below the 6600w had a levelwind that disengaged during the cast. OK for little freshwater stuff, but death in saltwater when fishing a heavy drag. Once the fish ran past the distance of your cast the line came off at random angles and jerked/snapped.
Eventually the cheap plastic levelwind gear (you can see a replacement black one in the picture) would strip.

The frames were not "machined from a solid block", rather a powder casting...so are the calcuttas.

The thumbbar mechanism was useless from the beach and would jam all the time, not just with sand, but also small weed and salt.

These were the first "expensive" reels I bought. Eventually I switched to Calcutta's and never looked back. Probably Abu improved upon the original design, but the first issue promax 6600's were DOGS.

If I am looking at the correctly that was one that MikeCC got a 2nd reel to repair the first one with when he ordered one

[Saltheart]

I have had 3 different 6600 style reels from Abu. A Blue C4 , a Morum and a green one I forget the model number. None of them have any of the problems you mentioned so I guess they must have changed things since that original model.

The Morum is machined from a solid block , at least that's what they advertise. i have seberal Calcuttas and assumed they also were. I'm disappointed to find out they are not but they perform well for me so I guess it doesn't matter much.

Yeah , disengaging the levelwind may help casting but it does svrew the reel up badly as anyone who ever had a levelwind disengage because the pall got worn. I never had one that did it on purpose but its a bad idea.