Reel news

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We recently had a chance to do something very cool. We were invited to tour Zee Bass facility in Stratford , Connecticut and see how their reels are made. There are a lot of changes going on at Zee Bass under a watchful eye of Ron DiCostazo. Many of you will be happy to hear that there are no changes coming with regards to reel design. The changes I am talking about have to do with quality control, in house manufacturing and making sure that no reel leaves a factory, new or serviced, in nothing less than perfect working order.

They recently brought most of their production back to the USA. If you seen the manufacturing capabilities they have to make anything they might need, it would blow your mind. I have never seen more machinery in one place in my life! Granted, most of this equipment is there to create cutting edge metal work for airspace and medical use. In fact, the products that they make will be included in the new Mars Rover! The point is, if they need to make something that they need, they can. From what we were told and shown, most of the reel is manufactured by the suppliers in USA. There are no two pieces that come preassembled to Connecticut. They painstakingly build your reel one piece at the time in the factory in Stratford.

We were very impressed with the fact that every reel is pressure tested before it leaves the factory. As a person with two left feet and all thumbs, I was a bit taken aback with just how easy is to service these reels. In less than 15 minutes Ron striped the whole reel apart, lubed in and put it back together. We did a little video just to show you the process.

Ron also told us that they are working on the new self-service kit that will be very affordable and will include all the things you need to self service your reel.

I don’t get impressed that easy but this trip was a real eye opener. So much so that another fellow who came with us on the trip called me a day latter and said, “I am buying this reel”.  And yes, as you’ve seen it by yesterday post of Gary Soldati monster bass, they make a lefty reels now too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLVoS3EmGa8[/youtube]

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