ABU 5000C, misc

I have a nice decal of Ambassadeur 5000C. Judging from the parts of the picture, the reel painted on this decal must be one made in 1972 or in an earlier year.I also have a beautiful relief (display board) of 5000C. It is mint and has not even been pulled out from the plastic bag. The reel on it may be one of 1974 or later models (The logo design of Ambassadeur is the same as that of one of the reels).

ABU 5000C, 1977 model

The 1977 models look very similar to 1976 models.

ABU 5000C, 1976 model

In 1976, the spool cap was simplified. The bottom skirt of it was removed, and a dial indicator is made on the surface to adjust the brake correctly.The level winder was also changed. Some dash lines were engraved on the front surface.
Mine is #761104, as you can see.

ABU 5000C, 1975 model

I found no differences between 1974 and 1975 models. My #750603 looks the same as one of the 1974 model.

ABU 5000C, 1974 model

The engraved logos on the left side were changed in the early 1974. The positions of Ambassadeur and ABU logos were replaced with each other, and the font of Ambassadeur was also changed.
The front surface of the level winder looks flatly cut, while older ones have a semi-spherical one.

ABU 5000C, 1973 models

In 1973, some major changes were made. Fine lattice (checkered) pattern was engraved on the top of the skirted spool caps on both sides. At the same time, the number 4 on the dial plate of the mechanical brake system on the left side returned to the same as earlier ones, in which the vertical bar of number '4' is long and the top part of '4' is closed.
The nuts on the right plate were also changed from those hand-screwed to those that need a screw driver.
The rims were also changed from so called 'grooved rim' to 'beveled rim' in 1973. Later ones such as #730902 (below) have the latter, simple 'beveled' rims.
Almost at the same time when the rims were changed, the drag wheel was also changed to one with square ends, but not simultaneously. I sometimes find one with beveled rims and a star drag with round ends.

ABU 5000C, 1972 models

Around 1972, the logo on the left side was changed to a simper one, just marked ABU (with out SVANGSTA). This is a scan of one with a foot number of 057200. The foot bottom is smooth like older ones.Then, the foot bottom started to get dotted (the serial number of this reel is 087200).

This is another 1972 reel with a dotted foot. An angular large drag wheel also started in 1972, but you can find some reels with the older small round drag wheel. I guess the leather reel case was also changed from the buckled brown one to the black double-buttoned one in 1972.
Edit (15 Nov, 2013):
I'm working to clarify when the angular large drag wheels were started to use for Ambassadeur reels. The wheel and handle (w/ retainer) of the third reel may have been changed by the previous owner.

ABU 5000C, 6-digit numbers

I have many 5000Cs with a 6-digit number on the foot. As far as what I have in my collection, the logo of 'ABU SVANGSTA (the former A has an umlaut mark, to be exact)' is engraved on the left side. The later ones may have a beveled-head handle nut marked 'Oil', which is different from earlier ones with a round head. These models were supposed to be made until 1971 or 1972.

ABU 5000C, 96XXX

A very minor change was made in this reel. Please carefully take a look at the number 4 on the dial plate of the mechanical brake system on the left side. In this reel (#96XXX), the vertical bar of number '4' is so short that the top part is open.

Older ones, however, has a number 4 with a closed top (this is a scan of #54XXX). I'm not sure when they changed it, but it is a key to see how old your reel is.

ABU 5000C, 43XXX and 54XXX

I find no differences in these reels compared with those with foot numbers of 3XXXXs. The inner plate is smooth without dots. I also have one of the latest 5-digit numbered ones (96XXX), and it apparently comes with the same parts. I guess no major changes were made among 5-digit ones after around #35000.

ABU 5000C, 3XXXXs

One is with a foot number of 31XXX and the other is with 35XXX. Some parts are different between these reels.
31XXX: 4 pillar screws on the left plate, dotted inner plate, Oil-Oil marked handle nut.
35XXX: 3 pillar screws on the left plate, smooth inner plate, Oil marked handle nut.
The spool is all black with a thin core in both reels.

ABU 5000C, 26XXX

I got this mint reel at a charity auction in Germany, and the specification is that of the European market. The drag wheel is a larger one in black color and the handle is with a single knob. It has the 4 pillar screws on the left side plate, Oil-Oil marked handle nut, and dotted inner plate, but the emblem changed to a bright silver one. The center core of the spool is fat silver.

ABU 5000C, 12XXX

The foot number of this reel is 12XXX, which has the 4 pillar screws on the left side plate, Oil-Oil marked handle nut, black (oxidized silver) emblem, and dotted inner plate. The thin center core of the spool is silver. I got this reel from a collector in the US, and it has a small drag wheel (skirted star drag) for US market. I have two more reels with foot numbers of 18XXX and 19XXX, and the emblems of these are bright silver (not oxidized).

ABU 5000C, 106XX

I collect black ABU Ambassadeur 5000C reels, and would like to keep a record of their differences with foot number and/or production age. This is one of the earliest 5000Cs I have in my collection, and its foot number is 106XX, which has 4 pillar screws on the left side plate, Oil-Oil marked handle nut, black (oxidized silver) emblem, and dotted inner plate. The center core (arbor) of the spool is silver. This reels was presumably made in 1967.

Still active?

Today, I took a day off to do a lot of domestic cares during the daytime, and before them, I could spare time just early in the morning for fishing. I spent short-time in small ponds near our place to enjoy bass fishing. It's already mid fall, but we have recently had relatively warm days here. Leaves of trees around the ponds were still green, and the water was also warm. I got several bites, maybe by very small bass, and caught a very small baby bass and a large bluegill. Just before running out of time, a nice bass grabbed onto my Zara Spook (NBL color). It was very luck for me to be able to catch this good fighting bass before the fishing season ends.

Today's tackle:
ABU Record, Phillipson Master M60, Stren 14lb (Clear Blue), Heddon Chugger Spook, Zara Spook (NLT), Lucky 13, Magnum Tiger, etc.

Saltwater fishing, 2-straight days

Again, I went fishing in the Seto Inland Sea this afternoon. This time, we used artificial baits (jigs) and our target was yellowtail, Japanese Spanish mackerel, and largehead hairtail. I caught 14-15 of largehead hairtail, but could not catch other species. After the dusk, we also fished squids, and I caught a big oval squid. This squid is very delicious and one of my wife's favorite seafood. During fishing time in evening, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was fantastically illuminated.

Saltwater fishing

I went fishing in the Sea of Japan today. It was not fishing using lures but frozen bait (shrimp). The current around the sea floor was different from the direction of wind, so we had difficulties to fish from a boat. Fortunately, I could catch several fish species, which are very good to eat, such as tilefish, yellowback seabream, black scraper, whitefin trevally, mahimahi, and so on.

Training our dog

He is getting more and more trained, especially when he finds treats in our hand. Now, he can sit down, lie down, hand, stay, heel, come, go where a mat is placed, go around, jump, weave, etc.