Bill Ballan reel

[salmo-trutta]

I just picked up a "used" Bill Ballan Heirloom reel for 3/4 wt. This reel is an absolute POS. It shows wear, scratches from what looks like someone tried to open the reel to work on it. But besides that, the original workmanship on the reel is deplorable. The screws going through the reel ar not even flush on the other side. This reel actually looks like it was made in China.

I'm going to see if the guy will take it back. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up because the same seller has a bunch of them. It may be Bill Ballan, I can't tell. And Bill Ballan has disappeared as well.

 

[salvelinus]

A genuine Ballan reel is a high quality collectible. You said it, what you have is a Chinese knockoff. Ebay?

 

[moon1284]

I've never seen a ballan reel in person, but they have mixed reviews. Especially the newer ones. I also don't think Ballan reels are valuable enough for the Chinese to knock them off.

 

[salmo-trutta]

The return address on the package the seller was Bill Ballan, shipped from Florida. He is the one selling the reels on ebay. I said it looked like it was made in China? The workmanship on this reel is pathetic. He may have made some nice reels in the past, but he is selling some pretty poor quality stuff today.

 

[salvelinus]

Apparently the quality has gone down since his move to Florida. I found a couple threads on the bamboo forum about them, and they are from 2007. Not much good to say about them. I'd try to return it. Good luck.

link 1

link 2

 

[lestrout]

Depending on which craftsman exactly was making the specific reel, Bill Ballans have been highly variable in quality. I would only buy one once I had a chance to handle and examine it. Some of the ones I passed on were very loose and had a lot of play. It would be an insult to China to say those particular ones were made there.

BTW, when it comes to factory made reels, some of the best CNC and hi-tech machinery is in certain factories in Korea and China. I hate to say it, since I'm such a vintage gear geek, and Anglophilic at that, but some of the new Asian made Hardys beat many of my last century handmades from the UK. Think whether you would want your daughter to be driving a Triumph/MG/Austin Healey/Jaguar (from the 50s-80s) vs. a Toyota. (yah, yah - I know I shouldn't confuse China with Japan)

 

[gfen]

lestrout wrote:Think whether you would want your daughter to be driving a Triumph/MG/Austin Healey/Jaguar (from the 50s-80s) vs. a Toyota.

She'd never leave the house in a Lucas electrics equipped car. I'd choose the British motoring experience for her.

 

[Rolf]

Lucas..... "Prince of Darkness".