Ambassadeur Reels
Sneek peek of some of my Ambassadeur reels.
(experimenting with new ring flash, causing interesting vignetting
peepshow here)
IGFA World Records on ABU
I have a
collection of Ambassadeurs (150
only) at present, but like my friends, l am trying to
collect more obscure models, whilst
all the time enjoying learning something new from new aquaintances
each day.
My 2010 patch design for ORCA and
ABU's 60's design
I receive
lots of questions regarding dating of ABU reels.
It is a complex
subject and I hope to help here.
Initially
packaging (see brown cardboard box below) was of little importance for what were arguably the finest baitcasting reels in the world.
Reading and Learning about Ambassadeur beyond these pages
and
The Official Tight Lines 'Ambassadeur' Story
I strongly suggest that the 4
books listed in my
links
page about Len Borgstom, Simon Shimomura and Daniel Skupien
and more are absolutely
essential to the study and appreciation of these fine reels. They
are very definitely the Universe when it comes to matters ABU.
Unlike a Penthouse which we all know are mainly bought for the
literary articles, buy these (don't loan from a library or photocopy
a friends) as coffee table books at least! I have even found my wife
having a sneek peek and even commenting on the beautiful reels.
THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF THE Record Ambassadeur 5000
by
Swedish friend Mikael
Risberg
and
more observations by
Espen Olav Sjaastad from
Norway
A combination of many factors,
including the economic boom after the end of WW2, the high quality
and innovative design and construction techniques, along with the
growth of the Sportfishing movement,
saw the booming sales of the Ambassadeur series around the world but
undoubtedly the USA popularity assured its place in history.
Like a Ferrari, to many, the
colour of an Ambassadeur
should always be red. It was predominantly found sporting
this hue, but black, green and even annodized gold was produced for
this first model. For many it will always be the ultimate
reel. Part 1, 2 For
me the 7000 fits this bill. See cut-away
view
Where does one start to discuss variations in the Ambassadeur reels?
Sidepate colours/engraving/foil label stickers? Handles? Nuts and
bolts? Models, capacities of spools? 4screw V 3screw? Bearing Caps,
Plain/Agate? Prototypes/Packaging/Cases? Accessories? Gear Ratios?
Commemoratives Delux CDL's? Export models? and so on.........
A few of my many varieties are here
Tight Lines close up views of parts of the Best
Reel (Ambassadeur) in
the World:
Part1, Part
2, Part
3, Part
4
Parts ordering numbers view
1, view2
Wide-spool Record Ambassadeur 6000
Record
Ambassadeur 6000 (rarer than the red Record 5000)
Thanks to Jon Steinsnes of Norway
Another friend Duncan Francey
has supplied these images of these rare Ambassadeur 6000 instruction
sheets.
Record Ambassadeur 5000/6000 Spare Parts Lid and Partially populated
box.
Schematic of Parts and numbers
Partially populated box of parts.
The Designer : AkeMurvall
It is without doubt, Ake's fine engineering design for the
Ambassadeur, that really put ABU on the world map, both initiating
and consolidating its
world-beating line-up fishing equipment in the USA.
Worthy of note are some Garcia Fishing Annual catalog pages.
1965
First marketed just with case, service-tool and spare-parts vial,
the Ambassadeur 5000 became a kit including a spare spool as well
1963
The Delux gold plated version was released in a teak case.
Mine first version from 1963 is here.
it is complete with booklet, spare spool, tool spares and oil,
authenication certificate, drawsting cloth bag and 24 kt gold
Ambassaeur pin
Not my rarest reel but still the prettiest!
More specific 1969 advertizing illustrates the ground-breaking
features of smooth chrome anti-corrosive manufacturing, fine
tolerances between surfaces, centrifugal braking systems, multi-disk
star drag, precision matched gears lapped to perfect smoothness,
evolution from bushes to ball bearings etc
By 1975, we see a much greater emphasis on the wider range of
Ambassadeur models taking the reel to more demanding use for bigger
salt water fish.
5000, 5000A, 5000B, 6000 and bigger
Direct drive model
The bigger salt water models 7000, 8600 (8500 in Europe), 9000 and
10 000 sizes
Ball bearing models
High retrieve speed models
ABU Ambassadeur Casting
Advice from the 50's and 70's
Major
Ambassadeur models included in my
fishing armoury and collection
I also have collected various examples of 1500, 2500,
3500 ,4500, 5500, 6500 ,
6000
7000 7800
8000
8500,
9000
and
10000 .
I have most of the Morrum series
from deminuitive 1600 3600 5600 6600 7700
Other little beauties are the
tiny Red Record-like
1750, 1750A, 2000, 2050, 2500, 2600, 2650
featured here
Of course there are the later myriad of
tear drop shaped reels , and the other modern low profile reels like Revo's
below !
The
Classic 70's Ambassadeur Range
Who would
not love to have some beautiful mint treasures like these kind
shared by Gerald Garrett from Texas?
Ambassadeur 10 000 C
and 7000 mint (original packaging from early 70's)
The
world of casting reels or multipliers as we know them in
Australia, changed forever after 1952, with the creation of
the Ambassadeur.
To my
mind, based upon fishing experience, any of the classic
Ambassadeur family of reels is all one needs to be a totally
satisfied fisherman. A perfect reel that maintained and used
correctly teach us a lot about ourselves, as I remarked to
Len Borgstom.
|
They make us recognize our own failures (in technique,
maintenance regimes or choice of balanced tackle) and
therefore we grow when we learn to accept our shortcomings
and adapt to change.
My world of fishing has improved and changed considerably
because of ABU and it's Ambassadeurs.
ABU Ambassadeur 5000 4 Screw
circa late 50's
|
Thankyou
Len, Gote, Carl and all the past designers and team in
Svangsta SWEDEN in general.
|
|
Whilst
not technically badged as an original Ambassadeur, I will
always see the Morrum family of reels as merely an
extension of the old bloodlines. Long may they be crafted in
Sweden. So important as an evolution of the Ambassadeur for
me, I have granted it pride of place on the top right of
every page of this site, along with the Admiral soon
to appear floating bottom left and the 70's Ambassadeur of
Sweden fixed top left. This 7700 CL, is probably the most
practical of reels for my style of fishing here in Great
Barrier Reef waters where I live. I would love to one day
get the 7700 CT cage version of this reel for my collection.
|
The
Morrums were developed
for the Japanese market and reached their pinnacle
here being further "tuned" and developed into not only
magnificent and very unique pieces of fishing technology but
also the most beautiful and artistic of reels.
|
Historically we can see the
evolution of the Ambassadeur from the
Record casting reels of
1940 on. The most obvious connections came with the introduction of
high tech innovations such as centrifugal braking systems, automatic
free-spool for re-engaging the spool, thumbscrew access for easy
spool changing in the Record 2100 Sport (1945+) and the introduction
of bearing caps which were very simply micro-adjusted in the ABU
3000.
I own
a reproduction model 5000 SG
boxed with
Morrum and released in 2002 as
the 50th Anniversary of this 5000 SG reel's release. This is
probably the only way I'm to own this mint magnificient signpost
reel among reels!
The
Ambassadeur 5000 Manual Pages
0/1,
2/3,
4/5,
6/7,
8/9,
10/11,
12/13,
14/15,
16/17,
18/19,
20/21,
22/23,
24/25,
26/27,
28/29,
30/31,
32/33,
34/35,
36/37,
38/39,
40/41, 42/43, 44/45, 46/47, 48/49
ABU utilized the fishing cababilities of
champions to promote their reels!
UPDATE from my friend Lonnie mills USA
Hi
Wayne,
For your review and
records, I have attached a pic of an Ambassadeur 5000 I have in my
collection with GREEN side plates. My good friend, Simon Shimomura,
provided me with the lead to the person that owned the reel and we
made a deal. Simon told me that shortly after buying out Record, Abu
made (not produced) some 5000 reels with red, champagne, green and
black side plates and distributed them to select houses in an effort
to determine which color would be the most marketable. As we now
know, they chose the color red for the side plates and the rest is
history.
Back to my green 5000.
After personally inspecting the reel, Simon could not absolutely say
for sure the green anodizing was original but did say it was
definitely professionally done. Could it be ?????? I will think so
until proven differently, what say you??
The second pic (front view) is actually
closer to the actual color of the plates. Condition of the reel is a
9.5.
Cheers,
Lonnie
Rare
Champagne Ambassadeur 5500 and box marked G for gold!
'Why have one when two are twice as
nice?"
"From The Collection Of Lonnie Mills,
USA"
The photographs are just stunning
and let's face folks that's the only way most of us are ever going
to enjoy many of the these classics....not to mention the
prototypes... ..ah a quick flight to Svangsta, Sweden to the Museum
to drool?