These old reels are still a basic reel and parts can still be obtained for them. They like many of the old companies have taking their manufacturing to China and the quality that 'old' reels once possessed are 'just that Thank you for the opportunity to shed some light on your post and hopefully, if you have not checked this information out prior to your question I think that it would give you more insight on the Zebco Also, you will find information concerning the Zebco Spinner Model 55 contained in the articles, too.
Can you believe that I left something out? I have bought several Zebco 33's, new and used, over the years and when I buy used I generally examine the insides of the reel to see how much metal is there -- The more metal the happier I am.
I bought two of the 'new' redesigned Zebco 33's when they put them on the market at Bass Pro Shop Springfield, MO and took them to Stockton Lake 45 miles away to fish with them to see how the 'new' production 33's would operate -- I thoroughly was not impressed with them in many ways They just are not the quality of the 'old' school reels; When 'pride' and 'quality' were the key words with the manufacturing companies, but we live in a 'disposable' world today!
One last comment concerning the 'new' Zebco 33's I would strongly suggest putting more money together and buy some other reel.
I thought about giving these reels to my grand-daughter's but after a little thought Now I either buy or received donated reels to repair for our Church kids, who come from single parent, broken home, etc. I will soon be 68 and have used Zebco 33's since my dad bought his first in I have about of them from the first black one to the ones made about 10 years ago.
So here is what I know about how to date a The reels are black anodized aluminum cover, chrome plated aluminum body reels with brass bevel gears and smooth as silk. They have a bait click but no anti-reverse.
The reel had one extra, Feathertouch. In the colors were reversed, chrome plated covers and black body and the anti-reverse was added. It is about the best looking 33 ever made and very hard to find with good chrome, because I've been told that Zebco almost went broke replacing flaking covers.
From there were several changes the earlier bodies were anodized before they were painted and were rather purple looking inside while the later ones were just raw aluminum.
From when the original 33 was dropped, they made 4 different style bodies. I've been told that it just depended which supplier made the bodies but my experience tells me otherwise. I believe that the first style has 2 rivets in line in the foot. I suspect that they started having bodies crack through the rivets and to try to prevent it, the used 2 offset rivets and a flat spot in the mounting foot. The 25th Anniversary reel was this style. The 4th and final style had the tabs leaning away from each other and the last ones they made had a zinc crank gear instead of steel.
In the 33 N started and It's all down hill from there on. You can tell within a year of two when a 33 was built. Good info dustyjoe! I do believe that I have a couple of those chrome plated zebby 33's just didn't know why they where flaking!
The reels are just about in mint condition in their boxes, I've never fished them either and probably never will now, knowing this! And the flaking is minor at best! And they still had the factory bevel gears in them, their smooth as silk when you turn the crank, they too, where also lubed with Vaseline as Vaseline will never turn hard like grease will and stored away!
I just love it when a plan comes together! Wow, dusty, great info on the Zebco 33's! OMG, you and I are the same age I'll be 68 in May. The one Zebco I own is a 33 I inherited from my favorite uncle.
From the info you've provided here, it's a '' Do I have the vintage right? Maybe I oughta put it on a rod and use it for a season, just to honor my uncle. Dustyjoe, since I'm a moderator on FT, I just designated your post on the history of Zebco 33's as a blog post. Excellent info! Small world skip. I'll be 68 on May 5, What's your B day? Yea a 5- 5- 47 baby boomer. You're right if it doesn't have Feathertouch, it is Dad bought one in and another with Feathertouch in He put a piece of blue label maker tape on the button on the new reel and told my brother and I that we could use the old one but leave his new one alone.
Would you believe that I got started collecting because I had to start taking my 2 sons fishing after dad died and I couldn't find his old black 33's. After I was hooked, I found a box in the loft of the garage with 13 reels in it and that blue tape is still on the thumb button.
Wow, dusty! Small world, indeed! That's a great story about your Dad marking the older reel for you and your brother to use. My Johnson story is, Dad despaired of teaching my brother and me how to fish with an elderly Langley casting reel cast, untangle backlash, retrieve, repeat and got us Zebco 's, likely early 's. It shouldn't be too much longer before it's published and for sale, it's been 5 yrs. I am liquidating my collection of Zebcos in the near future. My collection wasn'as large as Tom's oDick's but I have a few.
I'm sorry everybody. I couldn't stop myself. Post by nomdeplume57 » Fri Aug 30, pm If I may weigh in on the subject 1. Post by Woodtroll » Sat Aug 31, pm Guys, I really appreciate you taking your time to give me all this good information! I have to admit that when Tom and Dick logged in with posts, I was waiting to see if Harry was going to show up, but Jerry proved to be just as good! I do appreciate a site where a new person can ask questions and seek clarification and not be pounced on or belittled.
I also appreciate folks with a sense of humor! Again, my sincere thanks for your help! Post by jobronie » Mon Jun 30, pm I recently begun collecting a few of the older 33's and am a novice when trying to determine years and how many models.
I have numerous questions and don't want to post all of them. I have read there was a Zebco 33 book being worked on with photos and other general information. Can someone advise if this book is now available so I can educate myself and reduce my questions to a minimum. Thank you. The book is on schedule to be done by the end of the year. The 33's a with a metal foot rivited to a metal body are the early 33's. Then a metal foot slid into a plastic foot, and then the all plastic body. I'll be happy to talk to you about them when I get back home.
Hope this info helps somewhat. Post by bvandeuson » Mon Jun 30, pm Can't take anything away from the excellent 33 information given, but it does point out one thing which seems very prominent in the fishing reel industry, and other industries of my acquaintance.
These companies changed appearances, parts, and methods of assembly more than most of us change socks. Just when we think we have the answers, a reel comes along with something different about it, often prompting us to feel it may be a fake, or modified in the basement sometimes that's true.
My guess, at least as far as the Zebco spin casts go, is there are still things we can learn. I recently acquired a vintage telegraph key. When I examined it closely, I noticed it had parts from two different series, which differed in features and price. At first I though it was modified by an owner, but I saw no sign of it having been taken apart, and it was practically unused.
Fortunately the company is alive and well, with a good e-mail address. An inquiry prompted a back and forth discussion which ended with the company owner also a collector and former employee telling me it had indeed been made that way. The reason was when the company had lots of orders for a particular model lower priced , but was running out of parts on the line, parts were taken from the higher priced line and used.
I have a standard model key with deluxe model moving parts on it. Post by wrong99 » Tue Jul 01, am bvandeuson wrote: Can't take anything away from the excellent 33 information given, but it does point out one thing which seems very prominent in the fishing reel industry, and other industries of my acquaintance.
Ralph Lafferty an early president of Zebco he once told me that the company would make a product change for as little as th of a penny savings on the production line. With more than 40 million Zebco 33's sold since the first one left the factory in , this excellent spincasting reel is still a best choice for the beginning fisherman.
Its many variations have lined the shores of countless lakes, streams and farm ponds, but it began as an inspiration in a grocery store in Roten, Texas. Hull, watchmaker and inventor, had tried unsuccessfully to market his first anti-backlash reel, The Lashmaster.
He got another idea while watching a strand of packaging twine fall neatly from a spool. Hull's first reel was a double spool model he modified from a South Bend design. Undeterred, he continued his search for the perfect anti-backlash design. With the supermarket twine as inspiration, R. A long bolt through the middle served as a spindle, and a Folgers coffee-can lid fastened to the front wheel provided a handle for reeling in line.
The crude working model would cast without backlashing but made a poor impression on R. In they turned him down. But he believed in his concept and continued to look for partners.
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