I have been using my Ambassadeur 'D' series for all largemouth bass They have a super low ratio and perfect for working lures that need power to retrieve. Anyhow, to answer your question.
Abu Ambassadeur 5000 Sale Prices / Values Browse FREE Abu Ambassadeur 5000 Sale Prices & Values. FIND 1000's of Antiques, Art, Vintage & RARE Collectibles - each item pictured, described and with it's sale price guide. ABU Ambassadeur fishing reels. Burley Auction Group in New Braunsfels, Texas sold: An ABU Ambassadeur 5000D fishing reel for $175 in November of 2007. Six vintage ABU Ambassaduer fishing reels (most of which consist of the Ambassadeur Model 5000) for $175 in November of 2007. An ABU Ambassadeur 4600C fishing reel for $150 in November of 2005.
D means direct drive It has a drag There is a knob between the handle and the coupling where a normar 'star drag' would be. The drag is adjusted there like a normal setup would be.
When the drag is loosened you can go reel backwards under drag pressure. When you tighten it, it is the same but it just reels backwards under more pressure. To be specific, these 'direct drive' reels are not 'REAL' and actual direct drive reels. They include a free spool function with a click of a button that lets line out like any other reel. An example of a 'REAL' direct drive is the ambassaduer 2000 from the 1950's. They will go forward and backwards while in use, and there is no 'FREE SPOOL' because it is allways in free spool. When casting the reel handle will spin backwards.
These reels are fun to use. Anyhow, your 'D' reel is a real collectors. I would fish it with similar aged tackle. Look on the reel foot. It should start with '74XXXX' or some seventies number.
That is the age of your reel. The next two numbers may be '7406XX' which is the month. So that would be 1974, built in June. And finally '740602' would say that the lot number that the reel was manufactured in was lot '02' or lot 2. Look for your birthday month and buy that one if possible. There is a knob between the handle and the coupling where a normar 'star drag' would be.
The drag is adjusted there like a normal setup would be. When the drag is loosened you can go reel backwards under drag pressure. When you tighten it, it is the same but it just reels backwards under more pressure. Just to clarify: So, you can pre-set the drag in the normal manner and fight a fish in the normal manner? When the fish pulls line off the reel it lets line out against the drag and the handle stays in one place?
What do you mean 'reels backwards'? Can you turn the handle backwards and let out line? A further add to the thread: You are in direct drive as long as you have hands on the crank. If you are retrieving at 30 pounds pressure, and your line is 20 pounds, you will break off.
Immediately you let go of the handle, as per input above from the troops, if there's a fish on, and running, the handle spins in reverse, at what ever drag tension you have preset with the knob. And if you interrupt the spinning by re-grasping the handle instead of thumbing the spool, you may break off, you may not.
These reels are collectable in pristine condition, and as 'fishers', can be had off the eeb, eh? (ebay) for under 50.00. Jimmy and KenD have said it all.
I also enjoyed using the star drag instead of the knob. Its tough to get my fingers in there and adjust very well.
Star drag will do the same job and make it easier for all of us. (but isnt the original flare!) And yes, when I said 'reel backwards' it does reel backwards if you take your hand off the handle. There are 4 models of Abu Ambassadeurs (notice no-Garcia name here) that are 'direct drive' and other than the red/white bakelite versions.
They are: and in pristine condition can demand a great price. 4000D (brown/copper color) ($300+) 5000D Green ($125) 5000D Gold ($400+) 5500D High Speed Green ($300+) At the time Abu Ambassadeurs were annodized in many different baths so, along the years you would get many 'faded beauties'.