Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
User avatar
Big-Bass
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2217
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:59 am
Location: Northeast

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by Big-Bass » Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:11 pm

chreim20 wrote:In the last month, I have casted the Metanium MGL, Chronarch MGL, and the Bantam MGL on the same rod using 30 pound braid on each, and I can cast further, with less effort using the Bantam MGL than the other two. It's a little heavier, but palms better and feels like a quality reel. Needless to say, I sold the metanium and chronarch. Their only advantage is they are lighter in weight.
Awesome! Thank you!

DirtyD64
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 3049
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 4:23 pm

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by DirtyD64 » Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:06 pm

Didn't want to start a whole new thread, but anyone debating about waiting might wanna look into this...

http://fish.shimano-eu.com/content/fish ... DO_DC.html

Lists micro module and all Curado specs, so i guess it is coming... Also says it can cast 5-8gram lures with the right setting...

Slazmo
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 11:43 pm
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by Slazmo » Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:41 pm

I just tore mine down after receiving yesterday...

What a bunch of interesting things i found...

Pics will be up and I'll link it here later.

Few wow's and a few "hmm's"... otherwise yeh solid!

ScoobyDoo
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:38 am

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by ScoobyDoo » Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:20 pm

Slazmo wrote:I just tore mine down after receiving yesterday...

What a bunch of interesting things i found...

Pics will be up and I'll link it here later.

Few wow's and a few "hmm's"... otherwise yeh solid!
I saw your thread...replied to it...and then it went poof. ((I'm starting to get sick and tired of the sensorship on this forum....which is why I only come here a few times a month anymore))

I'm curious as to what your thoughts are.

I'm on the fence.....If they put a damn T wing in it..it'd be the best reel ever made in that price at that weight.
((I say that half kidding but 100% serious))

Slazmo
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 11:43 pm
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by Slazmo » Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:29 am

Yeh Cal just messaged me deleted it and said its 'self promotion' - I've replied to him about that. Oh hey TT liked the images too :-k

Anyhow anyone wants pics - on my Insta search via my name - its a "not for profit page".

My thoughts...

Nice frame and associated parts, the idler gear for the level wind is disappointingly thin, there is also a large gap between the levelwind shaft tube and body (light shines straight through in the pictures) which will allow water into the gearbox side (that is the wet bit of the reel - think capillary action) - Curado K had a O ring seal at that point now - would've thought the Bantam would've had the same treatment, considering that the Bantam being a much higher spec reel like $400 / $500 realm...

The Cu K is actually looking to be a better reel overall at this stage.

The side plate B spool hatch is a nightmare to rebuild - so many o rings and fiddly crap in there. See if those O rings are available in 5 years time huh??

Silent tune bearings - well theyre not available here in Aus "ever" so they'll go in time. Nice bearings but hard to get out of their seats - especially when the reel was built extremely dry.

Corrosion mitigation will and should be a conscious thing on people's minds owning this reel, especially with saltwater ownership and use - wont be straight away but eventually tears for those that throw caution to the wind.

Handle needs to be 100mm long - way way way too short imho!

How people are using this reel as a swimbait reel is beyond me 8-[

Drag pressure out of the box is frighteningly hard like 1kg or 2 kg possible - even upon rebuilding its still astronomically high!!! Like the wafer spring needs to be squashed a little to allow the drag to back off heaps more!!! Every Shimango reel ive owned could have the drag backed off to such a point that the spool hardly rotated while winding - this yeh nah.

Finish of the reel shows casting lines under it - could've been finished a little neater prior to painting especially for its price point... Side plate B machined aluminium and anodized - will show every scratch and blemish - will be a hard one to keep from destruction.

Overall I'm happy i got it for $300 - still not what I'd expect for a higher spec'd reel especially for the Bantam namesake. Especially compared to the old Bantam Tournament 1000 Professional - when you got rose wood handle knobs back then and gold inlay on a beautifully embossed gear and side b plates.

If someone applied a teardown like I did and I got to review those pics - honestly i would've waited a lot longer and watched for it to become a sub $250 reel or even second hander to play around - especially with some of the things I found - or waited for a series 2 uplift.

Buyers remorse yeh definitely after thinking more deeply about it tonight, should've and would've sat on the fence a lot longer than diving in based on some flakey online review's.
Last edited by Slazmo on Tue Jun 19, 2018 5:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
LgMouthGambler
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2529
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:04 am
Location: S FL

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by LgMouthGambler » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:40 am

Awesome job on the teardown. I for one am glad I had the self control to hold off when I was gonna pull the trigger sight unseen. Im not too impressed, and still rather a 200E. Lol. I know, hate on guys. Lol
<")))><{

User avatar
TommyG
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 794
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:02 am
Location: Midlothian, Illinois

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by TommyG » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:56 am

I would have to agree with Scooby on the T-Wing, if the level wind is not centered the casting distance suffers. It does cast well enough, not your "long bomber" but will get the job done. The 84mm handle is too short, IMO, other then that it's all good! :big grin:

runmax08
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 179
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:23 pm

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by runmax08 » Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:06 am

Slazmo wrote:Yeh Cal just messaged me deleted it and said its 'self promotion' - I've replied to him about that. Oh hey TT liked the images too :-k

Anyhow anyone wants pics - on my Insta search via my name - its a "not for profit page".

My thoughts...

Nice frame and associated parts, the idler gear for the level wind is disappointingly thin, there is also a large gap between the levelwind shaft tube and body (light shines straight through in the pictures) which will allow water into the gearbox side (that is the wet bit of the reel - think capillary action) - Curado K had a O ring seal at that point now - would've thought the Bantam would've had the same treatment, considering that the Bantam being a much higher spec reel like $400 / $500 realm...

The Cu K is actually looking to be a better reel overall at this stage.
Well Slamo what abu would you recommend if there is one?

Slazmo
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 11:43 pm
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by Slazmo » Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:41 am

runmax08 wrote:Well Slamo what abu would you recommend if there is one?
Abu :lol:

User avatar
Cal
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 12757
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:31 pm
Location: TT Headquarters
Contact:

Re: Bantam MGL Who has their hands on one?

Post by Cal » Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:42 pm

Slazmo wrote:Yeh Cal just messaged me deleted it and said its 'self promotion' - I've replied to him about that. Oh hey TT liked the images too :-k
I also said that if you want to share the photos, post them in the thread. I can't help it if you're too lazy to figure out how to make that work. Driving traffic to your personal Instagram is considered self promotion.

IG interpreted my clicking on one of your photos as a "like" because I was trying to grab the URL of the images to post them into your thread and fix it instead of removing it, but IG doesn't seem to allow this behavoir. The like was removed. So I was attempting to help your cause. I will not make that mistake again.

And since you decided to take it public, you can consider this an official warning instead of a private PM.
Cal, Managing Editor
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"

Locked