Older 200 B Curado and Citica

[columbiar]

Going through all my stuff now and deciding what needs to go to eBay and what needs updated. I found a 200 B series Curado and Citica that I bought on sale years ago and probably only used a couple times. They are basically new other than sitting in a storage tote. I was thinking of replacing a few of my others with an updated K series before I found these. Now I am wondering if I need to update at all I basically found two new reels I forgot that I had. So the question is if the new K series is that much better than the old B series. Trying to decide whether to sell the old ones on eBay and then use that cash to buy a couple new K series or just keep what I have. Hopefully there are a few folks as old as me who have used both and can offer an opinion.

Tks

[Slazmo]

In the last few months to year I've bought a swath of B series in various forms (and shape) - they're an exceptional workhorse reel. Parts limited for repair but with care they're great. I think they're timeless - like a good watch that's comfortable to wear and keeps on ticking...

You can introduce a whole lot of efficiencies into the old B to make it cast near as easily and far as the K. Spend some time and a little cash doing the B up and it'll be something you won't regret keeping.

The K is a bit of a throwaway kind of thing... Use it, look after it, and turn it over when needed as they're in plentiful numbers and cheap as chips to buy new and even cheaper to buy second hand especially over there...

[Zimbass]

I agree with Slazmo.

Workhorse of a reel that will be going strong, long after the K has given up.

Cheers,

Terry.

[columbiar]

Tks guys. That’s kind of what I was thinking. Most of the newer reels today seem like they aren’t built a stout as the older B series.

[ShimanoFan]

I still use an old B series curado right alongside the newer reels. Hard to break or wear out one of those old B series reels.

I'd keep a couple of the green beans, and still buy some new ones too!

The highly prized B series curado's are the 3.8 slow speed hard to find, and the BSF reel when Shimano put the first pinion bearing into a curado.

Some awesome old reels.

[Slazmo]

Ahh forgot to mention the BSF... Yeh that was a step up and in the right direction for the B... Slight colour correction / deviation and that ported spool and supported pinion was a direction for things to come.

Ive got one myself never trade that thing!

Mentioning things to come the D series - excellent reel developmentally in quiet a few ways but weight of the thing is what really killed it for a lot of people it seemed. For me meh not phased by the weight weenie issue's...

If only that reel foot on the B was lifted to lower the body (like on the D) it'd be near a perfect form.

[Bronzeye]

Can one buy DIY or other aftermarket lightweight spools for Curado B and Citica B reels?

[Slazmo]

Doubtful... But it wouldn't surprise me if some little backwater Japanese manufacturing company did or do a spool for these old reels - I mean Avail do one for the old Bantam classics, it's possible I guess...

But you can cast 6gr comfortably with stock flushed bearings and 20lb PE. I just run a wind or two of backing mono and the rest is 50 / 60 metres of top shot. I run the top shot to the top of the line guide eyelet - so line passes through it efficiently off the spool.

[lifeofRiley]

Other reels come and go, but I've promised myself never to sell or trade my original Greenie CU200Bs. Some of them I've had for almost 20 years. Looking forward to the next 20.

[ShimanoFan]

Same here. Except I did sell my B series BFS reels because the new curado's are a true free spinning spool in cast mode, so no need for shimano's first attempt at free spooling.

Those old BSF reels can be a little tricky to get dialed in. I have less trouble with my newer curado's.

I guess my problem was I hot rodded them so much that the centrifugal brakes Shimano used back then were not enough because those spools were heavier and wanted to keep spinning.

Today's curado's have a spool about half the weight of the older BFS reels, so it takes less lure weight to cast it.

But I did keep my CU-201B38 and a CU-201B5.

Since today's direction is towards faster reels, I gotta keep the old slow ones! I need them today more than ever because these slower speeds are harder and harder to find, especially a 3!