What happened to SA reels?

[gpwhitejr]

Last year I was poking around in the local Orvis outlet and came across some Scientific Anglers reels at closeout prices. Apparently SA made an "Ampere" family of reels: Ampere (cast aluminum), Ampere Electron (machined aluminum), and Ampere Voltage (machined aluminum with sealed drag). I bought a Voltage for $70 (my research suggests it was originally sold for around $200). It is a very nice reel, definitely overkill on the little stream where I use it on a 6 ft 3-wt (no reel is even needed there, it is ideal tenkara water). I had been previously unaware that SA made reels.

Anyway, it seems these reels aren't made anymore (or if they are they are sold under a different name). You can still find them on some of the usual discount sites, though more and more I am seeing "this item no longer available." I know that Orvis bought SA about 5 years ago, so I assume that had something to do with it. Are those reels now marketed as Orvis products under a different model name?

 

[ddb]

SA made reels for decades that were basic, tough, reliable and affordable. The System ones and twos were my go to reels from the 70s on -- and are still in use -- but they got progressively cheaper with more plastic parts and they were heavy for the increaasingly lighter weight graphite rod They also lacked sexy marketing gimmicks. And quality slipped as they went from British to Japanese and then to Korean outsourcing.

The most recent aluminum SA reels never got into my hands as they are indistinguishable from the hordes of other such reels on offer.

I did not know that ORVIS killed the line.

ddb

 

[falcon53]

I too have a SA System 1 (Click and pawl), British made that I used for many years. I still use this reel on some of my 4 wt rods. It is surprisingly good. I have landed some real nice fish using this reel and come away saying Wow this thing still works great.

 

[Ard]

Those old System One reels were Hardy Marquis labeled for SA. I'm sure Sweet & Salt knows for sure but I think some of the other models may have been made by either Tioga or BFR, I never had the newer ones but several of the old Marquis reels. They had matching rods that were I believe Orvis first generation graphite that the reels matched to thus the 'System' name.

 

[sweetandsalt]

I really have no idea about latter ones SA marketed but, like Ard wrote, the earlier ones were Hardy Marquis with SA's name on them. Then, Marquis was not sold in North America and this was Hardy's first reel under their name employing a palming rim. It was a great value for a fine reel and I caught my very first Atlantic salmon on a System 8.

 

[planettrout]

More here:

SA System fly reels by Hardy


PT/TB

 

[Ard]

I'm not sure where I got the idea planted regarding the later models being made by Teton reels, good chance that's incorrect but I got that in my head somewhere in the past 20 years...….

 

[falcon53]

I don't know a lot about Teton reels. However, I do know that Teton "bought ??? " J Ryall reel specs and started manufacturing them under the Teton name. I don't remember the entire situation only that it was done under somewhat questionable circumstances. Excuse my interjection just making a point.

 

[planettrout]

Here is the skinny on the J. Ryall/Teton reel deal:

J. RYALL STORY


PT/TB

 

[Rip Tide]

Toward the end, the System One reels were made in Korea, the System Two were BFR
When they were closing them out around 10 years ago, the System Twos were going for $99. Great value

 

[jfh245]

Have purchased 2 SA reels from STP, Ampere and Electron, for very reasonable prices. They have had zero problems, finish has held up very well, no drag situations........although I actually prefer click/pawl reels on our small SE Pennsylvania streams,,,.... the SA's are an excellent purchase. ....have a very old SA click/pawl that could be dropped off the Empire State building and still work great......

 

[spm]

Last year I was poking around in the local Orvis outlet and came across some Scientific Anglers reels at closeout prices.

Just wish I had a local Orvis outlet to poke around in.

steve

 

[biker1usa]

In the 90's all I bought was SA System 1 reels and a couple of System 2. I have 11 of these reels that have not been used since about 2000 and are just collecting dust. Maybe some day they will be in demand again.

 

[gpwhitejr]

Just wish I had a local Orvis outlet to poke around in.

steve

Sadly, they closed the store. And the Orvis flagship in Manchester is about two hours away.

 

[spm]

Sadly, they closed the store. And the Orvis flagship in Manchester is about two hours away.

Sorry, gp. Hope I didn't jinx it.

steve

 

[gpwhitejr]

I should have bought two reels. The day I went in there they had several in a case, all at really good prices. I should have realized something was up. I liked the one reel that I bought, which I put on my 3-wt rod, and after using it for a while I figured if they had any left I would get one for a 5-wt. The store was in a retail development that also has the grocery store we use; one day I went grocery shopping and I noticed that the Orvis signs were gone and the store was empty.

The whole thing was kind of interesting. The store was there for several years, but for most of that time only sold clothing and dog beds and stuff like that. I once went in and asked why they don't sell fishing tackle (c'mon, it's Orvis) and they said something about market exclusivity and contracts and other business things that went over my head. But then a year or so ago the local Eastern Mountain Sports store closed, and shortly after that the Orvis outlet had a sandwich-board sign out front, "Now carrying Orvis fishing equipment" (or words to that effect). I went in again and they told me that EMS had had the exclusive local contract for Orvis fishing tackle (and I guess other outdoorsy merchandise) and that now that EMS was gone they could sell fishing gear in the outlet store. I didn't understand that, because I was a frequent customer of EMS and I never saw any fishing equipment of any kind in the local EMS store. But that is what they told me. Anyway, the Orvis outlet in my town is now gone. The whole commercial development (retail, restaurants, movie theater, etc.) is going through some renovation and with any luck they will come back.

By the way, maybe only peripherally related (in the context of the changes in retail over time). I watched an old movie the other night: "Man's Favorite Sport?" Rock Hudson is a "fishing expert" at Abercrombie and Fitch, back when that company sold sporting goods to rich guys. Have you been in A&F recently? Now they sell avant-garde clothing to rich teenagers. But if you like an old rom-com dealing with the comedic foibles of ordinary people (no super heroes flying around, and nobody shooting anyone) it is worth a look. And there is some fishing.

 

[Lewis Chessman]

I'm not sure where I got the idea planted regarding the later models being made by Teton reels, good chance that's incorrect but I got that in my head somewhere in the past 20 years...….

I'm almost 100% sure that's wrong, Ard, and that the System 2 Mk I and Mk II (non-vented/vented spool) were British made by BFR.
I understand that the old UK models have a silver metal foot while the newer Far East-made models have a black foot.

 

[Gerard]

I'm almost 100% sure that's wrong, Ard, and that the System 2 Mk I and Mk II (non-vented/vented spool) were British made by BFR.
I understand that the old UK models have a silver metal foot while the newer Far East-made models have a black foot.

Correct Lewis. BFR closed 24th December 2004.

 

[ddb]

"I'm almost 100% sure that's wrong, Ard, and that the System 2 Mk I and Mk II (non-vented/vented spool) were British made by BFR.
I understand that the old UK models have a silver metal foot while the newer Far East-made models have a black foot."

The above relation of the color of the reel foot to maker/origin does not stand up in examining my SA 2 reels.

I have three SA 2 89s --two with matte black finishes and vented spools and one with a polished black finish and solid spool. The two vented SA 2 89s have black matte reel feet which bear the clear marking "Made in England". Conversely, the polished finish solid spool reel has a silver reel foot and no markings on the reel regarding its country of origin -- but the original box it came in does say Made in England.

I also have a smaller SA 2 89 M model; which is otherwise identical to the larger solid spool polished finish reel in every respect -- no origin markings on the reel only on the box.

In short, there appears to be no relationship in my reels twixt color of the reel foot and country of origin. They all appear to made in England.

ddb

 

[Lewis Chessman]

Thanks, ddb. Always happy to learn!