Zebco 33 NOT THE SAME AS IT USED TO BE!

What's with the Zebco 33 reels that you buy today? I bought two of them (one for each daughter) last year Christmas and they both lasted about 15-20 minutes before they both jammed up. No fixing them either. They both...right out of the package, wound the line around the axle in front of the catch bail. I couldn't get into it to get the line out. Was ready to throw them both in the water! I ended up busting one up trying to fix it at home and after tearing into it, found the gears are all plastic now too. These reels are a piece of crap anymore. Several months ago, I sent Zebco (Customer Service) an email and explained to them what happened. I never even got a response. Very discouraging! I grew up beating the hell out of several of these and never had a problem. I don't get it.

I need to find a reel that I can buy that's not going to break the bank and work for my daughters/wife a handful of times through the year. Close faced like the Z33. Any suggestions?

Look at the Abu Garcia closed face reels.

If they still make them, Diawa had nice closed face reels too.

I agree with you 1 million percent. They just aren't like they used to be.

I've got one in the garage that my wife uses (I mean used to use), that's been messed-up for about a year now. I fixed it a couple of times, and it jams again.

fender66 said:

Several months ago, I sent Zebco (Customer Service) an email and explained to them what happened. I never even got a response. Very discouraging!

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That is exactly why I will not use any of their products - including the Quantum crap-ola

You need a few "beater" reels send me a PM with your address and I will see what I can dig out for you

most new comers can figure out the spinning reels.....I would go that route and just forget about the spincasters IMO.

This is off of a friend of mine's website, jeffstacklebox.com
I haven't used one but I trust his opinion and he loves them!

Qualia MuL 10 Spincast reel
List Price: $29.95
Our Price: $29.95


A saltwater rated spincast reel that can handle big fish with all the easy to use features of spincasting. A great reel for both serious anglers and those not so serious as well. Both the front and rear covers are stainless steel with a graphite frame to save weight. The drag is like an automotive disk brake and fully adjustable. The handle can be switched to right or left hand use so anyone will find it comfortable to fish with. The reel comes loaded with 10lb test clear mono. This reel can also handle superlines in the 14 to 20lb range with ease. Recent testing with 14lb Fireline has produced excellent results.

heavyduty said:

This is off of a friend of mine's website, jeffstacklebox.com
I haven't used one but I trust his opinion and he loves them!

Qualia MuL 10 Spincast reel
List Price: $29.95
Our Price: $29.95


A saltwater rated spincast reel that can handle big fish with all the easy to use features of spincasting. A great reel for both serious anglers and those not so serious as well. Both the front and rear covers are stainless steel with a graphite frame to save weight. The drag is like an automotive disk brake and fully adjustable. The handle can be switched to right or left hand use so anyone will find it comfortable to fish with. The reel comes loaded with 10lb test clear mono. This reel can also handle superlines in the 14 to 20lb range with ease. Recent testing with 14lb Fireline has produced excellent results.

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Those are some radical looking rods on that site.

I have read that the Daiwa underspin XD reels are pretty nice.

https://www.basspro.com/Daiwa%C2%AE-UnderspinXD%C2%AE-Trigger-Reels/product/96662/-1429895

That is exactly why I will not use any of their products - including the Quantum crap-ola

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[-X Don't be hatin' on my Quantums, lol :wink: . I have two Quantum PTi spinning reels that I've used for about 4-5 yrs now, with no problems, and my wife has a Quantum KVD model baitcaster. No problems with any of them.

fender66 said:

What's with the Zebco 33 reels that you buy today? I bought two of them (one for each daughter) last year Christmas and they both lasted about 15-20 minutes before they both jammed up. No fixing them either. They both...right out of the package, wound the line around the axle in front of the catch bail. I couldn't get into it to get the line out. Was ready to throw them both in the water! I ended up busting one up trying to fix it at home and after tearing into it, found the gears are all plastic now too. These reels are a piece of crap anymore. I grew up beating the hell out of several of these and never had a problem. I don't get it.

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+1, I learned about two years ago that the Zebco 33's are now all plastic inside. I bought one for pond hopping with my daughter and stripped all the gears out after catching 2 or 3 small fish. I took it apart and could see immediatly there was no fixing it. I wont bother purchasing any of their gear again. I got my daughter and wife pflueger spinning setups for not much more than the 33 and so far they have held up well.

Thanks for the input guys. I'll check some of these out.

Were they the regular black 33s?
They offer gold and platinum versions also.
The platinum looks more like the 33 I grew up with.

Check smaller bait shops and garage sales. They will have the old good ones. Cheap to!

all my wife will use is spin cast reels
I have tried them all and have settled on the dawia spincast reels.
They hold up well and don't get bound up much (as long as she keeps the weeds off the line)

I bought one for my son and had the same problem. I was able to fix it but I'm already looking into purchasing him a opened face spinning reel for next season. Sorry for your problems.

Waterwings said:

That is exactly why I will not use any of their products - including the Quantum crap-ola

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[-X Don't be hatin' on my Quantums, lol :wink: . I have two Quantum PTi spinning reels that I've used for about 4-5 yrs now, with no problems, and my wife has a Quantum KVD model baitcaster. No problems with any of them.

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Wait until you need to have them serviced -

fender66 said:

What's with the Zebco 33 reels that you buy today? I bought two of them (one for each daughter) last year Christmas and they both lasted about 15-20 minutes before they both jammed up. No fixing them either. .....

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That's sad. As a kid my first rod/reel was a Zebco 202 which were about as crappy as the Z33's of today. I can remember what a treat it was to use my dad's Z33. It was the bomb!

That's a shame, I grew up using the 33s. They used to be great.

I had a Daiwa spincast reel that lasted for a long time. It still worked when I gave it to Brine last year for his kids fishing outing. It wasn't exactly like the one below but it was a Daiwa...

https://www.basspro.com/Daiwa®-Goldcast-III-Series-Spincast-Reel/product/2018/-253989

bobberboy said:

I had a Daiwa spincast reel that lasted for a long time. It still worked when I gave it to Brine last year for his kids fishing outing. It wasn't exactly like the one below but it was a Daiwa...

https://www.basspro.com/Daiwa®-Goldcast-III-Series-Spincast-Reel/product/2018/-253989

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I have 5 of these reels they are fantastic

Has anybody tried the 33 platinum?
It's only $10 more.