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Post 18 Mar 2021, 17:16 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
After seeing photos of ottobahn’s beautiful Penn 712Z, I figured I would show off my collection of Shakespeare Royal Maroon spinning reels. These reels were contemporaries of the Penn Spinfishers, and the drive train of these reels is similar to the Penn reels. You can usually find the Shakespeare reels on the secondary market for less money than an equivalent Spinfisher. This is especially true when comparing the 2052 to the Penn 714 or 716 reels.

The series goes from the ultralight 2052 to the big saltwater 2091 with the 2062, 2071 and 2081 filling out the lineup. All these reels shared the same drive train and have a six “D” drag system consisting of three metal and three leather drag washers. Several of the reels I own needed drag work, but after cleaning the tarnish and old grease from the metal washers, and cleaning and regreasing the leather washers with Cal’s drag grease the drags are all smooth and strong.

Here’s a picture of the full lineup. A 2091EF, 2081EC, a 2071EE, a 2062EF, and 2052EC. The 2071 was discontinued at some point, and therefore is the toughest reel to find.


The picture below shows the guts of a Shakespeare 2071 vs a Penn 710. The 2071 is a bigger, heavier reel. Both the Shakespeare and Peen reels feature a single ball bearing on the pinion, and both are relatively easy to disassemble, clean and repair. Repair parts for the Shakespeare reels are tougher to find, although there are a couple of Ebay venders who have Shakespeare parts.


I end up fishing the sweet little 2052 most often teamed with an ultralight Shakespeare Wonderglass rod my father bought me when I was kid. This is a picture of a 2052EE, 2052EC and 2052DA. The E series reels are the cream of the crop. With the DA models, Shakespeare moved to a plastic bushing on the axle while the E series 2052s and all the bigger reels have a metal bushing. This plastic bushing is prone to crack, especially if the reel is stored with the drag locked down. Replacement axles are near impossible to find, but the plastic bushing can be repaired or replaced using JB Weld and a properly sized plastic drinking straw.


Shakespeare made reels that were badged and sold by Sears under the Ted Williams nameplate. This is a Ted Williams IV next to a 2062. They are essentially the same reels. Shakespeare also made reels that were painted gray and sold under the Pflueger nameplate.


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Post 18 Mar 2021, 18:03 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Hey Mike, Your collection Is absolutely stunning!!
I saw a maroon 2052 In the box...at the Baltimore fishing flea market where I scored the Penn.
Unfortunately I ran out of money due to buying up a bunch of classic graphite ultralights and fly stuff .
The guy who was selling a bunch of vintage spinning Reels is a hobbyist who didn’t have a Proper business card.
I’m going to call someone I know who helped run the flea market and get a name and number on him and see if I can score that that boxed Shakespeare 2052 .
He had a few cardinal 4s I was lusting after..
He also had a really cool lil Japanese spinning reel that had an elongated reel foot a round body like those CAP reels have.
I Knew should have taken a few pics of it.
I just got caught up in the moment scoring that Garcia Combo along with a bunch of other stuff .
I completely spaced about the Spinning reels I spied early in the day.
You’ve got my gears turning now though.
Ottobahn


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Post 18 Mar 2021, 19:39 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
Bravo, Bravo Bravo thats a super collection of worm gear drives ! I fished a 2062 very very hard for years and would replace the line roller & its teflon bushing, the bail spring, the anti reverse compression washer and the plastic winding knob every year. Doing this ensured the reel started the year as good as new LoL.

I still have the reel; it probably has 50% of its paint gone. I used a 712 Penn for light saltwater, but preferred the 2062 for freshwater because it was so much lighter in weight.


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Post 18 Mar 2021, 22:09 • #4 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
Thanks for the replies ottobahn and springer1. I've found these reels to be essentially bullet proof. I've got a couple of beater 2062s that have a lot of paint loss and look like they spent years rattling around in the bottom of a tackle box, but still function perfectly. I don't know what grease Shakespeare put in these reels at the factory, but I've had pristine looking reels that would barely crank because they were so full of old, dried grease. After disassembly, a thorough cleaning, and new lube they purr like they are brand new. I've got 3 2052s, 4 2062s, the Ted Williams IV, and one each of the 2071, 2081 and 2091. Out of all these reels I've had to replace a broken bail spring on one of the 2052s, and had to replace the drag washers on the 2071. Not bad for reels that are 45-55 years old.


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Post 19 Mar 2021, 13:33 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
You might want to keep your eye out for 2062 & 2052 examples that were sold as Eagle Claws with a different color & emblem. I think the handle was different too but I can't remember for sure.


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Post 19 Mar 2021, 14:47 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
I forgot about the Eagle Claw badged reels. I did some quick research on-line. The ECL was the 2052, the ECM was the 2062, and the ECH was one of the heavier saltwater reels (2071, 2081 or 2091). I found this vintage ad. It describes the ECL as "new", but appears to picture a 2062 clone. I found other pictures of the ECL on-line so I have to assume the picture on the ad was a mistake.



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Post 19 Mar 2021, 20:40 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 06/21/20
Posts: 141
Those are some beautiful reels. Thanks for let us drool over them!

I'm guessing those Shakespeare made Wright McGills preceded the ones made by Ofmer (ECP, ECR, ECQ, etc models).


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Post 19 Mar 2021, 22:47 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
The Royal Maroons were made from approximately 1964 through 1978. I've never handled one of the Eagle claw badged reels, but from pictures I have seen they all feature two piece handles. Since Shakespeare went to a one piece handle on the DA (1970) model 2052s and 2062s I would guess the Eagle Claw reels were marketed in the mid to late 60s.


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Post 20 Mar 2021, 00:45 • #9 
Sport
Joined: 10/17/14
Posts: 68
Location: US-PA
Wonderful collection, these reels are much better than they're generally given credit for. Very smooth reels, I've never had any problems with mine, other than a broken bail spring. My idea of spinfishing is light line and lures under 1/2 oz, and my 2052 with 6# line is perfect for smallmouth's and walleyes. For years, I fished with a Penn 714, but the past 5 years or so I've only fished with my 2052 and really like it. This past year I started fishing it with a manual bail, at first I didn't see the point, but now I prefer to fish it that way. If nothing else, I don't have to worry about another broken bail spring.

Unlike modern reels, the drags require regular maintenance, but properly serviced they are excellent. People don't realize how good the old style drags can be, the drag on my Alcedo micron is phenomenal, and I don't see why the Shakespeare's can't be comparable.

You mentioned the Eagle Claw reels, there was another reel. It wasn't made by Shakespeare, the Bretton 104 imported by Martin. I'm going by memory, I had one years ago, but it seemed to be a French duplicate of the 2052, but it wasn't nearly as finely made, I was disappointed with mine.

It's nice to see someone else appreciates these reels, good fishing. Tim


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Post 20 Mar 2021, 09:30 • #10 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
My old Penn 4400SS paid miles of drag and never faltered.
Drags today are aimed at extremes that will only be used if you out-class your reel. 3-lbs is a huge amount of drag, and good felt drag is everything needed in most situations.
You hope the new reels have the correct spindle stiffness and gear teeth strength to absorb the double-digits they're rating.
Where my 30-year-use Penn did falter was spindle/rotor bushing wear from out-classing it.


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Post 20 Mar 2021, 18:45 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 06/21/20
Posts: 141
It would appear that these reels overlapped. The Ofmer made Eagle Claws are sold in the early 1970s. The one I have has the folding/flip inside handle. These were called the Mediterranean Line. They concurrently sold reels made in Japan called the Blue Pacific Line. These had 3-digit model numbers. IIRC, the 125 was the UL reel.





MikeI wrote:
The Royal Maroons were made from approximately 1964 through 1978. I've never handled one of the Eagle claw badged reels, but from pictures I have seen they all feature two piece handles. Since Shakespeare went to a one piece handle on the DA (1970) model 2052s and 2062s I would guess the Eagle Claw reels were marketed in the mid to late 60s.


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Post 21 Mar 2021, 15:19 • #12 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
Nice Eagle Claw rig you have there FishFishWish. Thanks for showing it. I have a 7ft MLWF Feather Light 6 WT, and a 61/2ft LWF Feather Light 5WT (actually marked for HEH and E lines) that have the same color blank and wraps. Both are nice rods for chasing sunfish.


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Post 22 Mar 2021, 11:00 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 06/21/20
Posts: 141
Thanks. The vintage stuff is great fun for me and a learning experience too.


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Post 22 Mar 2021, 13:38 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado


terrific reels - I have a pair of 2052s and a 2062. The E model 2052 is fishing now, the DA model has that plastic bushing and I need to get the repair done..
The 2062 is ready to fish, unfortunately I don't really have a use for a reel that size.. pity.

Also have the Japanese-made successor 2200 which is surprisingly nice for a Japanese reel of that era. The gears won't last forever like the 2052, even so it will fish well for a decade or two..

Then the Shakespeare Sigma 2200 CK is a complete redesign, skirted spool and a manual bail, six-disc drag with Teflon washers. Really the only flaw in these is the pot-metal main gear, everything else is solid and nicely designed.
Model numbers 025 for ultralight up to 50 or 60 for big salt. The 025 commands startlingly high prices at auction, $80 and up. It's a tiny well-made reel though not US-made. I have an 030 in the queue to pull apart and regrease and take fishing.


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Post 22 Mar 2021, 19:18 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
Can someone clarify which models 2052/62 had a plastic bushing and if the "axle" it was on was the shaft to the spool or the shaft to the handle, etc ? I wasn't aware of this. Thanks.


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 00:47 • #16 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
The 2052 DA and later reels had the plastic bushing. The "E" series 2052s and all of the bigger reels (2062, 2071, 2081 and 2091) had a metal bushing. It's the bushing on the shaft. Part # x20 (main shaft assembly) on the Shakespeare schematic.

I was pretty lucky with my 2052 DA. The bushing was cracked, but it wasn't horrible and all the pieces were still there. I degreased it as well as I could, and then used a small pick to work JB Weld into the cracked areas. I then clamped it together for a couple of days while the JB Weld cured, and used fine sandpaper to clean up the excess JB Weld. It has held together so far.


There is a gentleman who has posted detailed, step by step instructions for fabricating a new bushing using JB Weld and a plastic straw on a couple of the reel repair forums. I don't want to cross any lines by including a link, but if you do a web search for "Shakespeare 2052 bushing repair" you will find his tutorial. Pretty neat trick to get these old reels back in service.


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 08:00 • #17 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/04/12
Posts: 705
Location: SE Pa
Thank you !


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 17:00 • #18 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
MikeI wrote:
There is a gentleman who has posted detailed, step by step instructions for fabricating a new bushing using JB Weld and a plastic straw on a couple of the reel repair forums. I don't want to cross any lines by including a link, but if you do a web search for "Shakespeare 2052 bushing repair" you will find his tutorial. Pretty neat trick to get these old reels back in service.

In future, please feel free to post links to good information. Including a short sentence about the website is considered good etiquette. Many forum members follow the discussions on their smart phones (which aren't always as smart as they would like). Please make life easy by including links when possible.

MikeI was referring to a Shakespeare 2052 repair tutorial (https://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtop ... 55#p104211) on the ORCA forum by user Midway Tommy D. The main ORCA topic is collecting vintage fishing reels.


Tom


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 17:19 • #19 
Guide
Joined: 09/11/19
Posts: 134
Location: Canada, Alberta
Super naïve question.
Given that I only have experience fishing with modern spin reels (post 90's), how do these vintage reels fish in comparison to the modern ones?
Are they much heavier, less smooth, less distance with casting, etc.
I really like the looks, but curious about the application.
Thanks!
Jason


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 18:51 • #20 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
Quote:
Are they much heavier, less smooth, less distance with casting, etc.


somewhat heavier, but these are light reels, a couple ounces here or there has never been noticeable to me..
the 2052 is one of the smoothest reels I know.. it might be heavy but it's a good heavy, feels like quality ;-)

no difference in casting, unless you have one of the the new reels with specially tuned spools available for long casts/braid, a la bulldog
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=71036&p=389127

though speaking of braid, some older reels are not braid-safe. There are two reasons for this, one that the line lay may allow for digging in, the other that line guides that don't roll will quickly groove with braid.
New copolymer lines make this mostly irrelevant though, can find a decently thin strong line that is competitive with braid for light spinning applications.

all my old spin reels are functional fishing tools and I don't feel myself handicapped in any way using them. I have one shelf queen, an Abercrombie & Fitch Monogram 150 Three. It works just fine but the gears are worn and grind sadly, can't bear it..



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Post 23 Mar 2021, 21:05 • #21 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
Thanks Tom. I appreciate you clarifying the rules and taking the time to post the link to the ORCA page.

Jason, I would echo what Doug said. A 2052 weighs 8.5 oz and a 2062 weighs 11.8 oz on my digital scale. You can certainly find lighter reels, but I've never had an issue with weight while fishing these reels. I am amazed how smooth these old reels are with a single ball bearing. The Shakespeare 2065 which predates these reels was made without a single ball bearing, and is still a very smooth reel. The quality bushings and steel gearing in these reels made for a very durable and functional product.

For me, there's just something neat about fishing with an outfit that is as old, or older than I am. I really enjoy tinkering with the old reels, cleaning them up, replacing worn or broken parts, and getting them back out there fishing. It's probably the same reason why I enjoy fishing with vintage fiberglass fly rods.

Here is a picture of my Shakespeare 2065 Spinwonder teamed with a Shakespeare 1463M 7ft Wonderod. The reel has a QL date code which means that particular version/model was first made in 1960, and the rod has an FDA date code which means it was made in Oct 1957.


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Post 24 Mar 2021, 09:02 • #22 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
jasonseaward wrote:
Super naïve question.
Given that I only have experience fishing with modern spin reels (post 90's), how do these vintage reels fish in comparison to the modern ones?
Are they much heavier, less smooth, less distance with casting, etc.
I really like the looks, but curious about the application.
Thanks!
Jason
doug in co wrote:
...
no difference in casting, unless you have one of the the new reels with specially tuned spools available for long casts/braid, a la bulldog
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=71036&p=389127
...

Doug called out kind of an extreme example with that big surf reel, but it also holds true with MH, ML, down to XUL - if you're matching a modern niche rod, especially fishing modern braid, and pushing your tackle to the limit, you'll appreciate the best of the modern reels.
Just this millennium, they applied computer design and manufacturing to drive and rotor balance, line management (how the drive and rotor fills the spool), spindle and rotor stiffness, and gear strength and precision, replacing trial-and-error, rule-of-thumb design. They continue to get get better at this with new generations.
The improving designs make them stand up better to hard fishing. If you've fished through otherwise very good reels of the'70s through the twenty-naughties by outclassing them with big fish over a decade or more use, you'll appreciate the designs of the new reels in your niches.


Something else to keep in mind: the spinning reel is the most complex piece of fishing tackle ever devised.

If you're matching up venerable glass rods, good-condition venerable spinning reels make the most sense here.
(Hopefully you can tell the difference between a light-use reel and one that has been fished-through.)
Fishing small water with light mono or fluoro, no extreme gamefish, there are great vintage reels that stand out, back to 1932 Hardy Altex.

The Shakespeares deserve their fan club, as do Penn, Mitchell, Cardinal, Luxor, and the Italian and German reels.
In these sizes, the weight is not going to make a noticeable difference. By the time you get to MH sizes, the weight difference becomes significant (in the rods, as well) - that doesn't change how cool it is to get a chance to fish them.
In big open water with a need to maximize cast distance with light lures, fish and strike lures at distance, you'll notice a difference there, as much in the rods as the reels.

Even the little Penn below has landed a few redfish and many nursery seatrout, and it probably holds up better at it than the same size Penn from the '90s, but neither one of them would fill a niche for full-time hard fishing.
They were designed by trial and error - some parts of the design improved in a generation change, and using an example, the next generation may have given up important stiffness, causing excess wear as a trial-and-error trade-off for lighter weight. If you compare the heavy Cardinals to the plastic-bodied reels Zebco derived from them in the '90s, the latter should simply be pitched, while the former has custom aftermarket parts made for them.
Some materials just weren't intended for wear and contact-stress applications - nylon, hello - even if it quieted the drive. (Ok, even a good condition low-use Mitchell will fish nicely in your light-use niche.)

Also don't get me wrong - you can find plenty of cost-cut-corners and weak spots in modern reels - I never met a Shimano factory line roller I like (I replace them with a better aftermarket design for my salt niches).
Some new bottom-end reels don't have a main drive bearing, but the die-cast main gear rides in a plastic "bushing" molded in the side plate, and I would rather fish the combo below in that targeted niche.

Maybe the way to look at it is a quality vintage reel and matching vintage glass can be a better buy than a new low-end reel aimed at light tackle. You'll have something worth keeping in the quality vintage tackle, and the same money in new tackle may just get you lighter weight, smooth function in disposable tackle.



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Post 24 Mar 2021, 15:58 • #23 
Guide
Joined: 06/21/20
Posts: 141
Get one of the vintage rigs for fun. But don't expect them to perform like any of the mid-priced or better modern reels. If you aren't into the history of fishing, fishing tackle, or just like older stuff in general, you probably won't want to mess with the older stuff. But if you are into these sorts of things or want a vintage set up to use once in a while, just for fun or to mess with your buddies, go for it. You don't have to spend a ton of money for one in good shape. Be prepared to disassemble, clean and lube though. Enjoy.


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Post 25 Mar 2021, 12:38 • #24 
Guide
Joined: 09/11/19
Posts: 134
Location: Canada, Alberta
Thanks for the information and advice.
I think I will attempt to get a decent shaped, functioning vintage spin reel and see how its goes. I like using vintage fly fishing equipment, so I am excited from that perspective.


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Post 29 Mar 2021, 18:10 • #25 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
I saw that a 2062 DA sold for $165 plus shipping on eBay this afternoon. This is much higher than what these reels normally sell for. The reel looked nice in the pictures posted by the seller, but it certainly was not NIB. I'd chalk this up as one of the eBay anomalies we see every now and then. It certainly doesn't speak to the going price for these reels, but tells me that for whatever reason two bidders really wanted that particular reel. Proves the old adage that a vintage rod, reel or whatever else is worth exactly what a buyer is willing to pay on a given day.


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