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Post 27 Oct 2021, 09:25 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/27/08
Posts: 936
Location: Columbia, Mo. USA
I was going through some of my reels the other day and found a few of Shakespeare Purist reels----and with the exception that they are all RHW they look exactly like Pflueger Medalist. If I remember right, there was a time when Medalist were also just RHW. So the question is, were the Shakespeare Purist made by
Pflueger for Shakespeare or a knockoff. About what time period were they made? Are parts between the 2 interchangeable? Is it possible to make the Purist LHW?
Gary


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Post 27 Oct 2021, 09:52 • #2 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Shakespeare bought Pflueger in 1966, and moved them from Akron to Hope, AR
Noteworthy, Shakespeare and Pflueger were continuously in court over patent claims from 1915 until that merger.
-DA is Shakespeare date code for 1970 model change year, CJ=1983, etc.
From 1962, Shakespeare bought Allcocks, JW Young + Lee (Topp Tackle) and Noris (Germany)
Image


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 29 Oct 2021, 14:57, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 27 Oct 2021, 11:43 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Reels were from Fayetteville, Arkansas, I believe. The governor was from Hope. Didn't Shakespeare also use the Medalist as a trade reel to K-Mart or someone?


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Post 27 Oct 2021, 12:53 • #4 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I just remember growing up and driving by the Pflueger plant in Hope on I-30 every summer and winter.
Guess it could have been a trucking distribution center at that opportune junction.


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Post 27 Oct 2021, 12:57 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
I was just going by what I've read somewhere, Richard Komar's article likely, if you saw the plant, that must be where it was. I was back east during those years, so would not have seen it if it was in this area. Thanks for clearing that up for me.


Last edited by Trev on 27 Oct 2021, 13:21, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 27 Oct 2021, 13:13 • #6 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Trev, I think you're right - I think they were at least headquartered in Fayetteville.

With the brand overlap, which finally became Pure Fishing, the Shakespeare name on former Pflueger designs is a natural byproduct - they did the same with Beaudex.
Even the Purist model name has bounced back and forth between Shakespeare and Pflueger brand labels.


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Post 27 Oct 2021, 13:18 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 02/03/19
Posts: 145
Location: San Antonio, TX
Gary,

I own 7594, 7596 and 7597 Shakespeare Purist reels. To my eye, the guts are identical to a DA series Pflueger Medalist. I know the spools are interchangeable, and I assume the other parts are as well. The 7594 is the same size as a 1494, the 7596 is equivalent to a 1495, and the 7597 matches up to a 1495 1/2. I converted my Purist reels to LHW following the same process used for converting a DA Medalist. The first picture shows my three Purist reels. The second shows a 1495 DA on the left and my 7596 Purist on the right. Mike




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Post 27 Oct 2021, 13:26 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
I just found this https://sites.rootsweb.com/~shakespeare/misc/fishing/usa/index.htm that says Shakespeare was headquartered in Kalamazoo in those years but had production in Fayetteville 1965-1982.


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Post 27 Oct 2021, 14:43 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
my Shakespeare 2531 is a 1495 1/2 size equivalent Medalist made of inferior materials.. set it LHW as Mikel says, just follow the instructions for a Medalist.
Medalist parts from ereplacementparts so far have fitted without problems. The spool latch cap needed a bit of filing, other parts dropped right in.
This is from late 70s, think the Purists were earlier than that.


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Post 27 Oct 2021, 18:57 • #10 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/03/14
Posts: 945
Location: central AR
The 7594 that I own is a DJ, that
Dates to 1972, I believe.

Tim


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Post 29 Oct 2021, 08:27 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/27/08
Posts: 936
Location: Columbia, Mo. USA
Thanks guys for the insight on these reels.
Gary


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Post 29 Oct 2021, 08:37 • #12 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
you're welcome Gary - always enjoy your contributions to the forum


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Post 16 Aug 2023, 07:23 • #13 
New Member
Joined: 08/14/23
Posts: 6
Sorry to resurrect an old post, but I found it searching for information on the Shakespeare Purist Medalist clones. I see that the 7594 is a 1494 clone, 7596 a 1495 etc, but what I'm looking for is 1492 clones for my 2 and 3 wt rods. I would rather have an actual 1492 Medalist, but they seem to go quickly and for higher prices than I'm willing to pay on ebay. I am ok with the Purists as I have a few 7594s and 7596s so if I could find a Purist clone of the 1492 that would be great. Other than that (and perhaps this ought to be a new thread) I would like any ideas on a decent 1492 clone.

Thanks!


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Post 16 Aug 2023, 07:40 • #14 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19076
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Based on Mikel post above, don't know if they ever made a small click-pawl. That could be one way to keep the Medalist differentiated.

The market is what it is - increasing interested in a fixed supply.
Your best bet is to list a WTB here and on ClassicFlyRodForum. Possibly even ORCA.
I believe you need a minimum number of community posts for a WTB on FFR.
You don't need that for classifieds post on CFRF or ORCA Reel Talk.


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