I don't know how many of you have seen the ZYZ reels listed on eBay , quite nice looking I thought. Well I went over to Clark's board and found several Topics dating back to 2007 about these reels, made in China by an Engineer named Zhu. Apparently he and his brother had an on again off again on again relationship, the second Zhu apparently had a better sense of quality control and precision manufacturing as well. Some of the early comments were that round head screws were used, the side-plate set back in too far for the crank to be handled well, etc. However even in 2007 the hand writing could be seen on the wall for precision work being outsourced overseas. Something Hardy for one has done with great success and quality control taking their line of reels to Korea for manufacture.

Anyway in looking at the 2009 online photos of the reels being offered by ZYZ I could see quite a bit of improvement so decided on bidding on one listed for auction at a reduced price, about 20% below their buy it now price. By the way right now I want to list a disclaimer, I'm in no way connected to ZYZ or its business except as a current happy customer and prospective future customer, expect no special treatment from them other than that they have already given me in so far as courtesy and assistance in having several reels made to order.

Anyway I won the auction at minimum bid, paid for the item, and in doing so asked if a change could be made, the original reel was listed in a natural aluminum anodized collar with black anodized side plates, the crank side being perforated. I asked that sense it was listed as a no cost option, that the reel be finished in their gold (close to 22-24K in color very dark buttery and rich gold) and black. No problem the USA rep for ZYZ Mr Yin relayed to the factory what I wanted and several weeks later I received my 3in raised pillar reel in the mail.









Now this reel is listed as a 3 inch diameter (spool) and has the same outside look and feel as my 3 1/4 inch Hardy Bougle, and I was soon to learn the same line capacity. Good for most DT3-4-5wt and even a WF6wt. The reel arrived has a simple bidirectional clicker drag, and is quite pleasant in both directions, about what I set my clicker at on the above mentioned bougle and point in fact just a slightly louder report.

Quality wise its a very very nice reel, looks like the other Zhu brother really cleaned up their act sense the 2007 topics over on Clarks, these reels as compared to the other current imports are very high quality. Have quite a good guarantee as well. At least as long as the plant stays in business.

Anyway over the weeks waiting I exchanged several messages with the American Rep Mr Yin and after receiving this first reel decide on bidding on a second one on eBay . The discount auction price if at or near the entry level helped offset the shipping from China Direct which is by Express Mail International and quite costly when only one reel is purchased. Upon winning the second reel I asked my Yin what colors for anodization were available and what options on the pillared model. Frankly they will build it your way. Attached are some of the colors and options as well as some really custom options for my next two reels. As this second reel process went along I ended up buying another direct and finally a third before this order was finished. Its nice to be able to get what you want for a reasonable price, and combining the shipping on three reels made it far less costly per reel. Anyway here are the current models that the factory made up for me. Color combinations are specific to wrap colors on a few rods in the process now.

This first one is another 3 inch raised pillar, but this time the frame is Anodized in Royal Blue and the rest of the reel is in 22-24k gold anodization, and both side plates are perforated like the current crop of lightweight Bougles.









About this time Id already decided on yet another, this time in British
Racing Green and lighter pale gold, 10K similar and matching my English
made 3 inch 1 of 500 Bougle





This green 3 inch raised pillar reel will be a second one for a bamboo
rod I'm having made









Altogether a fun process, which leads to the third reel I had them produce
this time, a little different model and this time a 2 1/2 inch for a 3-4wt glass
rod Ive nearly finished, matching the wrap and reel seat colors. This time
the spool and side-plates are in Old Copper and the frame and foot in
10K gold, the off side plate is not perforated.















It really was nice getting what you really wanted and working though this companies USA rep has made it a lot easier. I'm looking forward already to at least two more reels, this time a bit of engraving and color changes again for two more rods in the works, one another 2 1/2 inch and one of the bigger 3 1/2 inch models suitable for line weights 6-7-8. Here's some color samples and a few custom samples as well.

























As you can see its quite habit forming, sort of like going into a men's jewelery store full of fitted shotguns, custom rifles and such, and to get it your way is a
real treat these days, and at a price you can afford.

Anyway I'm not in any way connected to these people, however if you want to message me here I will be glad to give you the contact information they seem quite willing to discount the savings of doing business via their American rep and not dealing with PayPal and eBay fees, and you get it made your way to boot.

Richard

I have been importing and selling these reels for over a year now. I'm happy w/ them.

I have one ZYZ classic reel and it is worth the money..
The Zhu's are also selling the cheaper range of the similar designs on eBay . I am sure you guys noticed it. Similar design but different material used.. and also 50% cheaper.

Here's my ZYZ reel before customisation..





Now it look like this:

It's true, Richard. It's an open market. . In international business, you just don't sell what you have, you sell what customers wants.That's the way to survive.

hay by the way fango if you notice my old copper and 10K gold its got the radius edges and new end cap and radius spool as well the exact inset as some of the originals. Ive sent alot of pictures via the USA rep to Mr Zhu in China, including the roller line guide at 6 oclock on the current Bougles as well the classic and long out of patient Hardy Bougle twin RHW-LHW pawl system adjustable drags. Mr Yin says the current factory disc drag reels leave alot to be desired, so I think if enough of us ask for the tried and true Hardy adjustable Cick and Pawl, we might just get it along with the SS roller guide on the Pillared models.
These guys seem very ready to produce what will sell at a reasonable price, and built the way we the buyers want, in just about any color combination we can ask for, so I hope those that know these people continue to buy and create a true market for a better made product at a reasonable price. While Im not selling them, Im a proponent for them in that they are buyer friendly and willing to build just about anything we ask for, something in fishing reels of precision manufacture I havent seen in my lifetime.
Richard

I like the marble sideplates, but you need that on an RP reel to look like a Philbrook-Payne.
A.J Campbell on Googlebooks

I have owned two of these for quite some time. In the pictures posted on this thread, it is easy to see the gap between the S-handle and the frame. This gap is not on my higher quality reels. During the heat of battle my silk line went under the handle and was CUT IN HALF. This has been some time ago and was reported to the factory and USA rep. Based on the pictures posted I do not think this issue has been addressed. I removed the handle and with dremel and files removed enough metal to lower the handle to make it usable. Not perfect but usable.

Marshall

Hi Guys,

I think your comments are valid to a degree. I have a couple old original reels that most likely belonged to my grandfather. Similiar in design to the model your both talking about with the frame rim on the crank side being beyond the sideplate and therefore a gap exists that could tangle and or damage line. Frankly on my turn of the century original reels the gap is even more pronounced. Likewise the antique reels are much larger, designed for and used with line weights in the range of 7-10 by todays standards. The rods they came with are 10 and 12 foot long bamboo rods. Between the weight of the rod and the reel it must have been quite a handful in itself. Let along some big Salmon, Steelhead or Stripper attached.
However these reels pictured are little guys, at least the ones Ive purchased thus far, designed for use with 2-6wt lines. I intend to use them on some vintage bamboo rods and more so on some glass rods. The projected target fisheries being the local SMB and panfish of the lower river below the dam and perhaps some of the larger (1-5 pound trout) we've been fishing just below the house here daily. As such Ive not found a problem with this type of reel. Fact is I use several of the old tuna can Martin's for this same application and have never found the necessity to hand over hand bring the fish to net with coils of line at my feet. In fact that would be a real mess even without a reel, what with standing in 3 or more feet of rushing river water, I would suspect the line so left to flow on its own down river would perchance end up on all mannor of obsticles along the river when I went to recover it and I dont think I would want to be wadding in such deepish water with one of those stripping baskets up around my chin either.
Also this maker has quite a varity of reel styles offered. You will note the pillared model has flush side plates identical to my modern Hardy Bougles. Also if your tastes run to a crank without a counter weight in shape the manufacture will be glad to make one that way, I just didn't post a picture of one as an example is all.

Also, I just didn't post a picture of one, if you want your sideplate flush on a cast frame its available

these two have the slight inset crank sideplate like my copper and gold reel has,

as you can see this one has a cast frame with flush crank sideplate, however I was trying to keep my tiny reel pretty true to the style of the period original reels in that regard.
If you look carefully at the examples posted you will see most have a small diameter axle end cap on the off side. This is an old style reel represented in these photos to show some of the different side plate materials and anodization colors and engraving effects, if you note the last three reels shipped, they all have the larger axle end cap and also on my little copper and gold solid frame model, which has the radiused fame edges and spool step in addition to a reduced step from the crank side plate to the frame. Again this can be requested to be level as is now the case on all the pillared models.
As to the issue of the clicker vs adjustable drag, I think thats a user preference issue. While these bidirectional clickers are not adjustable, they are about the same drag as my favorite Clicker tuna can Martins, which I favor over all other reels on my UL rods, especially when Im fishing UL tippets down to 1-1.5#. Even while fishing these local trout below the house I generally use 6X or 7X tippets, and most of the time Im fishing an old Pridex with none adjustable drag and the spring on the light side with minumal drag. The application of a little finger pressure on the line and the angle of the rod is enough given space to run, to turn the fish and bring him to net. At least the 5 pound and under sized ones I am most often dealing with.
With the exception of my LMB rigs and some heavy fly gear for Saltwater applications and even a few rigs Ive set up for this years Bull Trout Clave, Ive never found an adjustable drag was anything I wanted to be messing with while in the middle of fighting a fish. I much prefer a palming spool for big fish applications. Point in fact thats exactly the style reels I have on my big rods. While they all have adjustable drags, Ive never adjusted them beyond the point of keeping friction on the paying line. Once set I generally forget the drag even has the adjustable feature, paying all my attention to letting the rod and palming spool do their jobs.
I do have a neat old salt water offshore conventional rod and reel going back to the early 1900s though, its one of those old Bulldog Capital Templer 800 yard models thats about as big as a boat winch, the old heavy things with hard rubber sideplates and a neat leather belt material made to fit over the 6 Oclock frame brace and the fisherman would apply thumb pressure there to produce additional drag. I can picture in my minds eye a guy hooked up with a Marlin with this 9ft one piece bamboo rod and that reel bowed enough to nearly drag the guy out of the boat, its one stought rod believe me, just as the reel as well, as big as a modern Penn Senator 6/0 but the only drag that heavy leather belt strap drag strip. I suppose if I decide to get a big ZYZ I will have to take some pictures of that old reel with its "adjustable" drag and have Mr Zhu put one on one of the bigger reels. I am thinking of getting a 3 1/2 inch model in my next order, might be the way to go just in case I needed an "adjustable" drag.

Richard

whrlpool,
I think your absolutely right on this one. with the exception of perhaps a dozen fish over 50 plus years of fishing, I think every one Ive lost has been my fault one reason or another. Drag to tight has played its share. A couple got lost from my flyrod to harbor Seals. On some big spinning gear several nice Albacore got snacked on abit by some sharks, and on quite a few really big Blue Fin Tuna some of those big deepwater sharks left me the head and hook. Aside from those the ones I lost, I lost because I screwed up. Ive lost more broken tippets to drags to tight because I forgot to tone em down when changing from a 7X to a 9X or 11X simple as that. One reason I love the old Martin Tuna Can, Ive never snaped a tippet with one. A humming bird could strip line from one, yet its just right to keep the line from just running off in a strong wind.
As you can see Im not a big fan of drag on a fly reel. Anything I want to apply I can with my heavier reels and their palming spools, without snapping the tippets. Likewise on the light stuff with a bit of room to run the fish I can turn him with just the pressure of the rod flex and perhaps a finger on the line to give it jsut the tiniest bit of additional drag.
Your right too, the big fish are big cause we screwed up enough to wise him up. Seeing a big freshwater fish swim off is kind of a win win too. Perhaps we will meet again. I know Ive caught the same fish many times, its almost like meeting and old friend, they come to my net, I see something I know, perhaps some fin damage or scar, and then its gentle pat of the hand and a fond goodbye when I let him swim off tired but free.
While I bring alot of panfish home, and an occasional badly hooked Trout or Bass, I try to make sure all wild trout are fare chase released. Im just not gonna waste anything. If its a hatchery raised released fish, most likely it wont survive anyway, if its a native fish it gets released. Alot of times I will have a barbless hook on even though Im fishing hatchery waters. We can eat only so many fish and the panfish around here are abundent.
Anyway I like these old reels. As much as I like my old Martin MG-3. It has an adjustable drag, I set it for my tippets. I also have a 63SS spool with palming rim installed should I need a bit of drag.
Richard

Hi , this is my first post and I came across this website by doing a google search for ZYZ reel reviews since I'm interested in buying a couple. Do they still have a US rep or contact? I have contacted Mr. Zhu to ask a few questions but find it very difficult to communicate. I would also like to know if the reels he sells on eBay are of inferior quality than custom order reels. I'd be willing to custom order if they are of better quality but that would be difficult to do because of the communication difficulties. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Did you think that maybe no one who has one of these reels has read your post? Your assumption that people here are unwelcoming or unwilling to help is off base.

I wanted to bump this thread and see if anyone has bought one of these ZYZ reels recently. How is the quality? Would you recommend it?

I love the classic look for the budget price. I know they are not a Saracione, but for a fraction of the price, they are intriguing. I am looking at the 3.5" reel for Steelheading. Is there a reasonable way to "palm" them?

Thanks!
Steve

cross your chest so the "bottom" of the reel is facing up - put your thumb against the line inside the spool.

Godfrey Westminster bought new for $450, fished 5 years, sold for $725.
The benchmark externally adjustable click-pawl, and a streamside disassembly so good it should be patented.
this is 2-3/4" with a DT5

The 3-1/2" zyz is a tank that will hold a 9-wt