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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | Hey guys I was just wondering why they stopped making TE's. Everyone raves about them and from what I understand they are very durable and smooth. I have been trying to get one but didn't have the money when people were posting them for sale. I guess I am just wondering what is the new reel that they came out with to replace this one and why did they stop making it if there isn't a replacement reel in their lineup.
Also if anyone has one that they would like to sell I am very interested.
Thanks!
-Fellow Musky Nut |
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Location: Contrarian Island | Good question...they have the calcutta B and Ds obviously and then the Calcutta Conquest... high end.. $550 retail or so... I have one, and from the guy at Daves Reel service, he said the 'guts' of the TE were more durable... finding parts for TE's down the road could be an issue so keep that in mind. |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | Because the 400 D is a better reel. |
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Posts: 981
| are they though? I do like my D a lot very smooth all purpose reel but the guts don't seem as durable to me....not that they aren't reliable.
I just wish they would beef up their drags to match what other companies have put out. You shouldn't have to be stuck dropping $400-500 on a saltwater model to get a shimano reel with 20+lbs of drag in it...daiwa, abu, and okuma have all done it for far less I'm really hoping shimano follows suit. |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | what makes the TE a better reel?
The only complaint I ever hear about the D is that they don't have a clicker and it's difficult to access spool breaks. I have three and have never needed to adjust the breaks. |
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | I have a D as well and was disappointed with the gears... they grind a little bit when you first engage. It's slowly but surely getting worse. I have cast TE's before... used old and beaten... It was still butter smooth. I won't buy a D again, but would jump at a TE. It was impressive. |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | Beefed up drag? I can lock the drag all the way down and not get any line slip... What else do you need the drag to do? And how the gears "seem" to be less durable? Have they worn out? The only issue I had was a spool pin breaking from when I accidentally engaged during a cast with a bulldawg. I have fished both the TE and D side by side for several days throwing all types of lures. IMO the D is a much better reel in all aspects. I'm glad people still love the TE though as I was able to sell mine for more then they cost new ?? |
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Posts: 752
| I sold the last of my TE's this winter and upgraded it to a Conquest.... I loved them for years but IMHO the stuff that is out there now is as good or better. I am using 2 Conquests this year as well as a 400D and a 300D on my Jerk bait/Glider rod. I had 2 400D's last year and just upgraded one of them to a Conquest. In the time I have used the D's I have had no issue outside of maintenance. They all had thousands of casts and all caught fish over 50. I never trolled with my TE''s so I never cared about the clicker. The Shimano engineers (as I understand it) do not like clickers on reels whose primary purpose is casting reels as it is one more things that can go wrong... Same applies to the newer style non-engaging level winds... Just my .02C.... |
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | I figured the D series was the replacement but always heard it wasn't as durable. When I say that take it how you will because I know they are great reels in the end. I guess I am just a little confused why they went away from the "more" durable materials if the prices don't reflect (which I don't know for sure because I wasn't in the market when they were still in production). It is nice to see that people are very confident with the D's because I would like to have a Shimano in my fleet but I am just trying to figure out why there is so much sway on both sides (D vs TE).
Again I always like to thank you guys for taking the time to respond. This site has helped me so much in terms of everything when it comes to musky fishing.
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | One of my 400Ds is going on 4 seasons. I fish all week during the summer and every weekend in the fall. Probably over a hundred Muskie on it. I purposely use that one for double 10s and big rubber to see if I can wear it out. It is still going strong and plenty smooth. I do my own cleaning and maintenance once a year during the off season. Considering how I burned through the old toros in less than a season, I am happy with the 400D durability. |
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Posts: 337
Location: Watersmeet, Michigan | I don't get the business of needing a stronger drag. Isn't a drag supposed to release line smoothly, thus reducing the chance of breaking your line or rod? When I hear guys talking about free spooling, I always think, "Wait a minute, don' t they have their drag set properly?". Am I missing something?
BTW, my 400D is by far my favorite reel. Absolutely no complaints.
Fr. K |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I like my 400D but i like my TE much better just feels better in my hands |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | Two 401 TEs, both 9 years old. Pimped by Pikemaster, they are the best reels I've ever used. Should they they ever break I imagine that a lack of parts may force me to "upgrade" but until that time I'm not spending another dime on a new reel. There simply is no reason to. |
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Posts: 5
| The 400D is too narrow and you loose too much line on the cast even when spooled full with 100lb braid. Might be an acceptable reel with 65 or maybe 80 lb braid but reel is just too slow at the end of the cast. Sold mine to buy a 400TE |
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | What lb test are people using on their 400D's? I am really considering buying one. I have a Toro NaCL and would like to have a backup reel incase/when that thing goes for good. |
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Posts: 752
| Musky952 - 8/19/2016 3:04 PM
What lb test are people using on their 400D's? I am really considering buying one. I have a Toro NaCL and would like to have a backup reel incase/when that thing goes for good.
100 LBS Masterbraid for one used for Rubber and other big baits and when I had 2 I had 80 on one that I used for blades....
One more thing... FWIW.... if you looks at the specs from a TE and a D they are virtually identical. Line Capacity,gear ratio etc.... The major differences were one is Gold & the other is silver, engaging VS non-engaging Level wind and the lack of a clicker... They are both great reels. Don't believe everything you read on the internet...  |
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Posts: 59
| Discontinuing the Calcutta 400 TE was the biggest mistake that Shimano ever made. I've been muskie fishing for 40 years and I have used just about every reel on the market, including all of the new low profile reels and I can unequivocally say that the Calcutta 400 TE was the best musky reel ever made All you have to do is look for one on the internet. If you're fortunate enough to even find one, you'll pay a big chunk of change for one, even a used one in decent condition. There is nothing out there that is in the same universe.
If Shimano were to re-introduce the Calcutta 400 TE it would outsell every other musky reel combined.
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| It may have been a fine reel but apparently it was not successful from Shimano's business point of view. Shimano is a well run company and I doubt they make decisions without looking at the costs/benefits. It would be interesting to learn why they discontinued. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | North of 8 - 8/21/2016 10:59 AM
It would be interesting to learn why they discontinued.
Indeed. My brother-in-law is a saltwater fisherman down in Florida and he swears by his TEs. The musky market is a drop in the bucket compared to the saltwater market and from what I've heard they are quite popular reels with saltwater fishermen as well. |
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Posts: 1144
Location: Minnesota. | Nice to know! After a garage fire that took all my old muskie stuff to include the Ranger (it was in Sept.!) I went and bought 3 TE's. Love them all ESPECIALLY the one that Pikemaster totally re-did.
He'll be getting the other two this winter!! |
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | North of 8 - 8/21/2016 10:59 AM
It may have been a fine reel but apparently it was not successful from Shimano's business point of view. Shimano is a well run company and I doubt they make decisions without looking at the costs/benefits. It would be interesting to learn why they discontinued.
Couldn't agree more with this statement and that's why I thought I would ask just to see if someone had some inside information. For the most part it sounds like there isn't much difference from the 400D and 400TE. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Yooper Padre - 8/18/2016 6:10 PM
I don't get the business of needing a stronger drag. Isn't a drag supposed to release line smoothly, thus reducing the chance of breaking your line or rod? When I hear guys talking about free spooling, I always think, "Wait a minute, don' t they have their drag set properly?". Am I missing something?
BTW, my 400D is by far my favorite reel. Absolutely no complaints.
Fr. K
I had to beef mine up. I added carbontex washers and changed the top metal key washer to a flat metal key washer. That added a couple pounds. Previously my drag would slip on hooksets |
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Posts: 1660
Location: central Wisconsin | Musky952 - 8/22/2016 3:17 PM
North of 8 - 8/21/2016 10:59 AM
It may have been a fine reel but apparently it was not successful from Shimano's business point of view. Shimano is a well run company and I doubt they make decisions without looking at the costs/benefits. It would be interesting to learn why they discontinued.
Couldn't agree more with this statement and that's why I thought I would ask just to see if someone had some inside information. For the most part it sounds like there isn't much difference from the 400D and 400TE.
There are many differences. I bought a couple 400D's when they were first brought out. The guide disengages on the cast so casts a mile if you have the centrifugal brakes adjusted right. Otherwise you have to remove three tiny screws, remove the spool, set the brakes and put it back together. This is a ten second job on the TE. The thumb bar is full width on the D, half width or so on the TE. This was the deal breaker for me as I was casting suicks in October so had light gloves on. Twice I had fish hit and withmy gloved hand palming the reel when I set the hook I tripped the thumb bar, talk about a backlash, twice.
Go price used ones and see which brings the premium money.
I sold the D's and kept the TE's. |
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Posts: 115
| TE is the best all around reel I have ever used in my 30 years chasing these fish. Pretty much own them all of all brands. When new ones come out I buy them. Still go back to my TE's for a lot of situations. That TranX is a reel that I find myself using more and more once you get use to it. |
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Posts: 92
| Was lucky enough to get one of the TE Conquests back several years ago off Ebay from a guy that was getting them direct from Japan before they recently made them en masse and sold them here. Back then you could get them for about 380 the price of a regular TE. Wish i would have bought a couple more...
That being said i love the TranX. That has become my go to reel and have had few issues with it for as much as it gets used. |
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Posts: 537
Location: Gilberts IL/Rhinelander WI | Muskydanno621 - 8/23/2016 6:23 AM
Was lucky enough to get one of the TE Conquests back several years ago off Ebay from a guy that was getting them direct from Japan before they recently made them en masse and sold them here. Back then you could get them for about 380 the price of a regular TE. Wish i would have bought a couple more...
That being said i love the TranX. That has become my go to reel and have had few issues with it for as much as it gets used.
the new conquests are a totally different reel... |
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Posts: 107
Location: central illinois | I went nuts and bought 5 401 TE's in 2009. Since then I have never even felt the need to even read about new reels coming out. Well...one reel peaked my interest, the Conquest 401. I did add an extra metal washer to most of my TE's just like Propster. My drag would slip on hooksets too. I have replaced the anti reverse bearings in all of them as well. #*^@ good reels in my opinion. I definitely wish they didn't get discontinued. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | The TE Drag washers need to be replaced with Carbontex Washers
Stock Shimano Drag washers only last about a year before they need to be replaced. Carbontex Drag Washers will last the life of a reel.
Text me for any ?? on cost. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | dway - 8/23/2016 5:49 PM
I went nuts and bought 5 401 TE's in 2009. Since then I have never even felt the need to even read about new reels coming out. Well...one reel peaked my interest, the Conquest 401. I did add an extra metal washer to most of my TE's just like Propster. My drag would slip on hooksets too. I have replaced the anti reverse bearings in all of them as well. #*^@ good reels in my opinion. I definitely wish they didn't get discontinued.
Just to clarify, I added a flat key washer to my D, not my TE's. The D uses a convex top key washer so exchanging that for a flat one adds a little more pressure. The TE key washer is already flat. |
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Posts: 107
Location: central illinois | Well, I went ahead and added a fourth metal washer to my TE's. I put the thickest flat one in there. I can dig up a part number. Just not right now. I just moved and my whole world is a bit mixed up. Moving is the worst! Not sure of the correct terminology. Key washer, flat washer, concave washer, convex washer...I don't know. I don't have the parts diagram in front of me. But that is what I did and it definitely helped out with drag slip on hooksets. I tried Carbontex washers too. I took the Carbontex washers out after a year. Not a fan. I reused the stock Shimano drag washers with hardly ANY grease...and I'm definitely happy enough. I also fish left-handed(I'm right handed though) so I use my dominant arm on hooksets. That doesn't matter though right? |
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