Always wondered, what makes a Megabass reel different from it's Daiwa copy? They are base Daiwa reels correct? I've seen them online for a few years and never paid much attention but I've been seeing a lot online lately about the IP68. I noticed it doesn't have the T-wing system like the newer higher end Daiwa reels do. What makes it fetch the money that they are sold for?
The name basically lol... I have 4 but I got them all for less than 400 each.. my rosso red Zonda 68 was the most expensive at 360 and it WAS BRAND SPANKING NEW ... I have 2 other Zonda 68s I paid around 2 for each very good condition, and an lauda that was 200 ... but the prices do get crazy especially when ur talking the dragon reels, or a Zonda hedgehog and some of the others
07 tracker TX 190
75 horse Mercury
999 KVD, 859 , and 798 SI HD
Yep they are Daiwas that MB has gone over and done some combination of unique milling, paint, magnet strength or spool tuning. In the case of the IP68 and IP79 these were MB versions of the J-Dream Zillion which was a special tuned version of the TD Zillion with a new lightweight skip friendly spool, fancy parts and just overall a nicely tricked out version of a legendary reel. The MB IPs are a tricked out version of that tricked out reel. They go for the $3XX range in trading circles if in very good condition. I have both the IP68 and IP79. This original Zillion platform is highly regarded and the zillons that are after were considered a downgrade because they were derived from Tatulas. The newest Zillion is not and has quickly become a worthy successor to the original. A car analogy might be a 69 Yanko Camaro and a modern top spec Camaro. The old one is legendary and sought after and the new one is just really good but there are also more affordable and less highly regarded gens in the middle that are just fine.Originally Posted by Cestratton
There are also MB versions of the original Steez. These are known as IS reels and have stronger magnets compared to the original Steez very weak magnets. I have an IS73. Then there is the MB versions of the old Daiwa Ryoga 1016 known as the LIN 10 reels. I have a LIN 10 Black Jungle and had a Mars but sold it. There are also two MB versions of the origional Alphas with the Zonda and later Lauda reels. Zondas have a deeper spool and the Lauda is based off Alphas SV and come with an SV spool and Zaion handle side plate instead of the Zonda's aluminum. There are also the MB FX reels which are MB versions of the regrettable T3. These are very high performance plastic wedges. The spool alone on an FX68 can fetch $100 being a MB version of the SLP Works only Daiwa 1010 spool. I have this spool in an old Steez and it bombs jerkbaits. Last we have the ITO reels like the TD-Z based TD Ito, the heavily modded Millionaire based Monoblocks and the Alphas based Ito Ai.
Are they worth it? I got all mine used and they have maintained 80% of their value or are worth more depending on the reel and what I paid for them. These are the cheaper trading circle prices. Ebay asking prices are out of this world. You have the lurk the forums to snag one for a resonable price. But are they worth it over a modern reel? Maybe. Daiwa doesn't have a 36mm reel other than the newest Steez A HLC. I like the way the IP reels cast heavy flouro and can skip baits. I have an HLC spool (not pictured) for the IP68 with 7.9 gears for bombing frogs further than any new zillion simply because it holds more 50# braid and I can empty the whole thing on a cast so I know it is spitting out more line than the new zillions even hold. The IS reels? These have enthusiast appeal being custom versions of Steez but suffer from paint bubbling and peeling. Super cool reels but just get a modern Steez. The Zonda has a similar problem. The paint is fragile and there are lots of really nice Alphas out there like the Alphas SV and Alphas CT 70 to pick from. Even MB's own Lauda is probably a better reel being based off the Alphas SV. The TD Ito is the TD-Z to get IMO. I'm not a fan of the boring silver on normal TD-Zs.
Family pic of custom painted IS73 (stock paint on IS reels peels bad), Monoblock Racing Milano Carrozzeria, TD Ito, Alphas Zonda Rosso, IP79, IP68 and LIN 10 Black Jungle.
To put things into perspective the IP/TD Zillion reels were ahead of their time and date back to 2007 with the IP version coming out around 2013 I belive. Same platform and shape. It took the 2019 Tatula to get an affordable reel that palms as well as the TD Zillion. When they made Zillions based on the original Tatula and Tatula CT they made reels that palmed worse than the origional. They went backwards which is why the old Zillions were so sought after in addition to them being butter smooth tanks unlike the newer Zillons at the time that were getting rough more quickly. This drove the price of the old Zillion and high spec versions like the J-Dream and MB IP reels. Now there is a great non-tatula based zillion and guys are looking to sell their old Zillions to fund one which is bringing these reels out of rotation and to the used reel market but the prices have gone down a bit since 2020 with tbe new Zillion being the new $3XX hotness.
Also, you can get a Tatula Elite Long Cast for $250 US or $180 from that chinease amazon like site with questionable US warranty that will palm like a TD Zillion/MB IP, skip just as well, cast 1/4 oz as well. It cast further, is lighter weight BUT not be as smooth or stay its already worse levels of smooth as long. The shape and performance can be matched or bested in a sub $300 new reel now.
There a good looking IP68 on eBay asking $550, at the time of posting this I saw one classified as new for around $700. I've got a deal lined up from a guy on FB wanting to sell a LNIB Steez A HLC for $300 that I think I'll jump on, he wasn't advertising it but saw a comment I made about wanting to try the Steez Limited SV and shot me a message with pictures. Was interested in the Limited due to the SV Boost but the Hyper Long Cast has me intrigued as I recently bought my second Daiwa ever a Tatula Elite Long Cast and it bombs!!
I've got the orgional HLC spool and an Elite Long Cast spool. I use the HLC in my TD Zillions and the Elite spool in my Fuego CT. While this is the original HLC and not the newest version here are my impressions
Elite: amazing all around spool. It makes effortless long casts, casts lightweight baits very well and skips with SV like ease. What a spool. Mandatory purchase for all Fuego CT, Tatula CT and 19 Tatula 100 owners from The Tackle Trap. In a frog shoot out vs the stock Fuego CT spool with a 11/16 oz long casting Terminator Walking Frog the stock spool and Elite will empty themselves completely of 65# braid on a long bomb cast and they both take the same amount of effort to do it. The key difference is that when doing a softer cast, on handed cast ect where I am only putting in 50-75% of my max casting energy the Elite spool will send a bait out there nearly the same distance where the stock spool really falls short. You have to bomb and whip the Fuego CT spool to get those long casts where the Elite is just effortless. If you put a ton of effort into the cast and throw 1/2 oz+ then they are about the same in distance. Its the effortless casting and light weight baits performance where the Elite spools really shines IMO. I can tie on a 1/4 oz baby frogs and get 80% of the distance the stock spool gets with a a big frog. The damn thing skips well too. Like SV good. I would absolutely but an Elite over the SV 100% of the time even of just throwing light weight baits and skipping. Maybe if mounting to a L or ML BFS rod and skipping flick shakes on 10# fouro would the Elite spool be too heavy with all that line cap taking up spool weight. For that I would maybe prefer a Tatula 100 SV but I'd rather have the 70 SV or use my Alphas SV which what I do for that exact bait.
The origional HLC is the polar opposite of the Elite spool. It is a horrible all around spool and basically unusable outside of its niche. That niche is bombing as hard as you can 1/2 oz + compact (this is key) baits on braid. I say braid because non braid cannot get out of its own way with these super fast spools even with a T-wing. If you run some spool tension that can make them usable with non braid but to me they are for bombing heavier frogs, 1/2 oz + Dark Sleeprs, 1/2 oz + traps ect. Any heavy compact thing you want to send long distance then this is the spool. They are not all around spools. You do not roll cast these. You do not pitch them. You put it over your shoulder and let it rip every cast. Maybe the newest version is more tame but the origional was a beast that many could not handle. I knew what I was getting into and got my spool used for $90 as a spare braid and frog spool for my 7'3" H XF rod that shares jig/worm and frog duties so the two spool approach made sense. I spooled it with 65# braid, tied on a terminator frog, gave it 10 clicks more tension than what was needed to eliminate side to side play on the spool tension. This gave the bait a moderate drop with only a few coils once the bait hit the floor. Max on the mag dial and gave it a bomb cast. It went very far and got very deep into the spool. Backed the brakes to the middle setting and the next cast cast off all the line and yanked hard on the spool. I immediately respooled with 50# braid and the same setting can just empty it of line after the baits hits the water and I stop the spool. The casting distance with heavier frogs is incredible. Nothing I have used can match it. Certainly not the Tatula Elite spool. It is however a one trick pony. A spare spool for bombing certain baits at best. The Elite spool is far more useful and an excellent all around spool.
Last edited by LowRange; 05-16-2022 at 09:55 AM.
LowRange, well the guy told me originally that he couldn't get it dialed in like he wanted and I didn't think much of it until I read this post about the HLC spool. I asked what exactly he meant by that and that I read (thanks to you) that the spool was hard to tame. He confirmed that and I decided to decline on the purchase. I need to slow down on buying reels for a bit as I've gotten ahead of myself lately. Thanks for your overwhelming amount of knowledge lately regarding my Daiwa questions. Still considering the Steez Limited SV but I do need to wait just a little bit.
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