Chronarch MGL interesting story

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Samuel_b
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Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by Samuel_b » Sun Feb 24, 2019 10:03 am

So like most of us on here I tend to overthink my tackle purchases or rely on things I find on YouTube or here from reviewers that are OCD and often flat out wrong. I was convinced the Chronarch would be geary feling and not as refined as the Steez, Met, etc...boy was I wrong! I just ordered a Metanium MGL from JPL because through watching an unnamed Youtuber that the Chronarch wouldn't be as refined, especially when reeling it as other high end reels. Well last night I walked into Bass Pro and asked to see one from the case, already in my head expecting it to feel geary and unrefined, in my defense the last model Chronarch was not that refined. Damn did Shimano fix that!!! Reel felt amazing and while I know I will love my Metanium I'm kinda kicking myself in the a*s for blowing extra money.
I've owned many JDM Steez reels and OG Zillions, old Mets you name it and I'll be damned if that Chronarch didn't feel just as smooth and refined if not more than almost all of them. So just a reminder that I think we all need before we pour over hours of YouTube footage by guys with way too much time on their hands or spend hours reading OCD ramblings, we need to remember that not all of it is accurate unfortunately. And personally I wasted a lot of time and money I could have saved if I'd just listened to Tactical Bassin' and a few other less obsessed people and just ordered the Chronarch ](*,) :lol:

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by Craigthor » Sun Feb 24, 2019 10:43 am

Kind of how I ended up buying the Daiwa Air Stream Customs is loving Daiwa the reviews are great but in hand just wasn’t quite the perfect fit for me. Ordered the Abu Revo LTX-BF8 on a whim and against other recommendations and it is a perfect fit in my hand.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by wilddog66 » Sun Feb 24, 2019 3:31 pm

I noticed a lack of smoothness in several of my Chronarch MGL’s even after a good clean & lube. I replaced both pinion bearings and presto, they are now just as smooth as my Mets, and almost as smooth as my Chronarch D’s.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by FishingwithBranden » Tue Feb 26, 2019 10:29 am

My fear is will they become “Geary” after some use. Almost EVERY newer Shimano with aluminum gearing ends up feeling this way in my hand versus a Daiwa or older reel with brass gearing.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by Jeffbro999 » Tue Feb 26, 2019 10:51 am

These Chronarchs don’t have aluminum gears, they have brass. I definitely agree that the new version is more refined than the CI4 was, but man, the CI4s have been bullet proof for me. Still haven’t had to change the original gears in any of them, and they have caught a ton of 15lb+ saltwater fish. Hoping the G’s and MGL hold up just as well as the original. Using them in freshwater should keep them smooth for a long time.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by DirtyD64 » Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:50 pm

I was hesitant on mine too, was my first ever Shimano baitcaster purchase. Just used mine again today, really like it a lot. I wish I had the XG sometimes though. My Chronarch MGL started on a 7'Medium, fast rod for semi-finesse duty, and is now on a 7'6"MH with 14lb fluoro for general purpose MH work. Eventually I will move it back to a Medium rod, casts light lures great from my experiences...

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by Samuel_b » Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:50 am

DirtyD64 wrote:I was hesitant on mine too, was my first ever Shimano baitcaster purchase. Just used mine again today, really like it a lot. I wish I had the XG sometimes though. My Chronarch MGL started on a 7'Medium, fast rod for semi-finesse duty, and is now on a 7'6"MH with 14lb fluoro for general purpose MH work. Eventually I will move it back to a Medium rod, casts light lures great from my experiences...
I was very very impressed with how it felt =D> And with those brass gears and stories I've heard about their durability I'm planning to put mine on a Heavy rod and use it for frogs, flipping, and light swimbaits. I'm getting the XG

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by johnD » Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:56 am

A $99 lews feels good in the store. Give it a few months of hard use and get back to us. In two months of frog fishing at least 4x a week mine went to poo...

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by DirtyD64 » Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:13 am

johnD wrote:A $99 lews feels good in the store. Give it a few months of hard use and get back to us. In two months of frog fishing at least 4x a week mine went to poo...
Samuel_b wrote:
DirtyD64 wrote:I was hesitant on mine too, was my first ever Shimano baitcaster purchase. Just used mine again today, really like it a lot. I wish I had the XG sometimes though. My Chronarch MGL started on a 7'Medium, fast rod for semi-finesse duty, and is now on a 7'6"MH with 14lb fluoro for general purpose MH work. Eventually I will move it back to a Medium rod, casts light lures great from my experiences...
I was very very impressed with how it felt =D> And with those brass gears and stories I've heard about their durability I'm planning to put mine on a Heavy rod and use it for frogs, flipping, and light swimbaits. I'm getting the XG

Might be some truth to johnD's comment... I don't get to fish very much. 1-2 times a week if I am LUCKY. Hadn't been in almost 3 since before yesterday. Caught 1 5.9lb and then nothing. So to be honest, my Chronarch MGL doesn't get a ton of HD work, but it still has caught it's fair share of fish, I used it for small swimbaits on the 7'Medium rod. If a 10/10 use is heavy frogging and ripping fish through mats or throwing 1oz+ lures, my use is about a 3/10 for my Chronarch MGL.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by Samuel_b » Wed Feb 27, 2019 12:34 pm

johnD wrote:A $99 lews feels good in the store. Give it a few months of hard use and get back to us. In two months of frog fishing at least 4x a week mine went to poo...
Not set on it getting too much heavy work yet if it excels that well at light lures it could get put into the lineup on a jig rod. Also in my experience Lews just aren’t built the same as Shimano or Daiwa and I’m highly not surprised it crapped out

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by johnD » Wed Feb 27, 2019 7:55 pm

Samuel_b wrote:
johnD wrote:A $99 lews feels good in the store. Give it a few months of hard use and get back to us. In two months of frog fishing at least 4x a week mine went to poo...
Not set on it getting too much heavy work yet if it excels that well at light lures it could get put into the lineup on a jig rod. Also in my experience Lews just aren’t built the same as Shimano or Daiwa and I’m highly not surprised it crapped out

I agree , I don't own any lew's/doyo. Was just using that as a example. I've found the curado k holds up better when really abusing reels , frogging , flippin / punching , etc. Just keep a eye on the pinion bearing , it's a easy fix if one does go bad. OG tatula type R's hold up well too.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by slipperybob » Thu Feb 28, 2019 1:41 am

That's why I said that the Chronarch MGL had to grow on me...
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by lape0019 » Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:43 am

I went through the same thought process with my 13 Metanium and Chronarch CI4+. At the beginning, I did not see anywhere where the price difference was worth it performance wise but the longer I used both, the more I started to understand why the metanium is worth the extra money. It took a long time though but the Metanium just felt more solid and has also held up better over time.

Now that I have a Bantam though, I don't see myself ever buying another new Metanium again.

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by Samuel_b » Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:17 pm

lape0019 wrote:I went through the same thought process with my 13 Metanium and Chronarch CI4+. At the beginning, I did not see anywhere where the price difference was worth it performance wise but the longer I used both, the more I started to understand why the metanium is worth the extra money. It took a long time though but the Metanium just felt more solid and has also held up better over time.

Now that I have a Bantam though, I don't see myself ever buying another new Metanium again.
You fished with the Bantam yet? I've heard a few people say the casting on that reel wasn't on par with other Shimano and Daiwa high end reels

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Re: Chronarch MGL interesting story

Post by brownhl » Sun Mar 03, 2019 7:11 am

Just keep Shimano ACE2, or Cal's drag grease on the micro gears and it will remain smooth. This per Shimano.

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