Today, many of us rightfully associate Shakespeare with cheap throwaway tackle. Their reels, while they function, are often some of the cheapest you'll find. It breaks, you buy another, or you buy something more worthwhile. In the old days, Shakespeare actually made high quality gear, but like many American brands, they would fall victim to vulture capitalism and its pitfalls by the 1990s. Here is an example of a high quality Shakespeare, the 2499 ultralight spinner. Made in Japan and weighs a whole 5.8 ounces, very light for a middle 1970s model. This will be killer on a 3-4wt tied up for a spinning reel. After a cleaning and lube, it's super smooth and feels more balanced than other reels of the time.
Posted by redmeansdistortion