Hey Calicokid,

Not all Newells are created equal.  If you are going to
purchase a Newell, please ask the salesperson to bring out
several reels.  Make sure the freespool and the bearings are
good.  Finding a good Newell is worth it.  They are light and
easy to work on.  They will last a long time.

You can make these reels stronger by replacing the graphite
handle and star drag to metal.  I also replaced the graphite
frame on my 332 and 338 to the Accurate aluminum frame.  It
looks great and makes them much stronger.  I also replaced the
drag fiber to the Penn HT100 fibers.  They are smoother and
last longer.

I hope this helps.

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AMP2564