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Allcocks Aerial Match Centrepin

Adrian Garside

Adrian Garside

Active Member
Hi all,

been considering buying one of the old Aerials off Ebay, the prices seem to vary quite a bit with some being beyond my budget! :(
Does anyone know if they are really that good and worth the money or are they just being bought as collectors items and not being used for what they were made for????

Ade.
 
Arguably the finest pin every made and absolutely the DB for trotting. Unfortunately the prices do relate to the fact that they are the favourites of collectors and are therefore often more expensive than many other fine pins, that may not be quite as good but for the vast majority of everyday usage are fine.
If you can spare the cash it is really good to be using an original, if you can't then the Fred Crouch Jet for everyday usage is a great alternative to the real thing.
If you want a really good and original, rather than a copy, at more basic prices then the Avon Royal Supreme (IMO) is about the best, with perhaps the Speedia as an every reliable alternative...neither look as wonderful and neither are quite as smooth for trotting as an Arial, but they still do everything a reel needs to do and will carry on working more or less for ever, even if you don't maintain them very well! If you look after them then (I am told) they will be even better.
 
Ade...I have bought two off ebay and they have been an excellent investment.I'm not a collector and I use them for 95% of my fishing.
Be careful that the serial number corralates to original rather than copies.(Serial no.365019 are original)
I had mine spruced up by my mate Garry Mills at Mill Tackle.Something to do if you have the time but not absolutely necessary.

Cheers
Rich.
 
I was under the impression that Fred Crouch actually bought the patent to manufacture the Match Ariel from Allcocks?
The only difference being that the badge on the original says "allcocks match ariel" and those made by Fred say "match ariel". They are for all intents and purposes the same reel?
I have also been considering making a small investment but the originals in good condition are going for very silly money (£250+)
If, like Ade, i'm after something to use rather than putting in a glass case, the FC model looks like good VFM?

I would be interested to know others opinions before opening my wallet as i'm rather a tightwad!

Regards,
Jeff
 
Both of mine cost between £120 and £140 and needed only cleaning up and a new catch on one.They have both been purchased in the last 18 months too.
If they are making £250 then I have got a good buy...:)

I would be very interested if Paul or any others would really,hand on heart,say that the new versions are equal or better than the original ones made by Allcocks.I cann't comment because I have never used one of the FC pins.I do have a hunch though..:)
 
allcocks match ariel

Have one i bought a few years back. Wondered if owners/users could
enlighten me on the drag,as compared to speedias and rapidex my ariels
drag is much lighter,is this normal for that model,as can see no sign of any wear on the components.

Howard
 
Howard

Someone may have "squeezed the spring" to make the ratchet lighter - I certainly did on a couple of the dozen that I have owned and used over the years.
 
I have both The Allcocks Match Aerial and the Fred Crouch. Both are absolutely fantastic pins. I agree that the Allcock is a superb trotting reel, i bought mine from Gary Mill at Mills Tackle, His advice was to use the Allcocks up to a Breaking Strain line of 8lb Max, you can see his point you dont want to be overdoing a fine antique. The Fred Crouch in my limited experience, is also a fine trotting reel indeed and IMO will be sound for Barbel legering with a greater BS of line than 8lb. The FC is more Multi use as opposed to the Allcocks. I would hate to Damage the Allcocks by over loading the pin. In comparison the FC is slightly heavier and dare i say it Doesnt have the same feel as the Allcock, the drag/brake on the FC doesnt seem to be as smooth as you rotate the knurled screw, when you tighten it, but i am comparing a new reel to a 50 year old Allcock and the FC will probably be as good if not better, than the Allcock if i am still around come 2060.
I had never used a Pin until this season, if you like to see a modest bank account keep away from them, but you will certainly be missing out if you take this course
In review Both are a sound purchase and if you do buy an Allcock Match Aerial, Garry will always service it.

Jon
 
Hi Allan, I love my Dave Swallow also. It still needs wearing in though, as it doesn't come out that often these days.
 
Oh Dear!!

It’s cat among pigeons time again!

I too have owned several Aerials; they are now either given away as gifts or in non fishing collections which in my opinion is the best place for them!
Poorly designed and not well made!

I have a number of pins, I use them every week, I am probably a bit fussy about them and as such I am very careful to ensure that they run perfectly, my favourites I designed myself and had them made for me, but there are some on the market that seem to work quite well.
I don’t have much time for “true pins†as they tend not to run well enough, I much prefer those reels with 2 roller bearings, the one that is currently available is the “Okuma†I think it’s “The Sheffield†that seems to be adequate.

Of the “true pins†available you could buy a “Speedia†on e-bay which can be run in to be a half decent reel.
 
More of these

phr0019l.jpg



I have had a dozen M.A.s, as I said, but haven't owned or used one in twenty years: there are far better reels. Take the two Keith mentioned, for example. Now, I fish regularly with both.
 
That's interesting chaps. I had good day grayling fishing on the Derwent the other day and I was using my recently acquired Okuma Sheffield and I was thinking, 'This reel is doing the job very nicely, why do I need a more expensive reel?' In fact I was feeling pretty smug about my £50 purchase.

Conrad
 
I have a couple of as new adcock stantons, superb bearing reels IMO, love trotting with them, I have a Fred Crouch Ariel also which IMO takes too much effort to "start up" to ever make a good trotting reel..............
 
Ian Crook said:
I have a couple of as new adcock stantons, superb bearing reels IMO, love trotting with them, I have a Fred Crouch Ariel also which IMO takes too much effort to "start up" to ever make a good trotting reel..............
Click to expand...
With the fred crouch, does it take a lot of time to run in? or should it be pin perfect out of the box?

Jon
 
Jon,

The FC should run well from the box, I understand from Paul 4 and Fred that they are "mechanically" run in before they are shipped. I have found that they really need a decent size float to get them started, nothing less than about 5BB
 
Think I will wait 40 years before passing judgement on the Okumas.

If they still go as well as my Aerial does fair play. Feel free to throw any spare ones my way Keith.
 
Ah, but what I believe what Keith might have been saying is "There's Aerials, then there's Aerials!". I certainly was. Love the right ones, not much taken by M.A.s.
 
I've had Match Aerials over the years but never found them to be as free-running as my battered old Speedia! Still have one of the smaller Aerials that gets used for tench fishing.

My centrepin of choice for barbel is a 'Harlow', 5.5" diameter ball-bearing pin, bought from e-bay many years ago, only ever seen one other advertised there.
 
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