Daiwa black/gold reel. It will keep going and going.
Penn 309. They have been around forever and the new ones are no different than forty years ago. It's my favorite reel for lead core trout trolling.

I use a newer Abu-Garcia Ambassadeur 6000 and two Orvis CEOs.

My 35 year old Zebco 33 is all that's left of my old reels. My first 33 is probably still in the bottom of Acton Lake in SW Ohio. Not sure what happened to my first reel, a Zebco 202, or the old Shakespeare, Mitchell, and Dad's Penn. Not worth much but this 33 is going into a shadow box with lures I don't want lose. Lots of childhood memories there.

Yea, I too have a zebco 33 my dad had from the 60 I think, and a Penn 55 trolling reel from the late 50's

Great topic! One of my most cherished possessions is a late 70s-vintage Ambassadeur 5000c I paid $59 for in 1979, bought at the local TG&Y with carefully-hoarded tooth fairy and chores money. I still have the receipt.

Man, I can still remember lusting after that reel. While other eight-year-olds cruised the toy section I always had my face pressed against the sporting goods case.

Took me a while to learn how to cast it, and in the years since I have gone through literally hundreds of baitcasters but that one just keeps going and going.
Well, to be honest I've accumulated various other vintage 5000-series Abus and other than switching out handles they're all still original and going strong.

I'm always looking for vintage tackle and I hit the pawn shops pretty regularly. I will now be keeping my eyes peeled for Penn 704s...

The Abu Garcia C3 Ambassadeur might as well be my wife of bait casting reels because it's the only one I know that I can trust on my rod. She's seen plenty of action over the years and while I'm sure there are many other good reels out there the trusty ol' C3 has yet to give me a reason to verify that for myself. Yes sir, it's been a long and happy marriage.
Sadly, my relationship with spinning reels has been a bit more turbulent. I've played around with several different models, but ultimately I keep running back to the Daiwa SS tournament series, generically known as the black and gold.
Both the C3 and the SS are outstanding examples of simple form and functionality melding to produce something that's about as reliable as seconds at Rosie O'Donald's house.
Now if you want to talk about feeling nostalgic for a lost classic, then look no further than the old 300 series Mitchell spinning reels. I mean talk about beautiful simplicity, if you cracked one of those vintage reels open you'd find fewer parts than an old shop teacher has fingers on a hand. Here's a respectable workhorse nameplate that's been thoroughly "modernized" into an absolute donkey of a product. Today's Mitchells are a faint shadow of what they used to be, but if you want to admire some quality machinery then go to your grandpa's house or for that matter anybody else who fished anytime between 1950 and 1980. Poke around the basement or wherever they keep their fishing stuff and check one out for yourself. Trust me, they'll have one, and there's a reason for it. It's called dependability.

Speaking of vintage tackle, you outta see what some of the old original Fenwick Lunkerstiks go for on Ebay...

It pains me to go out in my garage and look up at the three battered and scarred old Lunkerstiks I've had since childhood. If they were only mint...

You know, I just can't think of a single thing that is not made better today. I been thinking about it all day. I went out to my shop and sifted through piles of junk I've accumulated over the years and couldn't find a single piece of equipment that has not been improved. I have fished Hardy reels and do not care for them. For the Perfect to win best of show was for nostalgia only. There is no comparison to the function of an Abel but if I were to back my truck over a fly reel, I think the Hardy would hold up better. But let's hope that does not happen.

I do believe technology has eclisped craftmanship. Things are made quicker and cheaper but still perform better.

Joe,
Nice post...I fish with some Old Guys that are Classics, especially their stories. I have some PENN Squidders and Jigmasters with the pearl and watermelon style reel knobs dating back from my Dad about 30+ years ago...

I see your point Joe. My Grandfathers Mitchell 300 will still be around long after my Stradic has found the bottom of the trash can. Todays equipment is hi-tech but disposable.

Joe,
LOL...yeah, I decided to come over to the dark side and see what is happening here, good stuff I might add!I'll be lurking in the darkness...its almost time