ABU GARCIA Ambassadeur Classic C3 – Fishing Reel review and price compare 2025

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Product overview

Brand	Abu Garcia
Material	Stainless Steel
Hand Orientation	Left Hand
Color	METAL
Handle Material	Stainless Steel
Item Weight	11.3 Ounces
Bearing Material	Stainless Steel

product features

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Left-hand retrieve baitcast round reel with free spool baitcast design
Allows for superior accuracy and long-distance casting
Stainless-steel roller delivers instant anti-reverse hook-setting power
Ultra-smooth Carbon Matrix drag system; 5.3:1 gear ratio
Spool capacity of 14 pounds/245 yards (mono); weighs 11.3 ounces

product description

The Abu Garcia Ambassadeur C3 casting reel offers you the smooth casting action of stainless-steel ball bearings. A stainless-steel roller bearing delivers you the solid hooksetting power of instant anti-reverse (except 7000 model).

product details

Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.2 x 4.8 x 3.1 inches; 15.2 Ounces
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2007
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Abu Garcia
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B098XFP4N1

important information

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Questions about ABU GARCIA Ambassadeur Classic C3 – Fishing Reel

how do you use it?

Answer: If you mean, what do I use it for, usually for Catfishing. The free-spool feature of most bait-casters allows you to set a bait, and when the fish picks it up and runs with it it will feel almost no resistance. Great for Catfish, Carp, etc. If you mean technically, how does one use it. That is a difficult thing to describe because there are many steps (adding line, setting drag, casting, etc.). I would go to Abu Garcia's website. You can download manuals and schematics for all of their products. I will say that I've bought two of these, and they perform VERY well. Excellent products.

Answer: You place your thumb on the spool pull it behind your head and throw it forward as any casting reel while removing your thumb from the spool. Be sure to place your thumb back on the spool before it hits the water otherwise the spool keeps turning and you get a bird's nest and have a mess.

Answer: Usually attached to a rod.

What pound test line MONO works best for this reel? 17 Pound or 14 Pound?

Answer: both work but using a braided line will offer a significant advantage. You can spool more line in and the casting and retrieving will be much smoother. I use a 40 lb braided line on this reel which would equate to a 10 0r 12 mono. a braided line is more expensive but worth the money.

Answer: There must be very little difference between 14 and 17. I personally used power pro braid. 15 lb test with the equivalent to 4lb test mono. Works great for me.

Answer: 14 works the bests !!!

Answer: Both! Equally! Reel is wary good and useful.

Answer: I've got 20 lb on mine.

how to get parts like the crank handle?

Answer: do you have the manual that came with the reel .or go to abu Garcia website and see if they can help you

Answer: Try e-bay, if not there you can go directly to abu.

Is the embassadeur c3 good for salt water?

Answer: yes....its an acceptable salt water reel. most guys i know that fish in the ocean prefer the Penn reels...but I know of quite a few guys that use the c3 for the salt. The reel is not conditioned...that I am aware of....for the corrosive affects of salt water and so extra care may be required.....but any reel exposed to salt water should be cleaned regularly anyway. the drag is 15 pounds;not the highest in the industry. Abu's wench being at 24 pounds, if I remember correctly, but I use my c3 for salmon in swift water and can keep up with most chinook.

Answer: Yes. I Always use for salt water fishing. Just remember to rinse with tap water every trip

Answer: Have used it in the piers, beaches and rivers of the Puget Sound for a while now with no problems. Rinse well in fresh water and wipe dry then air dry after each use.

Is the warranty valid when purchasing it online through amazon?

Answer: To my knowledge, Abu Garcia does not use an "Authorized Retailer" type of system. It shouldn't matter where the reel is purchased so long as you can provide proof and date of purchase. If repairs are needed, you would want to use an Abu-Garcia Authorized Service Center for warranty purposes. See Abu-Garcia warranty information here: http://www.abugarcia.com/support/warranties

Answer: yes it is. I received mine back but it tookabout 4 months for them to fix it & send it back.you also pay for shipping & include a check for $7 or $8 S&H. If you can live with that, then the reel is worth it.thanks

Is this reel made in Sweden like the other high quality Abu Garcia's or is this one made in china?

Answer: The 46/55/6500 C3s are still made in Sweden. While some will argue quality changes over the years, they are still solid performing reels.

Answer: It's definitely made in Sweden and I will back it 100% I haven't oiled the durn thing skin nearly 2 years and it still throws like a brand new reel!

Answer: Hello Jake. This one is made in Sweden (not like others ones). It' s a great fishing reel! You will not regret about it!

Answer: This is a real Abu Garcia, high quality made product as always, and yes, it's also made in China. Unfortunately

Answer: It's stamped made in Sweden on the reel. I've had good luck with it.

Answer: This reel is made in Sweden.

Answer: China. Look at a c5 if you want a good reel

Answer: Jake,

Answer: This one is Swedish made, stamped on the side. I believe only the BCX series is made in china.

Answer: Yes this is Swedish

what the max line #

Answer: For mono, 20# is about the most I would do. For braid, 50#+. Your limit will be how much drag force you can get without totally locking up, maintaining smooth drag, castability (lighter lines cast better), and your rod. This reel can hold more than enough line of the heavy stuff.

Answer: I use 14-17lb mono, 20 ok. Braid or other small diameters can go higher.

Answer: I used 12-20 mono, but mostly 25-35 braid. I'm sure it could go higher for braid, probably around 50.

where is it made?

Answer: look on the side, they are made in Sweden and China. i buy only the ones marked " MADE IN SWEDEN" if it doesn't have that marked it's made in China.

Answer: The 6500C3 is MADE IN SWEDEN

Answer: MADE IN SWEDEN

Answer: Svängsta, Sweden.

dose this modle come in rigt

Why can I not received it to my Arizona adress ?

Do they have in red

What is the warranty on this item?

where is it made?

Answer: look on the side, they are made in Sweden and China. i buy only the ones marked " MADE IN SWEDEN" if it doesn't have that marked it's made in China.

Answer: The 6500C3 is MADE IN SWEDEN

Answer: MADE IN SWEDEN

Answer: Svängsta, Sweden.

what max line #on 6500c

Answer: I fish Muskie and I run Cortland 36 Lb. braided dacron with no problems. Have been using this reel since the 1980's. Good heavy duty reel.

why are you charging $530 for a $119 reel?

Does 6500c3 have a clicker setting?

Answer: Yes. I assume you mean the setting that "clicks" when a fish takes the line out.

Answer: Sorry, I don't know. I just paid for these for a friend, and they were delivered to him. It should state whether or not it has a clicker in the description. Try looking on the Cabela's or Bass Pro sites.

Answer: yes it is one of the reasons I bought the 6500 series . Use them for stripper fishing , all good .

Answer: Yes, it does.

Product reviews of ABU GARCIA Ambassadeur Classic C3 – Fishing Reel

NICOLAS CARPENA : Excellent reel

This is an incredible reel. It is my first Abu Garcia and I am very happy about that. I fully recommend this product.

mattthomas20 : Great reel for a good price, cant beat it

I would recommend this reel to anybody, Abu Garcia for life, and Lew's reels are great forever too. I found a deal on a nice baitcast rod that is valued at $50 and got it for $28 , I would recommend a combo like this to anybody.

Alsovain : WOW LOOK

I mean what is there to say about the best fishing reel ever i mean ever i have been useing these for years and i won't use any thing else. I have landed a 75 LB catfish with one so do i need to say any more. Just get one you won't be disappointed with it.

bsweezy : great reel for the $

This is a great reel. It cast smooth and retrieve is super smooth! I put it on a shimano tallus Bluewater 7' rod and 50lb power pro. I caught two blacktip sharks both around 5' today the reel preformed perfect. I have a feeling this rig will be taking down some cobia this year!!!

BT : Good reels

I use these reels for salmon fishing. I think I have 7 different ones. I still use c3's and c4's that are over 15 years old. I just clean them up at the end of the season. Clean out any grit and lubricate, just need to change the ' Paul' every 2-3 years. That's it.

Ross Polk : GARBAGE!

Obviously Abu Garcia quality control is non existent! And Amazon will not take it back because it's been more that 30 days since I purchased it! Bought this reel on 4-20-2014 and today 6-1-2014 was my first chance to use it. First hook up and the reel seizes up! Completely SEIZES UP! I cannot move the handle at all! Took the reel apart after finding out that I cannot return in and found that the bearings are frozen solid! First USE!!! Very disappointed with Abu Garcia and Amazon return policy!

PinMd : The absolute perfect left hand bait caster!

I own two 6501c3's and have just ordered a third. I use mine exclusively for surf fishing. A very wise man told me to spool these with about 100yds of 20lb braid then attach the 17lb suffix mono with a alberto knot. a pretty neat way to ekk out some extra line capacity. The other thing I do to mine is eliminate the level wind. You can buu a cnversion bar on line several places that goes in place of the level wind worm gear and cover. Talk about casting a country mile!!!

Ashley : Great reel

It is exactly what I wanted.

tim hakenson : fantastic

made in sweden and works and feels great. this reel casts great and the drag does handle LARGE catfish with ease.

Goetz von Berlichingen : This was the best reel I could afford.

I loaded it with 50-pound mono. I will never buy anything except Abu-Garcia.

Jim Merkelt : Item Returned!

Had to return this item as my kids had purchased me an entire fishing rig (rod, reel, etc.). Reviews I read prior to buying this item were my reason to purchase it.

ddshaker : The best

For a level wide reel I don't think, for the price, you will find anything much better. It's non my favorite reel especially for trolling.

Deborah Atkins : Perfect Reel

I love these reels and had to purchase another before they remove the clicker like they have on some of their other models.

Steve P. : Great little reels

Great little reels just make sure you get the C3. They do sell a Ambassadeur 6500 that is a plastic piece of junk. I own 10 or so C3's is various models. They are great little reels. Have caught lots of trout, kokanee, salmon, stripers and even sturgeon on them. They are too small for sturgeon unless you are in a boat.
They have great drags and are my favorite kokanee and trout reels, especially the 4600's. I have pretty much given up on them for salmon. They work great but I have pretty much went to line counters and I am not a fan of the C3 line counters. Overall they are great little reels but it is getting harder and harder to get a good deal on one. $120 is a little steep and I think there may be better reels in the price range.

cecil : This is a great reel for strippers and cat fishing

I have had one for several years. I thought this one had the clicker on the left side so it would steal when a fish hit but the pic I was looking at when I ordered it appeared to have one. The 5500 I have was only 79.95 when I purchase d it. Prices have increased considerably.
This is a great reel for strippers and cat fishing.

gelrod : quality basics

Good to see that the trusted ABU product is still at high standards. The week after receiving caught a 40+ redfish. Reel worked flawlessly. I learned to throw a level wind with a Garcia 40years ago, but there are more forgiving reels out now.

Icekrusher : Bought my 6500 from a WAL MART on a trip ...

Bought my 6500 from a WAL MART on a trip to Alabama back in 2004. Since then I have used it mainly for Southern California saltwater fishing. It has served me well landing Bass, Rays, Halibut, Barracuda and the occasional Leopard Shark. This reel is a work horse and doesn't seem to be letting up at all! You can't go wrong with this one!

Spooky D : Does what it done do and did it well.

I'm a noob to baitcasters; been using spinners my whole life but I dig this reel. Casts nice, easy and far with minimal effort. I filled it with 15lb mono using 3/4 ounce weights. Bird nested it real nice once but that was just user error. Still getting used to these things.

The only thing I don't like about the reel is the switch for the bait clicker. It is the only part that feels weak and partly because it is made out of plastic and partly because it is a little wobbly. I do a lot of shore fishing and I feel like if I accidentally dropped my rod onto some rocks this would be the first thing to break.

Other than the bait clicker switch it feels solid overall. I don't see this thing breaking any time soon. I did a bunch of research on this reel and finally decided to drop my dough on it when I saw a video on youtube of some guy rebuilding a C3 his friend found at the bottom of a lake. The guy did a minimal part replacement if any and just cleaned and lubed a reel that was sitting at the bottom of a lake for ages.

Anthony Lamia : 6500c3 abu garcia baitcast reel

these reels are a fantastic piece of workmanship, i have been using them for years,use them with a bit of common sence and they will last a lifetime.

Jorge : Five Stars

Recomendable

HIRAM FOSTER : Bomb proof reel

This reel is bomb proof. I’ve had mine sine 98 and I’ve tried to kil it. It can’t be done. It’s been dropped,I’ve missed a good fish and slammed it on the ground. Go two years without cleaning or lubing. It doesn’t matter it just keeps fishing. I run 20lb stren mono on it,and it’s basically a winch. I’ve been hooked on downed trees in the water and just pull the whole tree to the shore. Lol Mine sees duty every now and then,as she’s semi retired. My Revo SX does most of the heavy lifting now. Don’t hesitate getting this reel guys, you won’t be sorry.

John Hendricks : Five Stars

????

Kindle Customer : Don't do it

I have owned these types of reels for years , never have I bought a reel that would not spool the line . Do not buy this china made reel.

Mick : Ambassadeur 6500 C3

Brilliant reel. Exactly as advertised by amazon.
Good price, good service, nice quick delivery from amazon, as usual.

The reel itself is solid and well made, made in sweden like all good ambassadeurs.
Easy to use, easy to cast and big enough for some decent sized fish.

A dream to fish with!

Definately recommended!

hog182 : Slaying Catfish with 6500C3

I love to tight line for Channel cats and I do it old school. No special rigs, a hook a sinker and bait.
I have always used cheap reels and they would wear out pretty fast with big fish.
I decided to take a chance on the 6500C3 even though I have never used a baitcast before.
Wow! What an amazing reel. One reviewer mentioned returning it because of the backlash. That's all about the user. After a few cast I had it down pretty good and have had no major problems with backlash.
I've had a few occasions when I had to adjust the drag while reeling in a fish. It's a piece of cake with this reel.
The reel is very strong and smooth. The only problem I have is it is too smooth. If I leave the reel "open" and a fish takes it, the line comes off so smooth that the pole doesn't move. That's easily fixed by turning on the bite alert.
I'm getting ready to order another one.
If your willing to try it and practice with it, I don't think you can beat this reel.

BT : Good reels

Bruce Hope : Too early to tell

I just bought this reel and so far it works and casts well. I certainly like it better than the low profile reels that are touted. While this reel is reportedly made in Sweeden, I still like the features of the Kalex reel I bought a few months ago, particularly the spool release. The Kalex has the release in the center of the reel body making it a one hand operation to cast. With this reel, the release is on the side frame which for me makes it a two hand operation to make each cast. Not a major deal, but I'd like this one better if the release was in the center. We'll see how they hold up against one another.

Joaquin Leao : Impecable

Es una marca que es muy recomendable, se disfruta al pescar con este reel, vale la pena y es recomendable

MoneyTrain512 : Four Stars

Decent reel for large fish requiring a lot of casting..

Steve P. : Great little reels

Sayla Ray : boyfriend loved it

I got this for my boyfriends christmas present last year. He really loved it. I know much about fishing reels so cant get specific.

Eric M. Jennings : Great, sturdy reel.

This is a very nice and sturdy reel. While I haven't perfected casting, I've still gotten some very nice casts with this reel.

As with any baitcaster, backlash is a problem - but I have had only one instance where I wasn't able to untangle the backlash.

Great reel, I'd definitely recommend it.

Robert G.Snite : Don't leave the dock without one.

I've had a C3 on my boat since 1975 and consider it an essential piece of equipment. While technology seems to have passed it by, don't believe it. It's basic, tough, and reliable. Today I use it on my light action rod for casting shallow water crankbaits with 8# mono and it's perfect for the job.

Charles Jackson : Great reel for the money!

Its a great reel for the money, so far I have land a Drum and some Turtles on it.

smorty : Great quality, reasonable price

Love the simplicity of the ambassadeur. Easy to cast, alarm clicker is essential for baitfishing.
Highly recommend abu garcia ambassadeur reels.

-VM : Nice Reel

Purchase for son who is an avid fisherman. He really liked how smooth it spun. He hasn't taken it fishing yet but he's one to spot something good and comment on it and he really liked this reel.

gelrod : quality basics

-VM : Nice Reel

Purchase for son who is an avid fisherman. He really liked how smooth it spun. He hasn't taken it fishing yet but he's one to spot something good and comment on it and he really liked this reel.

Joe : Perfect !

How do you rate this product? perfect ! Thats it. !Abu Garcia 6500C3 Ambassadeur C3 Baitcast Round Reel (3 Ball-Bearing...

fylpz44 : Abu-Garcia C3 Series

Love it this is worth the price and is a good size, I use with 30lb test. I would recommend.

stanier : This is a class product

Notwithstanding the ability to help you catch fish this Swedish fishing reel is an example of excellence in engineering. As a professional engineer I respect the precision and selection of materials that goes into this model. Dont waste your time with Asian knock-offs. They may look pretty but you don't know what materials have been used.

It was great that Amazon sold a left hand reel as all my local fishing shops only had right hand models. This I found weird as a right handed fisherman holds his rod in the right hand for that s where the power is needed and uses the reel to recover line. There are more right hand people than lefties.

Danny : 6501 First baitcaster.

My wife surprised me by buying this reel last week. I tried it out today on the Santiam River. I was worried about tangling it up really badly because I'm new to baitcasters. I had a few little tangles, but nothing too bad. I used a 3 oz pyramid weight on a slider and a few different lures. It casts and retrieves so smoothly. It feels like a reel that will last a lifetime. I want every size of it now!

John Black : Five Stars

fantastic reels. smooth and priced right.

John Hendricks : Five Stars

????

Ahmad A. : expected better for the price

this reel had some problems mainly casting distance & line retrieve speed.frankly I expected better for the price,nevertheless i did land a 40 lb black drum using it.after using it 3 times the handle that secures it to the rod broke off. I decided to send it to Abu Garcia to fix. I still think it's worth it but it may be wise to invest in a better reel if you can afford the price tag
Update:
I have sent it to Abu Garcia to fix 2 months ago & I have yet to get it back. questionable customer service. I'm starting to regret this. Thanks

Jeremy : Good reel

Would have given it 5 stars if it was still made in Sweden but overall it's still a great reel. Was a little hesitant to order because the description didn't say it was a 7000i C3 and I've been misguided before by descriptions. However it is the 7000i C3 so we're good to go.

Loaded the reel with 300yds of 50lb braided line and it has room to spare. Took a couple casts to get it tuned with the weight I was using but after that it casted fine. I paired it with an Ugly Stik Tiger Lite and it's a match made in heaven. I haven't got to hear it sing yet from the larger fist but from what I've go so far it's done a great job. Might have to order another to have a matching set.

I'd recommend anyone looking for a hardworking reel for a great price.

Fede_ : Four Stars

Great value for money. Simple baitcasting reel but very reliable

William George : Great Reel.

Great reel. Highly recommended

hog182 : Slaying Catfish with 6500C3

the_Jay : Great Reel!

This Reel is what you would expect from a Swedish Made product. Easy to use, already caught 2 Sockeye Salmon on the Fraser River with it.

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