ABU's Old Classics!

Hi Wayne,

 For your review and records, I have attached a pic of an Ambassadeur 5000 I have in my collection with GREEN side plates. My good friend, Simon Shimomura, provided me with the lead to the person that owned the reel and we made a deal. Simon told me that shortly after buying out Record, Abu made (not produced) some 5000 reels with red, champagne, green and black side plates and distributed them to select houses in an effort to determine which color would be the most marketable. As we now know, they chose the color red for the side plates and the rest is history.

 Back to my green 5000. After personally inspecting the reel, Simon could not absolutely say for sure the green anodizing was original but did say it was definitely professionally done. Could it be ?????? I will think so until proven differently, what say you??

The second pic (front view) is actually closer to the actual color of the plates. Condition of the reel is a 9.5.

 Cheers,

Lonnie mills

Rare Champagne Ambassadeur 5500 and box marked G for gold!

'Why have one when two are twice as nice?"

"From The Collection Of Lonnie Mills, USA"

The photographs are just stunning and let's face folks that's the only way most of us are ever going to enjoy many of the these classics....not to mention the prototypes... ..ah a quick flight to Svangsta, Sweden to the Museum to drool?  

 If you are a person that has collected some unusual ABU reels or significantly had an effect on design/development/testing of ABU equipment over the years please contact me  wayne@realsreels.com  if you wish your contribution documented for posterity and the immediate interest of the ABU fans worldwide!