You will see that the cheap reels w/ alot of bearings are smooth for a few months then get loose and rickity. When you buy a reel or anything else just remeber you get what you pay for. Some people tend to think that I pay 500 bucks for a stella and they pay 50 bucks for some cheap import w/ a bunch of bearings that they got them same quality reel for a better deal? Duh...NO I have had mostly daiwa and shimano I will say that they cheaper shimano are better than the daiwa. But once you get up into the high priced reels they are pretty much even.