U.S. Market Stella Vs JDM and Australian

[John Adams Smith]

Any differences between the Stella's in the three markets besides cosmetic such as the carbon fiber knob on the JDM Stella.

[Mark Harris]

As far as I understand it there are only two versions of the SW Stellas - the JDM and the export version that goes everywhere else.

I have been assured by a Shimano tech that the only difference is in the livery - i.e the orangey gold all over the export versions. A carbon knob does seem to come as standard on some of the small JDM models but not on the big ones.  The message is that if you can bear the nasty orange handle, buy the export version as it is always cheaper.

[Sha Zhang]

Save the coin and buy theexport model, that way the coins you save from the JDM model you can put it towards a spare spool. I personally don't mind the gold handles on the export model.

[Dave Hoo]

Hi,
I second the idea of getting the export model Stellas SW and save the $$ for spare spool or line.

However, there were always "rumours" of the JDMs being more refined than the export model and this makes decision making complicated...

I read somewhere that both are the same in terms of materials and engineering so I would start buying the export models..

cheers

[John Adams Smith]

I too have heard the rumors that JDM reels were built to better standards than the exports.  My personal feeling is that as long as it gets the job done then the product is good.

[William Espina]

i have both the jdm and us stellas, sw10000xg and 10000sw. there is no difference that i can see.

[Mark Harris]

Those rumours have flown around for a long while.  If anyone knows for sure that they are anything other than rumours it would be great to know.

A reel technician who I trust (although he is semi-employed by Shimano) has assured me that the JDM and Export parts are identical.

[John Adams Smith]

A carbon fiber knob on the us model would be nice.  I have a 10kFA with a 16k spool with 80# daiwa boat braid as my gt popping set-up and a 20ksw as my jigging set-up.  Have a fisherman knob on the 10 but the carbon knob just looks cooler.

[Luke Wyrsta]

I can promise you they are the same except for minor cosmetic to differentiate between JDM and export

[gus cisneros]

both are the same thing.

[Allan Chan Hian Lian]

If both are the same can anyone explain why the price differential by 20-30%? It'll take a big sucker to buy a JDM..
BTW, I'm a big, big sucker... 
Can Shimano stand up and stop all this query.

[Chuen Fan]

I think the JDM models come with a few other accessories (extra handle knob etc), hence the price difference. I could be totally wrong!

[Mark Gonsalves]

When comparing the schematics from my SW8000HG JDM and the schematics that accompanied my other Stellas the parts look like the same ones except for the knobs....................and maybe some cosmetics.  When I sent in my JDM 8000 for servicing,  they replaced many parts and sent the reel back right away.  I purchased a 10000 spare spool US market and it works on the JDM 8000.

[Mark Gwynne]

This should cover it. Safe to say they are the same mechanically so you are not getting an inferior product when you buy the export version. The carbon knob is actually pretty expensive. I guess with the cheap US dollar the difference in price between the two is even more exaggerated.

Cheers, Mark.

http://stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=647666&highlight=stella+review+alan

[Sha Zhang]

The Carbon Knob on the JDM is $200 on its own, so i would assume the extra you pay for JDM model is because of this upgrade/s and any other possible bling upgrades . I don't own any JDM models but i do have standard export models.