First reel was a Mitchell 300 spinning reel. It was the reel of its day. First baitcaster was an Ambassadeur 5500C. It was a horse and I kept it for a long time. Still worked great but man it was heavy.

Zebco and used to dunk the reel in the lake when it started to act up....lol....that dunk always took away all the goofy noises.

Zebco 33, and some kind of open face reel, it was named I think a (something) V-MAX. It was designed to help alleviate backlashes with its v-shaped spool design.

Mitchell 300 spincast

mitchell 300
garcia 5000

Zebco 33, first bait caster that I bought was a bill dance special when I was 11, caught a lot of fish on that combo, including my personal best.

Zebco 33. My first baitcaster was a ABU 5500C.

First reel was 33

First real reel was Lews BB-1 speed spool

The good ole 5000 red in color.

-Mitchell 300 growing up in Oregon fishing for trout

-$30 Abu Garcia Combo with a cheap low profile reel when I was stationed at Ft. Hood and learned to Bass fish and throw bait caster. I used to fish/get kicked off of the golf course in Temple where we lived.

Zebco 77
Fjord spinning reel
ABU 4600C

Zebco 77...???...and i thought i'd seen all Zebco's...that's a new one on me...

Garcia 5000D , green color , still have it . The " D" stood for direct drive . The reel handle spun backwards when the drag was going out , can't say how many times I set the hook on a T-rigged Jelly Worm when that handle spun backwards and tore up my right hand . it was paired with #6 Lews Fuji Speed stick , pistol grip version .
For my fist spinning reel , DAM Quick 330 , black color . Still have it and it also works great . German made I think . Paired with a home made rod built from the same blank as the Lews Speed stick , #6 , all fiberglass action .

My first was a pass me down Mitchell 300 and a Shakespeare Ted Williams baitcaster. The one below is an ABU 1500 C (gun metal) that I bought in the 70's. Used it for many years and still use it once or twice a year. Had Boca Bearings put in it a few years ago.

Zebco 22, and later a Shakespeare President. Wow that was early 50's.