Hey Ian, be very interested to keep any eye on this thread. Don't know anything about the Z6 so might do bit of research myself. Good luck let us know how/which u go.

these Jig Star Shadow reels are now available in a Z5 or Z6 model.
They feature Quattro AR - 4 way stopping by way of 2 AR Bearings and 2 AR Docking pawl. Gears are 4:1 with a ball bearing articulated T-bar handle to reduce fatigue and transfer all that arm power into cranking.

The twin drag washers are a carbon fibre material which have been treated with Cals Grease. The spool and sideplate bearings have been forced/soaked with CorrosionX lubricant which is also an anti corrosion treatment.

no pete, haven't committed to anything yet, need to hear from some owners and/or see some reviews...to be honest, anything i consider is competing with a JM PE5 for my very hard earned $$$ and obviously those are big boots to fill. like i said its a case of "do it once and do it right". will keep you posted.

FYI

http://www.btrfishing.com/forum/rods-reels/ocean-max-reels-compared-reels-jersey-coast-t711.html

It came with the rubber handle shown, awesome oversized grip. I have spooled it with 50lb suffix, may go to 80lb tho if need be, makes 35lbs of drag comfortably with free spool, more than enough to bring in a good fish or pull me overboard. I couldnt be happier with this reel, it is the 3rd version to be released, much improved since Maxel's agreement with a certain other asian reel maker recently ended.

I have to agree MIB, I am amazed that more people looking for a jig reel didn't find the same information as I did, it is all there, you just have to spend some time looking.
That reel company had success partly based on a very aggressive marketing strategy and partly based on the fact that they went to Maxel for manufacturing, Maxel's standards of build quality have benefited from this relationship and now that the partnership has run its course they are free to offer their own reels of equal quality at much more attainable prices.
I expect to see Maxel up the ante with their own marketing in the near future, I am surprised the NZ distributor is so quiet, jig fishing is growing in popularity all the time here and a company offering a quality product could corner the market with the right approach, just look at how many fishermen out there have the other companies reel and paid close to 1k for it in a lot of instances, I paid half that for mine.
Do yourself a favour, call John at http://www.tas-tackle.co.nz/ for the lowest price on Maxel reels in NZ.

just glad I didn't jump in blindly, the reel I looked at originally looks very much like the "Taniwha", it is likely a good reel in its own right but while I was researching it I got sidetracked by the Maxel and that was the end of the story.
A friend who owns and services his own reel from the other asian company opened my OSL08D up this morning and became visibly upset, he bought his 2 months ago and insisted at that time there was no alternative when I said I was looking for a jigging reel, this morning he conceded. He says now that he will never buy another of those reels and feels cheated, Hell...think about it, you could buy a 08 or 10 model Maxel and attach it to a brand new Jigstar ninja for less $$$ than the other asian reel alone.
I agree, the consumer does have the right to know who is behind the products they buy, unfortunately when two companies enter into a contract and that contract includes a non-disclosure clause, that is the smoke and mirrors, to the point that when Maxel representatives were asked point blank they had to lie because even saying that it was something they couldn't disclose would be an admission that there was a connection, now it is as obvious as the nose on your face.

ChrisW wrote: Men In Black wrote: Nice reel, glad to see you did your homework well. Very surprising just who makes what brands of reels out there and the variation in prices depending on who's name is stamped on them.... It will make for interesting times regarding the JM/Maxel reels and the recent ending of the suppluy contract between the two. It will be a little bit of a rock and a hard place for JM and JM reel owners in the fact that when they spilt company from Maxel do they continue with that design, what about the supply of parts. If they end up getting the same design of reel made elsewhere the irony is it will be a copy of their own reel...  if they continue with Maxel the same reel under the Maxel name is near 1/2 the price.... you do the math... Where is it confirmed that Maxel have stopped supplying JM with reels?

All we do know is that the original contract has ended, that doesn't mean the relationship is over.
The benefits of staying with Maxel are obvious, it will however become a difficult job marketing to new buyers who are aware of the alternative. 

Graeme, I'm probably not the only one looking at this and thinking this is not the time or place to be hijacking a thread on a new product. Bit sad really.

Agreed guys some opinions expressed as facts in here
I landed a nice King on Friday on a Z6 and was very impressed with the drag
A reel thats well worth the $ being asked for it and backed by one of the NZ industrys real Stalwarts.