Newell reels are fine, especially my 229!  Lube the bearings and load with 20lb mono. Put a Tiburon frame on it and tune.  Casting bliss!   5:1 gears rip jigs from the bottom.  Fish it hard and wash it down.  Built for strength and heavy use in extreme conditions.  The Newell products have stood the tests of time and use.  Simple design with quality components!  They are a dream to work on and require minimal tools and knowledge.