# JBL customer service BELOWS! model differences?



## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

and so does their website. i emailed JBL 3 days ago and haven't heard anything. i also tried contacting them via the 'contact us' form on their website. nada. i'm about ready to just write them off and tell them to suck it IF i ever hear from them...

...but i can't bring myself not to explore JBL as an option. i like the single piece wood stock.


i'm doing my research trying to figure out which speargun i want to buy. seems like all the MBT guys and most people i've met on PFF have hard-ons for Riffe. they evidently make a 45" gun that i think suits me (it seems the 42" - 48" range is popular around pcola). my question regards multiple 45" models. according to their website the difference is the "Spearshaft Style - tip." the 45" gun with the "hawaiian flopper" (?) style has a range of 11.5 ft. however the 45" gun with the "threaded - large head" style has a 17 ft range. what's the difference and how can the range be 5.5 ft greater? i thought ranges were typically about 3 times the shaft length. does the threaded head shaft just come with a longer chord? what are the disadvantages?:001_huh:

JBL:
1. so a "woody" is a basic wood stock gun, I assume. wtf does "38 special" mean? i thought it was just a name for their wood guns but according to their site, they make a woody that is not a 38 special. (e.g. woody magnum vs. woody 38 special)

2. wtf does "sawed off" mean? (e.g. woody sawed off magnum)

3. wtf does "magnum" indicate? (e.g. woody magnum)

4. wtf does 450 mean? (e.g. Elite Magnum 450)

5. wtf is a Woody Magnum XL?

6. lastly (for now) is the elite just a trigger/grip/shaft upgrade?

maybe i'm blind but i could not find the answers anywhere on their site.

thanks in advance:thumbup:


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

The New JBL guns are fantastic for the price.
That coming from a riffe man, but I grew up the first 20 years shooting JBL. 
They went through a period were there handles were crap but they've got that fixed. for the money they're probably the best gun on the market...for the money.

IN JBL TERMINOLOGY

a "WOODY" is ANY of their wooden guns.

there are different lengths..the lengths go by name

so a 38 special is, I think 38" but I'm sure it's one of thier shorter guns...it comes in wood or metal
then comes the sawed-off which is like 42" I've killed AJ up to 100 pounds with them, Cobia up to 80 and Gag grouper up to 70 so don't let anyone convince you that you have to have a bigger gun.

Next up is the Competition Magnum...it's a few inches longer overall then the Sawed-off and it is more barrel and less butt so it's effective length (spear length and band strech) is considerably more.

Then the Magnum and the Magnum 450 which are there larger, bluewater type guns.

I've personally never owned the solid wood guns (handle to butt) but I've seen them and I'm pretty impressed for the cost.



below me said:


> and so does their website. i emailed JBL 3 days ago and haven't heard anything. i also tried contacting them via the 'contact us' form on their website. nada. i'm about ready to just write them off and tell them to suck it IF i ever hear from them...
> 
> ...but i can't bring myself not to explore JBL as an option. i like the single piece wood stock.
> 
> ...


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

On another question....the Elite appears to have the sharkfin style shaft (wich allows you to use a soft wishbone) verses the traditional Grooved shaft that JBL has used for so many years....


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

thanks for the quick reply. so what is the adventage of the soft wishbone?


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

You've pretty much answered your own questions. We have been disappointed in the fit and finish of the JBL guns. The mechanics on the JBL guns are sloppy and require a lot of force on the shaft to reload. The exposed spring on the line retainer is also a weak point. If you're interested in a top performing medium priced gun, go with an AB Biller. Biller has the LTD model that features a single piece stock. If you want the features and performance of a Riffe, don't try to skimp and just go with a Riffe - there is no substitute. Go with a biller or "spearfishing specialites" rock point spinner tip.


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

I know this is a totally different thing, but i LOVE cressi. The guns are pretty much the most affordable and I have never ever had any problems with any of my two. I love how light and maneuverable they are and i have never has issues not hitting the target right on (unless it was my fault)! They're pretty nice and sturdy as well! You can actually take the grip and muzzle apart, so you're left with grip, tube, and muzzle, which allows me to put it in a bigger cressi apnea bag which i use for traveling. Only the shaft won't fit. They have pretty strong bands for the guns too, and different kinds of them (circular and the others which hou can screw on). I really don't see why anybody would need a bigger gun unless for maybe like a big Tuna, because i'm sure my gun could finish off a nice big AJ by passing the shaft right thru, and I only have a 95cm/38".


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## OnGrade (Aug 7, 2009)

The aluminum rail guns are kind of cool and all, but you have all sorts of associated problems with them. #1. The way most people around here fight fish is shoot them and immediately make your way to the fish, if the fish is big, you go for a ride. I have seen more than enough pictures to know I wouldnt want to shoot much of anything I see with a railgun rigged with a breakaway. #2. the majority of railguns seem to come with a 9/32 shaft. The riffes, Billers, and just about every other wood gun comes with a 5/16 shaft. I dont know about you, but i like having a thicker shaft, and so do the ladies :thumbsup: . #3. The aluminum railguns have little foam plug seals that keep the guns floating, and are very prone to leakage, especially if you take them down deep a lot. #4. they have a thin wall aluminum tube as a barrel, and are a multi piece gun, and usually are built with alternating metals. The barrel is an extruded aluminum tube, and thin wall at that. Its great for small fish that are quick. Like black snapper, and down in the keys hogfish. Up here, our normal black snapper are much larger than they are down there, and youd still be fine but bigger fish could bend the barrel if you werent able to get down the line to the fish quick enough. They are multi piece. The handle, butt, barrel, and muzzle are all screwed or pinned in. More pieces equals more chance of a failure in my mind. Also, a lot of them use stainless hardware. I dont know your experience with metals and saltwater, but you dont want to have aluminum and stainless touching with saltwater if it can be avoided.
Saying that, I do think the railguns are kind of cool, and useful if you are in a situation where youre shooting smaller fish; need a gun that can track fast, and shoot fast. I have friends down south that loved them until they used my riffe. Even they agree that a wood gun is more powerful (lus you can overband a riffe or biller ltd). 

Just my small amount of experience and $.02


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

Hard-on for rife... because - simple perfection....fewer parts, no slide on the shaft to make noise and induce friction......just WORKS better. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.....If You want to go cheap.....just go with the biller.......It will kill fish, just not as gracefully. YOU CHOOSE YOUR STYLE. Anything in the 48" range is PERFECT for this area.....anything over that and you are only going for BIG fish in OPEN water.....anything under that and you are only going for SMALLER fish INSIDE WRECKS. The guys at MBT know what they are doing .....have been doing it for quite a while......If you get the chance to TRY the Riffe YOU WILL UNDERSTAND.:thumbsup:


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## coolbluestreak (Jun 27, 2011)

I've got two JBL's and love them. both woodys, one is a 42" 38 special(wifes) and mine is a 52" sawed off mag. They're only about 6 months old, with about 20-25 dives, no problems yet.......I'll most likely get a riffe next time, just because.
I've never shot a riffe.


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## OnGrade (Aug 7, 2009)

Riffe is the way to go! extremely quiet trigger, very smooth, very fast, and is dead on accurate. 
You'll hear the same thing over and over about them. So many people start out with the Billers and such and quickly change over to riffe.


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

thanks for the insightful posts, guys. this is really the first negative feedback i've heard about JBL. i just always hear that Riffe is better.:001_huh:


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

I love my new JBL wood gun no problems and I have shot alot of big fish with it ! :thumbsup:


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

For the Record ....I didn't mean to piss on JBL or any of the others .....I have owned them too, and killed a lot of fish with them...but I would NOT trade my Rife for one. The main thing about the other guns that I would NEVER go back to - the way the shaft has to run through a thrust bearing when exiting the gun....lots of friction, and can't be good for the accuracy either.....The Riffe RELEASES the shaft when you pull the trigger.....no friction, nothing to change its point of impact.....less noise = longer shot,more energy transferred to the target, quieter "dinner bell":whistling: .....Ask yourself.....would Riffe really still be in business if their product was not superior to the others, but still cost more?


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

Firefishvideo said:


> For the Record ....I didn't mean to piss on JBL or any of the others .....I have owned them too, and killed a lot of fish with them...but I would NOT trade my Rife for one. The main thing about the other guns that I would NEVER go back to - the way the shaft has to run through a thrust bearing when exiting the gun....lots of friction, and can't be good for the accuracy either.....The Riffe RELEASES the shaft when you pull the trigger.....no friction, nothing to change its point of impact.....less noise = longer shot,more energy transferred to the target, quieter "dinner bell":whistling: .....Ask yourself.....would Riffe really still be in business if their product was not superior to the others, but still cost more?


 
harley davidson is... :innocent:


lol...i see where you're coming from.


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

Well, guys....I FINALLY heard back from JBL. For everyone's info, the message follows:
==========================================================
Thanks for the email. The spear gun names are more or less there just 
for branding. The 38 is the smallest, followed by the Sawed Off, then 
the the Magnum, and lastly the Magnum 450. The Magnum XL is the only 
one that really varies from this set up. The shaft and bands on it are 
the same length as a standard Magnum but it is overall longer. It has a 
9" extension making it easier to load from the hip. The 38 Special has 
a couple different variations. There is the standard one, with 2 9/16 
bands and a 5/16" shaft. The there is the 38 North West which features 
3 bands and a thicker shaft, then there is the XHD model which features 
thicker barrel construction, shorter bands, and a reinforced trigger, 
Lastly there is the Elite 38 Special which is set up for silent 
operation. It utilizes shark fin tabbed shaft and kevlar wishbone 
bands.

All of these guns will more or less do the same thing. It just depends 
on what you are looking for in a spear gun. For example, if you plan to 
dive reefs I would look for something smaller such as the 38 Special or 
Sawed Off Magnum. If you're going to do more open water diving I would 
look into a larger model.

If theres other questions you have just let me know!
==========================================================


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