Record Ambassadeur 5000 / 6000:

The first Record Ambassadeurs (1952) was the "Record Ambassadeur Model SG". with gray spool and gray star drag.Second model was the Record Ambassadeur 5000 (1953) gray spool and gray star drag. At the same time as this, the owner of Abu wanted to know if red was the right colour and so he ordered some reels to be made in other colours. Less than 100 were made in black, 12 in green and I am told one in yellow and some in purple. I have seen the green one and about six black ones. Red was the colour that was chosen. The next change was to the star drag which was in red.The spool was
eventually changed to red as well.

Information provided by Steve Woan

Ambassadeur 5000 / 6000

The earliest Ambassadeur 5000 / 6000 after the Records are more widely known among the collectors as the '4 screw' models. This is identified by 4 screws on the left side plate. Early ones does not have serial numbers. These reels also have porting of the end caps as well as the handle nuts to allow lubrication by their owners. The 5000 comes in double white handles whereas the 6000 comes in single white counterbalanced handle. ABU also introduces the first Gold Plated version of the 5000 in the form of "ABU Ambassadeur De Luxe, No 5000".

Later, improvements were made on the  '4 screw' models in several areas:

1. The star drag - overlapping the side plate to minimize exposure of the mechanism to salt or sand.
2. Porting on left/right end caps as well as handle nut were removed.

These reels were red in colour although small quantities were made in black to test the market.

Ambassadeur 5000C / 6000C

In 1968 (?), ABU introduces the first ball bearing version of the 5000 / 6000 reels in the form of 5000C and 6000C respectively. They are made black in colour.