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Fly Rod Warranty - Repairs

Started by Woolly Bugger, September 08, 2021, 16:04:24 PM

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How many times have you sent rod(s back for repair

1
2 (12.5%)
2
5 (31.3%)
3
2 (12.5%)
4
2 (12.5%)
5
1 (6.3%)
6
0 (0%)
More than 6
3 (18.8%)
one time at bandcamp I got my rod repaired
1 (6.3%)

Total Members Voted: 16

Woolly Bugger

I used to think that the rods came with unconditional replacements / repairs for a reasonable price. But Rhody was telling me that they majors have gone to a tier system based on the age of the rods. I assume that they have limited supply of parts for them at this point in time.

Sage.

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Winston.

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L.L. Bean has a one-time repair / replacement policy

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I think Orvis has a flat $60 fee as long at your rod is less than 25 years old... then you are SOL, or at least I assume that.


TFO is $35, but the last time I sent a rod off I had to shame them into honoring their "life time" warranty

Redington is $45, that's what I've found on the interwebs..


BTW my Sage rods are now Classic and my Orvis is well over 25...


ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger

#1
Let's see if I can recount the broken rods....

1,2,3 Orvis One Ounce, just the tip, ran over Harpers Creek, ran over Conway River
4,5 Sage RPL+ Brodk the tip, broke more than the tip
6 Double LL (Loomis Blank)  fell off the roof and run over by another car on the Davidson
7. Orvis Battenkill Bamboo ($450 13 months) Didn't count this one in the poll -- snapped roll casting off of a rock on the SoHo
8 TFO  - pulled into the pully of the anchor rope -- Drifts boat.
9 TFO BXII Albie Trip with Driver

10 Sage SP just the tip

11. Smith River Special (custom 1 wt)

12. Orvis One Ounce — replaced with Superfine Glass

13. Scott Sector 8wt — out for repair



I remembered more when I wrote it down.... <-;:




ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

driver

Thomas and Thomas
If you find yourself in need of service for your Thomas & Thomas rod, there is good news: we
can repair rods built as far back as 1994. There is a $65 service fee for graphite and
fiberglass rods registered to the original owner, and non-warranty repairs are available for a
reasonable charge. All repairs are done in-house, one at a time, by skilled craftsmen.

$165 for non-warranty

If you fish a lot you will break rods. Needless to say I'm not breaking any rods right now.

Dougfish

I've broken zero old glass rods in 10 years. 3 graphite rods have been broken. And I actually fish.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Trout Maharishi

#4
5 repairs, 4 tip sections, and Orvis did a guide re-wrap on the entire rod. Varying degrees of stupity and intoxication on my part. If you still snatch stuck flies from trees, or nymphs hung on the bottom, or fish under low lying tree limbs, quit. Some repairs were easier than others, Winston and St Croix sent new tips, great service all done in about a week's time. Sage made me mail the entire rod to them for a tip replacement, took about a month. Orvis did me a solid and re-wrapped all the guides on a 22 year old rod for FREE, took about 2 weeks.  Still good and bad. When rod companies started the no fault warranty replacements prices shot up. It's why you pay a 1k for a new top of the line rod now days. I have old Sage (RP) and Loomis (IMX, last of the Gary Loomis rods) that I know if I break it I'll be out of luck after reading this. I still remember when if you broke a rod it was on you. I paid $60 for the first graphite rod I ever bought. It was a Lamiglass with an aluminum spacer and probably a better cork than you can get on most rods today. You could buy a new Orvis graphite for about $100. We aren't just buying rods any more, we're buying insurance polices on them. I would almost bet the new replacement prices almost cover the cost of a new rod for these companies. I'm not sure some companies are gonna be around that much longer. I would honestly think twice about paying 1K for some of these rods if I were you guys.
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

Phil

#5
Yep. "Lifetime warranty" is now a joke and any repair is going to cost $60 + these days, it seems. Too many very good quality rods available now in the $200 - 350 range to spend 895 - 1k on one, imho.

<edit> Aaack.  I voted 4 on the poll. It was only 3. I now recall that I refused to send the Loomis rod back for the broken tip when I found out the fee. It's still in the basement.
2 returns were back when Orvis actually honored their warranty, 1 was a few years ago when I paid $60. Chapped my ass, it did.

Woolly Bugger

#6
 St Croix is only 15 year warranty and then they start charging big bucks....




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@Phil you can now change your vote....

At least one of my Orvis repairs was free... took it the the dealer and they shipped it free both ways... BUT, my orginal One Ounce came with a  black metal tube and with a brass cap. They sent me an entirely new rod in  cordura covered plastic tube. Pissed me off and I bitched and moaned, wrote letters and made telephone calls to no avail... Pissed me off to no end!
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Phil

Damn, Woolly! According to your last post quoting the St. Croix "warranty" -- my favorite Avid 7' 3 weight would cost $110 for them to "honor the warranty." I only paid $100 for it (on sale) new!  b';

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: Phil on September 10, 2021, 08:23:56 AMDamn, Woolly! According to your last post quoting the St. Croix "warranty" -- my favorite Avid 7' 3 weight would cost $110 for them to "honor the warranty." I only paid $100 for it (on sale) new!  b';

I would like to see some transparency in rod pricing... and the ability to purchase no-fault warranties as an option....

EXAMPLE;

Brand Z Rod -- $495 comes with standard defect warranty.

Additional Lifetime No Fault Warranty $395

Total $ 890




ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Onslow

Consumers should have rod piece options when purchasing a rod. It would make more sense if higher end rods were presented in the following packages > One butt, 2 second sections, 3 section 3s, and 4 tips. Sending replacement rods is wasteful in terms of physical resources used, money, and time.

Dougfish

Some blanks are available with a second tip section, Ken. Built one already, working on a second. Should be the rule on all rods. Extra tip, no warrenty.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Phil

Quote from: Dougfish on September 11, 2021, 15:32:33 PMSome blanks are available with a second tip section, Ken. Built one already, working on a second. Should be the rule on all rods. Extra tip, no warrenty.
2 and 3 weight 10' and plus Euro rods should come with an extra tip for sure, imo. Moonshine rods sells theirs that way, but I don't see a lot of other brands doing it.

Woolly Bugger

Broke my Sage SP 590-3 now a 4 piece — last foot of the tip section snapped while landing a fish.

Got home and went to the website for repair and was greeted with the message the they weren't accepting repairs at this time — with no indication as to when the repair shop would reopen!

 n!n 

I went to take the rod apart and it was hopelessly stuck — I had to resort to the cold shock method, which worked like a charm. First time I've had to use it.





ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Platypus

#13
I've sent a few Rods back in my time, T&T rebuilt the top section of an old 7 wt, cost some cash but well worth it, way cheaper than a new rod of same quality.  Sage helped me out a few times.  Once was for section of a 3 piece spinning rod they hadn't made in YEARS!  Basically irreplaceable became fixable because they are sage.  Cost me less than 100.00....edit..may have cost 125, maybe 175..may have cost 75.00...

You guys crack me up. Yes the warranties were awesome and unsustainable by the companies. You are asking them to replace something you broke..Seriously. Go buy something from Walmart.

Woolly Bugger

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!