Fish-Hawk.Net

On a trip a couple weeks ago I broke the tip off a Shimano Crucial rod. I went back to LeBaron where I bought it and they said too bad, send it to Shimano. Over the last couple years I've bought at least 6 Crucial rods there but this is the first time I've had to warranty one. I had assumed that they would do an over the counter swap if possible or at least offer to send it in to Shimano for me but no such luck. Was wondering if anyone else has received better service at other local shops or if some of the local vendors out there could shed some light on how they handle warranty returns because that's definitely the last time I buy a rod from them.

Thanks.

'' Maybe '' if you talk real nice to Ed at Paddletales you can work out some kind of deal........

Ed's a Classy Dude.......

thats how lebarons operates i don't go there unless it's the last place on earth i rather order on line from cabelas or pro bass or support our local merchants !!

lebarons suck!!

my 2 cents!

I second Ed at Paddletales.
Snapped my rod and he swapped it over the counter no problem, best shop in the area.
LeBaron sucks, will buy baits from there but thats it and only because I live 5 mins away.

that, my friend, is why you DONT buy from large retailers.....

you buy from your local shop....you might have saved 20 dollars on that rod purchase, but now look what you get to deal with.

my local shop has given me OVER THE COUNTER exchange on the following broken rods:

Shimano Convergence
Shimano Clarus
Shimano Compre
Shimano Crucial

G Loomis GLX

St Coix Wild River Series
St Croix Avid



(yes i break rods often, which is why i ONLY buy from a local shop!)

double post Sorry

I still have a broken one (CRUCIAL)in my garage. Same thing I took it back and they told me that shimano might exchange it if I sent I the rod to them. I have not gotten around to sending it to SHIMANO. I am disappointed becasue it was a 50th birthday present from my neighbours.

I can't for the life of me understand how often guys break rods.....I have been fishing for over 35yrs without my dad and have never broken a rod. They are for fighting fish. ..not hiking up a mountain side or using as a pry bar or getting snags loose.

That said even LB's has proven in the past they are a large chain retailer....not a service center or warranty center....so why even try?

They have good prices on a wide variety of products...that's where it stops.....personally I have had excellent service, conversations, support, and have even returned stuff without issue...

No wonder why some rod makers change their return/warranty policies when guys return 5-6-7 rods or more because they are broken....sooner or later they will start to loose money. And sooner or later they will all have the double ninety warranty....90 seconds or 90 feet out the door that's your warranty.



Take care of your sh!t and use it properly and it'll last.

My rant for the day!!

Another thing that I can't understand is some that are saying that even if you bought it at LB's return it to Ed???????

I know that Ed will do it no questions asked, but if I want that kind of service from Ed then I would buy it from Ed. Any big items that I buy I get it from where I know I will get service.

35 years without your daddy... what a big boy!!! Hope I can grow up to be like you one day! Maybe then I'll get excellent service at LB too!

I don't think anyone is actually saying take it to Paddletales to get it replaced, they were simply answering my question which was... Do other retailers offer over the counter exchanges or at a minimum offer to ship rods for warranty replacements? And it sounds like some of the smaller local shops actually do have an interest in taking care of their customers.

This being the first time I've needed to replace a rod under warranty I wasn't sure if this was standard practice or if other shops offered those services. Thanks to the guys who took a sec to actually read the question and give some advice. Next time I'm looking for a new combo I'll head out and see Ed.

Just for the record, I wasn't using it as a pry bar, hiking a mountain, or poking the eyes out of some internet know-it-all.... It was a week long trip with 2 sometimes 3 guys guys in my boat for 10 hours a day with a dozen or more rods on the deck. I picked it up, opened the bail and when the bait fell the rod tip went along with it. Guessing it may have gotten stepped on at some point. At $400-$500 a combo (and I've got more than a couple), I don't think it's gonna hurt Shimano's bottom line if I need to send a rod back every couple years... that's why I buy rods with a lifetime warranty.


Cheers

XXXL a Crucial rod broken I would send it to Shimano. Or at least give them a call and they may tell you to bring it to a certain dealer and they will set it up with him. I have sent a few rods in for repairs(guides were coming apart.) that I had bought second-hand. If you call Shimano they will give you the address and an incident number or something and then wrap up your rod and mail-it. It is well worth it.

Typical response!!

This subject comes up more often than needed....Broken rod woes we've heard them all ...over and over....stuff happens. Just because you put your rod in a boat with your cooler full of beer and ten tackle boxes that you must have for your trip, then do mach 1 down some bumpy dirt road to get to a lake and arrive to see your rod broken doesn't mean someone should honor a warranty. I can just imagine how many rods have been warrantied at the users fault.

BTW I wasn't specifically referring to your innitial post , there are other responses and comments here but I digress.

Nice poke!!!

Hey Guy's just for the record there is a difference between a guarantee and a warranty.

Warranty is against maufacturer's defects ...when a rod breaks two years in to its life it is probably not a defect

BIG JIM

Thanks for the clarification.

Ok then I change all my "warranties" to "guarantees"

I don't know why something like this always turns into a Le baron bashing fest.

Bass Addict wrote:'' Maybe '' if you talk real nice to Ed at Paddletales you can work out some kind of deal........

Ed's a Classy Dude.......

Which means if you were to buy a New Shimano Rod from him ...he might warranty the broken one.......Sounds like a good deal to me