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Random Quote: Aye Johnny, have you ever been lost at sea? No Cap'n, but I've been blown ashore many atime!
I broke an 80# class Star rod during a long, protracted swordfishing fight....local tackle shop contacted the regional Star rep and in a week I had a brand new rod in my hands. The rod broke in the upper third when an extreme amount of drag was applied after an all-nighter. I was impressed with my version of Star's customer service and the experience validated my trust in local shops. I subsequently purchased a few more Star rods from the same local vendor even though I could have saved a few $$ at BPS.
I broke an 80# class Star rod during a long, protracted swordfishing fight....local tackle shop contacted the regional Star rep and in a week I had a brand new rod in my hands. The rod broke in the upper third when an extreme amount of drag was applied after an all-nighter. I was impressed with my version of Star's customer service and the experience validated my trust in local shops. I subsequently purchased a few more Star rods from the same local vendor even though I could have saved a few $$ at BPS.
I purchased a Star jigging rod in the fall and like it a lot. I'm now looking between another Star and a Lamiglass. I guess this post makes my decision easy. As usual the local tackle guy is the go to guy for customer service.
Since I was the person FISHCOP spoke with, let me set the record straight. I seems as if he is just upset because he did not get free rods. These 4 Aerial rods were inspected by the sales manager (myself), two of our factory rod builders, and the owner of the company. All stated the same thing: the reel seats were not corroded. The seats were damaged and scratched as was two of the rod blanks themselves. Over time, these dings and scratches will corrode because the anodizing has been damaged. That is the nature of metal and salt water. His reel seats did show minor galvanic corrosion under the reel seat hoods (more on this later).
As for the corrosion issue, he has totally misled people on this matter. We all probably have removed a reel to find a white residue under the reel "foot." This is actually called galvanic corrosion that is caused by 2 disimialr metals coming in contact with each other. All aluminum reel seats will do this. As I told FISHCOP, to prevent this you would have to take the reel off of the rod after each use and clean this area. In his case, we simply used a damp cloth and wiped it off. This issue is very different than what he was trying to pull off.
Taking the reel off after every use is not practical. However, if the reel seat becomes damaged (scratched or dinged) more attention would have to be given to this if you want the rod (reel seat) to last a long time and prevent galvanic corrosion from being accelerated. If the reel seat is never damaged, the most that would be needed is to rinse with fresh water and wipe it off. Many types of marine lubricants will significantly reduce this issue as well. If anyone wants to know more details about galvanic corrosion, let me know.
Star Rods has a lifetime warranty against manufacturers defects. Damage caused by the user is not a defect in workmanship. For example, we would not replace a rod for free if it was shut in a car door or the finished was damaged because it had a "fight" with the dock while pulling your boat in. Star Rods tries to promote an "over-the-counter" return policy with the retail stores. This way, if a customer has a problem with one of our rods, they can simply take the rod back to the dealer for an exchange. This gets you fishing again quicker and we make it good with the dealer. However, this decision is up to the store owner/manager and is only valid as per our warranty against defects in workmanship. If the store does not want to replace the rod, you can call us directly. Depending on the issue, you may not even has to ship us the rod, you just get another one via UPS.
To put FISHCOP's situation in perspective, this is only the 3rd warranty claim we totally disallowed in the last 12 months.
I bought 4 of their best a few years ago and when I got them home and installed the reels on them (Penn 30 wide Intl's) I discovered that the gimbals weren't aligned because the reel seats were crooked. We are talking machined aluminum butts. When I stuck them in the rod holders on the back of my leaning post the reels were cockeyed. I took them back to The Fishin' Hole in Daytona where Gene happily exchanged them for Penn International Rods that were perfect.
Those were my last Star Rods.
I had the same problem and these "Handmade" rods must have been assenbled by a blind man. I sold all of my Star rods and replaced them with with Biscaynes and Penns.
Shin-Dig
It is my understanding that Star Rods and Penn is owned by the same company. From speaking with them in the past, Star Rods actually helped Penn redesign their rods. Dunno.....
Quote:
Since I was the person FISHCOP spoke with, let me set the record straight. I seems as if he is just upset because he did not get free rods
First I called your company to originally let them know that you might have a problem with your reel seats. I never asked for free rods. After telling Star rods about my problem It was you guys who said send them to us and well send you new rods. Who wouldn't send in one year old rods for new rods, especially after you have been told by someone at the company to do that!
QUOTE:
All stated the same thing: the reel seats were not corroded.
His reel seats did show minor galvanic corrosion under the reel seat hoods (more on this later).
So her we go again, they are not corroded, but they have minor corrosion. Which is it? Is it funny that out of all the rods I have which are the same model that the four with the different color hardware show signs of corrosion after just one year, yet rods that are two, three, and four years old, don't.
QUOTE:
Taking the reel off after every use is not practical
I agree!!!! However, isn't that what you told me to do to keep this from happening?
I own a ton of tackle, I clean my stuff more than most and spray all my stuff down with T-9 Boeshield after every trip! I have Rods, by G-Loomis, St-Croix, Shimano (Tallus), chaos, and Star. All my conventional rods with aluminum reel seat have that powder you referd to on them I just wipe it off when I remove the reels, it was only these four rods that were pitted after I removed the powder.
It is also important to note that the person I originally spoke to at Star was absolutely wonderful, and professional. It was this guy who was argumentative, confrontational, and adversarial. I couldn't believe he called me with such an attitude. If they weren't going to replace the rods, oh well! If this guy had called me and spoke to me professionally I probably would have understood his point of view better even though I didn't agree with it. Instead, he calls me with an attitude, telling me that there's nothing wrong with the rods and that there is no corrosion only minor corrosion, and that Ineed to remove the reels after every trip to avoid this. I couldn't believe it! I put him on speaker phone for my buddies at work to hear and they couldn't believe it. Look bro, no hard feelings, you lost a good customer, who not only supported your products but even influenced the sales of your products to quite a few charter captains here on the Chesapeake bay. As a matter of fact there is a major tackle company here on THT that started carrying your products after I bought those four rods last year on my recommendation of how good I thought you guys were. However, you can be rest assured that I will not only not recommend your products to anyone else but just I will tell this story to everyone I meet!
These are the reel seats in question. I know I'm color blind but tell me that the four rods on the left of the picture have a different color aluminum clamp? Is it a coincidence that these are the only four rods to show this Corrosion, I mean not corrosion minor galvanic corrosion.
Sorry for thinkning you guys might have gotten a bad batch of reel seats. I mean your quality control is so great. Look at what a good job you did lining up the eyes on these 5 rods. Whats your excuse there?
Galvanic corrosion on reel seats is caused when 2 different metals come in contact with each other. When a stainless steel reel foot is placed on an aluminum butt, the galvanic action begins. This is accelerated by salt water. Thus the white 'dust" sometimes under your reel foot. This is the case with any manufacturers aluminum reel seats since it is based on simple chemistry of the metals. The manufacturers of the reel seats anodize them to reduce the rate at which this reaction occurs. To prevent the "dust" from forming, you would need to rinse the reel seats with fresh water. I have even seen some charter captains put tape between the stainless steel reel foot and the aluminum reels seat to prevent the 2 metals from contacting each other. Marine lubricate will also assist if you want to avoid the tape.
However galvanic corrosion would not cause a reel seat and its threads to become scratched and dinged. Nor would it cause other parts of the rod to be damaged.
Well the wife just came home and advised me there was a box on the front porch that looked liked fishing rods. Sure enough, there back. Sorry for the blurry pictures, I can take them with my good camera and send them to someone if they can reduce and post them for me but in the mean time here you go. Notice the silver, Not white pitting and its even evident in the threads?
Too bad. I always thought star made a good product for the money. I own 6 small star rods. 4 spinning 15-25 rods for Penn 5500s and two carbaloy guide rods for wire line trolling. I broke a spinning rod on about a 10 lb bluefish with the drag set correctly. Fishermans outfitters replaced it no questions asked with the same rod. The wire line rods have also caught probably a thousand fish in 50 feet of water with 300ft of wire out. Thay have taken a beating and performed great.
Is it a coinicidence that users S2S and Korin have positive things to say about star rods and both of them joined THT today, the same day Star rods joined. You don't think Star Rods would do something that stupid to post on here under other user names in attempt to try and look good? NAH, no one ever does that!
I have about a dozen Star rods between 15-40 llb. rods, all of which have gone from black to a hazy white. I was told it was from poor quality epoxy, and that Star would not recognise this as a manufacture defect. Therefore, no warrantee.
If thats not a manufacture defect, what is?
Wont buy them again.
I have been contacted by Star, and they want to either fix or replace my hazy rods. Seems that the decision is left to the dealers descretion as to if they will exchange in store or not.
That sounds good to me.
I'll let you know...
I hope the retailers are reading this thread. Star wants them to trade rods and then they will supposedly trade them out from the retailer. This is Stars warranty:
Star Rods Delux, Handcrafted, Stellarlite, Nickelite, and Plasma rods are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. The Aerial rod series are covered by a Five (5) Year Warranty.
Star Rods, Inc will at its option repair or replace any Star Rod that has defects in workmanship or materials for a period as stated above. To obtain service under this warranty, purchaser may return rod to their local Star Dealer or contact Star Rods at 252-247-4113, ext 234. Star Rods is not responsible for damage caused by misuse, accident, neglect or normal wear. Star Rods will only warranty rods purchased directly from an authorized dealer and will not warranty any rod purchased from an internet auction site, pawn shop, or the like. This warranty supercedes all other warranties, expressed or implied.
It specifically states to contact Star OR your local retailer, yet they keep telling people to contact the retailer. I don't get it? I have Shimano rods and they're warranty specifically states over the counter replacement so thats what you expect. I have G-Loomis rods and with them you call G-Loomis, but star says to do either and if you call them direct the tell you sorry about your luck, call the retailer. Whats with these people?
Re: star rods....never again!!! 
