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I own several star fishing rods....approx 25. Last year I bought four new rods for trolling for Rockfish, stripers. I use the aeiral series because for the money its a decent rod, with what I thought was quality components. I have a ton of the same model rod that I use for trolling. Last year I bought four more. I noticed that the reel seats and clamps were a different color than my other rods, but due to the fact these rods are made over seas and most of my rods don't match up when it come to things such as guide placement I really didn't pay it much attention. Its important to note that I clean these rods and reels after every trip. Anyway I recently removed my reels to due some cleaning which I do several times a year. All my rods had the normal amount of salt that collects under the reels but on the four rods I bough last year, there was pitting under the salt. I called Star and told them about this corrosion issue and they said send us the rods and we will replace them. I pay 25 bucks and ship them to star. They call me back today and tell me that its not corrosion, and then also make up excuses about corrion and that they will not fix them and they are sending them back. How could four out of ten rods, have pitting and the rest not. I was told that all rods due this, and when I told him that none of my other rods were like that he actually got upset. He then told me if I had taken it top a dealer they could have probably just replaced them over the counter. None of this makes any sense to me. Its not corrosion, it is corrosion...WTF. He actually told me that if I take the reels off after every trip and store them with out the reels that this would never happen. He also told me to keep grease on the reel seats. Does any one else do this?
I used to consider Star a quality product, I have personally turned quite a few people here on to their rids since we use so many rods when trolling and they are a decent price. I will make sure that no one I know will purchase them again!
If it makes you feel any better I broke one last year on a modest grouper, 10 pounds or so. Broke right in the middle lost the top half due to the fish getting back to cover. Lost the fish too! I have one left. We shall see. Sc
I have got two 8' dlx (I think) and they have been great.... Mine have carbide guides so the wire won't chew them up and silver aluminum reel seats. I only take my reels off once in the fall for a cleaning and never noticed any corrosion. Just the white dust build-up (salt) that wipes off with a damp cloth. Have been using them 5 seasons now and am very happy....Must have caught hundred of bass and blues on each one and they still look new. Never used anything but boat soap to wash them after each trip????
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.
Thats pretty wild. Its hard to say if thats company policy but someone above that guy should be made aware of who's saying what about their products. Companies are always buying components that are below specs and they normally stand behind their product in spite of the fact that they were riped off by their supplyer. This sounds like star rods has a slacker working in the customer service dept.
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He also told me to keep grease on the reel seats. Does any one else do this?
I put grease under all my reel feet that are mating to a metal reel seat. I use an acid brush and a tube of the wheel bearing grease that I use on the trailer bearings. Just paint it up and forget about it till next year. It'll be nice and clean then.
Oh and take a look at my signature . good fishin' "RAINMAKER"
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20' Jones Bros BATEAU
282 Grady-White Sailfish
Doesn't sound like star rods are the way to go, but I always put grease on the reel seats, when mounting. When you put two different metals togther, it will want to corrode.
Star of today is not the Star of old. Star used to be a small rod company in Florida that made nice, hand-wrapped rods and did a lot of custom stuff too (kind of like Crowder or Chaos). Sea Striker bought them out a few years back, and now they're mass-produced like everything else. They still have good name recognition, but the rods are really just run-of-the-mill production rods and are certainly nothing special. In fact, the Aerials are virtually identical to the Sea Striker stand-up rods, except the Stars are more expensive because they say have the Star name on them.
Just wanted to give a shout out to ALLTACKLE. I bought the four rods in question from ALLTACKLE last year. As soon as Keith saw this thread he offered to replace all four rods. Another quality vendor with great customer service, courtesy, of THT. Its a shame that Star Rod's cant have the same customer service as their vendors. Its a shame that a local tackle shop has better customer service than a huge company. Thanks Keith at ALLTACKLE, and Wiley for THT!
"Glad I could be of assistance to you. We aim to please here at Ludicrous Tackle & Smoke Shop". Line two is buzzing, bye bye now..."Customer Service, Ludicrous speaking....you have corrosion on your reel seats?....we've never heard of this problem before with our product...."
ah, and she told me I was wasting time on this forum....look at what I am learning!!
By the way, for places where you would prefer a dry lube to some greasy stuff, try SailKote. its expensive, but its pretty good stuff. Evaporates quick and leaves a tough, teflon like finish on just about anything. For ferrous stuff that rusts, probably grease or fishoil (WD40) is better, but for non-ferrous stuff like aluminum or plastic...SailKote is pretty good. Dont end up with sticky stuff where you dont want it.
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.
fishcop: Keith and John at Alltackle are great....glad it worked out for you. I go in there often and it is nice to have a quality tackle shop close to where I live.
star rods....never again!!!
