Lamiglas warranty $$$$$ WOW

[robertthornton]

Lamiglas better get with the times. How is a company like Lamiglas going to compete with companies like Shimano, or Diawa. With $15, and $10 over the counter warranty, Lamiglas is in big trouble charging 100’s of dollars for warranty repairs. They lost my business, and many others. Oh and you are not allowed to swing fish with Lamiglas rods, it voids the warranty.

[Oldschool]

The power rating numbers on some rods ounce met the maximum dead weigh that rod could lift. Example a 4 power rod was designed to lift 4 static pounds without breaking. Today the power numbers have no real basis. This doesn't imply a 4 power rod can bounce a 4 lb bass. You bounce a 4 lb bass and blow up the 4 power rod, why should any rod maker warrant that kind of abuse?
How Lamiglas chooses to warrant their rods will, at the end of the day, determine if they are competitive in the market place.
Tom

[Tin Can]

My buddy just got his rod replaced, no questions asked for $70. He sent it in directly to them.

Where are you seeing them charge 100's of dollars?

[godshippy]

I haven't heard of anyone paying 100's of dollars for a rod repair either...Lamiglas makes a fine product and they are falling a little behind in their warranty department, but they still offer some good service.

[Gene Buchholz]

Lamiglas has jst changed their warranty policy. It varies with what rod you have for instance you can go into any PARTICIPATING Lamiglas dealer and exhange a Certified Pro Rod for $70.00 others are cheaper. If your rod is over sized it may be a little more.
Any Questions you may call me at 925-625-2441
Thanks Gene

[Marc]

Just to clarify, Lamiglas still has the lifetime warranty for manufacturing defects (no fee other than mailing cost). The additional warranty is a "no questions asked" warranty as a customer loyalty gesture for those who accidentally break their rod.

Lamiglas makes their own rods right here in the USA, and their warranty is more than fair.

They don't try to make a rod that is indestructible like an Ugly Stick; they make rods that help us catch fish.

ciao,
Marc

[robertthornton]

XPS 763 7' 6" 1 1/4-½ 6-15 5 Mod/Fast 3 $220 spin

XC 661 6' 6" 1 1/8-½ 6-12 1 Mod/Fast 1 $230 cast

CC 703 7' 1 3/8-¾ 8-20 2 Fast 3 $112 cast

Soon to be in the classifieds if you all like lamigls so much pm me with your offer and when I get them they are yours

[robertthornton]

G 1316-T 9' 2 2-6 20-50 3 Fast Ex Heavy Kenai Killer $280 cast


MBS 86MH 8' 6" 2 1/2-1 ½ 10-20 2 Mod/Fast Med/Hvy $130 spin

also for you salmon guys

[Charles]

cost me $100 to have my SR705 replaced.

[blakebass21]

I just sent in my Lamiglas drop shot rod. The tip broke off when I set the hook on a snag. I gave them a check for $20, a note telling them that this happened, and sent the rod back and got a brand new rod for paying just the shipping fee a few weeks later. Their warranty service was very helpful and easy to deal with.

[JamesH]

It also cost me $100 for my SR705 when they said it wouldn't be covered by warranty. Mine broke while casting a DT 10 crankbait.... They didn't tell me why they wouldn't warranty it, just that they were going to be nice enough to sell me a new one at a discount....

James

[492slayer]

Robert, I hope you're not dumping your rods because they won't warranty it if you break it swinging a fish in the boat. No rods are designed to swing fish in a boat. Many people do without ever having a rod failure, others break them routinely and then complain because the rod was of a poor design. High sticking, swinging fish and hard hooksets all play havoc with rods. When I say a hard hookset, I'm not talking about allowing the rod to load up under the weight of the fish, I'm talking about guys that "snap" the rod when setting the hook. There is a big difference in a sweeping hookset and a hard snapping effect. Treat your equipment the way it was designed by the rod makers, and you will have a nice tool for many years. Throw them around in the boat, rod lockers, back of the truck... and you will develop micro fractures in the resins and graphite fibers , thereby shortening the lifespan of the rod, as well as having that rod fail when you swing that little 2 lb bass in the boat. 4lbs of dead weight hanging off the end of a graphite rod puts a considerable amount of strain on the blank.

[896J]

Actually, it may not be Lamiglas who needs to get with the times. It's practically business 101 that the lifetime warranties that have been offered for many years now don't add up. If a company sells a certain number of rods a year and small percentage of all rods sold get broken eventually, then they have a slow year after a decade or so, they could replace as many rods as they sell. Basically, the liabilities go up with each rod sold. I personally think the warranties that some of the companies are offering are unsustainable, unless they decide one day that rods that didn't break in the first year or so of use obviously didn't break from a defect or craftsmanship . It's a very tough thing for a company to turn down a warranty claim because they know it's going to loose that customer for life... I can definitely appreciate Lamiglas' warranty policy.

[kb]

I agree there is nothing in fishing that has a lifetime warranty. Why do fishing rods? $16,000 outboards come with 5 years.

[robertthornton]

If they wat to sale me a rod everytime they break thats fine. I'm just saying good luck trying to compete with Shimano, and Diawa, who seem to be at war trying to take over the rod industry. They both now sell high end rods. You guys out there with Lamiglas rods cant tell me that there warranty did not change. I'v been a Lamiglas guy for 12 years up untill they changed there warranty. I know the writing on the warranty did not change just the service.

[492slayer]

I guess it's like my G. Loomis warranty on the first IM6 rod I bought... Lifetime warranty. Period. I still have that rod I bought 27 years ago. I also have about ten others that I've bought since then. Now it's $60 to exchange over the counter, or send it back and be at the mercy of Loomis. (It is a Shimano owned company for those that didn't know)

[kb]

Robert there is only so many things we can do as pro staffers to try to help you but before you sell all your rods or give them away or whatever you are going to do try this. Here is the number to Lamiglas 360-225-9436. Call up there and ask for John Posey, he is the head guy at Lamiglas. Tell him your situation and how you are not pleased and see if John can do something to make you happy, if not then I guess there are other rod companies for you.

Lamiglas isn't making rods the majority of their rods over seas and they aren't Shimano or Diawa. Those companies have that replacement price built into every product they build and their profit margin is much higher than many of the smaller rod companies and yes Lamiglas is considered one of those smaller companies, family owned and in the U.S.

Companies like Dobyns, Lamiglas, Kistler, Powell can't compete with the Shimano's and Diawa's. Loomis couldn't that is why they are owned by one of the power companies (Shimano).

I forwarded your message to Lamiglas when you sent it to me last week, emailed John and he said he would look into it. Now I am telling you to give him a call and see if there is something that they can do for you.

Hope this helps
Kent

[Marc]

Let me just add that many do not understand that rod building in the USA is not the profitable business that many assume is the case. In a couple of issues from now (if it pleases the editor) in Bass Angler's Guide Magazine I will have an article that shows the entire rod building process (pictures are from the Lamiglas factory). I will show the process from taking graphite cloth to finishing line guides.

The manufacturing of almost any product in the USA is much more challenging and expensive than overseas (I have personal experience as the manufacturer and owner of QuickDrops). The payoff is in quality control and expertise in getting the proper rod taper and design and materials to accomplish the job. Ultimately the end result is a product to be proud of, that makes fishing the enjoyment it should be.

Some think a warranty is an insurance policy. If it breaks, they think it should be replaced no matter why. Some companies have this policy, but don't think there isn't a cost. These companies typically use imitation instead of innovation in their designs. They hire cheap labor and don't provide quality control. If the innovators like Lamiglas were to disappear, the others would have nothing to imitate.

How does a rod perform great off the shelf, but when it breaks a year or two later doing something that was done to the rod many prior times with no adverse effect, the rod is suddenly "defective"? I think not. If we treated our high end bass rods like a fly anlger treats their rods, breakage would rarely occur and warranties wouldn't be necessary. How many case their rods after use, and put them in unbreakable protective tubes like you would with a flyrod?

Lamiglas, like other similar rod companies, receives many warranty claims that are not valid as manufacturing defects. Nonetheless, they are very fair and have been able to stay in business even during this tough economy while others have faded away. They can't please everyone, but they do listen and they do try.

I recommend you try kb's recommendation.

ciao,
Marc

[massbaster]

I think lifetime warrantys will be thing of the past in the near future, even Shimanos and Daiwa. How many guys do you think have broken a 4 or 5 year rod on purpose to get a new one? Even if they have to pay 50 to 70 bucks, they figure what the hell im getting a new one. The U.S. rod market is the only one where we are getting lifetime warrantys. Its crazy especially on something as fragile as a fishing rod. Kistler and now Lamiglas ,they wont be the last.

[WormFisher]

Well if they are offering a lifetime warranty you have to look at how much it costs to manufacturer the rod originally. The replacement cost/warranty cost is probably more indicative of the real cost of the rod, less advertsing, etc. Also the companies want you to buy their product again and tell your friends how much you like their warranty service. That's the kinda stuff that keeps them in business.
I think lifetime warranty's will continue on some of the hgher end stuff.
Look at all the bad press Lamiglass is getting here based on several guy's experience.

[programgeeks]

Now it's $60 to exchange over the counter, or send it back and be at the mercy of Loomis.

FYI, G-Loomis has the XPeditor program where you could return a rod to them and you'd get a brand new one back, shipping included, for $50 no questions asked.

The only problem I have is that Loomis doesn't make rods w/ foam handles and split grips. But Shimano does and their warranty is unbeatable.

[robertthornton]

Let me just add that many do not understand that rod building in the USA is not the profitable business that many assume is the case. In a couple of issues from now (if it pleases the editor) in Bass Angler's Guide Magazine I will have an article that shows the entire rod building process (pictures are from the Lamiglas factory). I will show the process from taking graphite cloth to finishing line guides.

The manufacturing of almost any product in the USA is much more challenging and expensive than overseas (I have personal experience as the manufacturer and owner of QuickDrops). The payoff is in quality control and expertise in getting the proper rod taper and design and materials to accomplish the job. Ultimately the end result is a product to be proud of, that makes fishing the enjoyment it should be.

Some think a warranty is an insurance policy. If it breaks, they think it should be replaced no matter why. Some companies have this policy, but don't think there isn't a cost. These companies typically use imitation instead of innovation in their designs. They hire cheap labor and don't provide quality control. If the innovators like Lamiglas were to disappear, the others would have nothing to imitate.

How does a rod perform great off the shelf, but when it breaks a year or two later doing something that was done to the rod many prior times with no adverse effect, the rod is suddenly "defective"? I think not. If we treated our high end bass rods like a fly anlger treats their rods, breakage would rarely occur and warranties wouldn't be necessary. How many case their rods after use, and put them in unbreakable protective tubes like you would with a flyrod?

Lamiglas, like other similar rod companies, receives many warranty claims that are not valid as manufacturing defects. Nonetheless, they are very fair and have been able to stay in business even during this tough economy while others have faded away. They can't please everyone, but they do listen and they do try.

I recommend you try kb's recommendation.

ciao,
Marc

I aggree with you %100. Go U.S.A. Any company that stays here and has product made here other than having it made for cheep in China and other Asian markets is all right with me. But Japan in an exception to overseas market in my opinion. There quality control used to suck till we bombed there *** and rebuilt there country. Now it seems that they are ahead of the game. Both Shimano, and Diawa make an outstanding product line. You cant say its more expensive to manufacture something here than in Japan because the cost has to be close. Japan is in no way China.

[programgeeks]

Let's think about this. How much does it cost an insurance company to insure a $145 - $400 fishing rod considering the following stats/guessitmates:

80% of buyers take care of their rods, 10% get abused and the other 10% are either destroyed/lost at the bottom of the lake, in a fire or whatever so the warranty will never be used. Let's say the rod gets replaced once out of every five years on average.
Y
My question is given my guesstimates how much would the cost of insurance be to insure the newly purchased rod (at a cost of $145 - $400) when the claimee is paying a $50 co-pay per rod on a warranty claim?

This insurance amount would then be added to the price of a new rod. I'm thinking warranty insurance is one of the reasons why we pay premium prices for premium rods.

If that's the case, why are we paying premium prices for rods w/ no premium warranties?

[Oldschool]

I own and fish with rods manufactured by several different rod companies. Lamiglas has supported their products over the past 30 years with customer service second to none, including Loomis. Top quality rods with excellent customer service.
To understand the Japanese quality program you should read Toyota Kata by Mike Rother.
Everyone should understand what is going on in the world of manufacturing today is affected by counterfit products made in China, Indonesia and other countries that do not honor trade agreements or patents.
Nearly everything manufactured in high production quanities today could have counterfit component parts that are up to standard.
Most companies rely on their suppliers not to cheat and when that happens it's the companies name on the product that fails.
Tom

[DanIsaac]

First, let me start by saying I am not going to comment on Lamiglas or their policies. I would just like to clarify a couple of things already discussed previosuly.

1)

GLommis was not sold to Shimano because they could no longer compete with them. A large part of that decision was made as a result of Mr. Loomis having been diagnosed, with what the time was thought to be terminal cancer. Thankfully he has since recovered, but at the time he felt GLoomis would best be served being run by an industry leader.

2)

Shimano has offered their "Over the Counter, Lifetime Warranty" since the introduction of V-Rods in late 1998, and while I am not at liberty to discuss specifics, I can assure you their return rate is ridiculously low.
A number so low, most would not believe it. So, that being said, I don't see Shimano's warranty going anywhere, anytime soon.


Dan