I posted earlier about rebuilding a Loomis IMX flyrod and I was wondering about the warranty if I scraped the factory decal off of the blank? If that voids the warranty, how would I go about replacing the cork handle on this flyrod, being that there is a hook keeper and and extra layer of epoxy on the area where the company logo is? Thanks in advance again.

I could be wrong, but I believe anytime you change or alter a factory rod, it will void the warranty. I think you would have to send it to them and have them do the repairs to keep the warranty intact. Just a guess on this one, but I could not imagine them covering non factory repairs unless you were an authorized dealer/repair shop.

Howard - I don't mean to be impertinent, but what's the point of worrying about the warranty in any case? What I mean is, I think the warranty applies to the rod you bought. I think the minute you mess with it in a substantial way, except to have it repaired, you just voided the warranty. You might want to call Loomis directly - they're pretty nice folks to talk to - and ask 'em, but I'd bet that's the answer you'd get. You're worried about the decal, and I think you need to worry about the effect of messing with the major parts of the rod itself. If you take the hood ornament off a car, that doesn't void the warranty. If you mess with the engine, you've got a whole 'nother problem.

I broke a Fenwick blank once, just after I completed budiling it. I'd built it for my daughter. She really wanted the rod. I called Fenwick, since I'd bought the blank from a dealer and they simply referred me directly to Fenwick (how's that for "Customer Service"?). Fenwick wanted the whole rod back (it was a two piece, and the tip section folded) including my stuff and we made a deal (yes, I actually got the name of a real person on their end) that no matter what their decision might be, I'd get my parts back. Fairly quickly, they sent back the handle, the broken tip (with my parts), and a new tip. They wanted to see if the break was due to something I did. It wasn't and they kept their word. This was over 25yrs ago and I don't know if there's anybody there anymore who would even talk to you, instead leaving it up to the dealer or even worse, the distributor; but I don't think Loomis is like that just yet. The difference in my case and yours is that your rod hasn't broken yet.

I'm not a lawyer. I'm just speaking from experience (and common sense) here.

- hope that helps.
Uncle Russ

Russ,
I must say the the vast majority of the vendors on this site not only have excellent customer service but I have never had any bad experiences since I started using them. I want try mentioning names because I would leave someone out.

Paul,
If you alter a blank or factory rod in anyway then I think the rod is out of warranty......Russ is 100 per cent right in that the people at loomis are great.....
Yall have a good day.......

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

I think the warranty would be affected but after this much time does it really matter?

Ken is right, you would never get your rod back, the newer ones are a completely different design. Glass scrim, etc.

Howard:
What may be the true crux of the matter with regard to warranty in this instance is that You bought a USED G-Humis rod and warranties are usually not transferable, so in effect it applies only to the original owner of the rod. I believe the warranty was voided at the point of purchase in this case.

Even when I build a rod for a client, not having a resale license or the ability to buy the blank at a wholesale price, I will have the client buy the blank retail and have it sent to me for custom construction, just to show the original purchase was in their name



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2006 02:03PM by Chris Karp.

Howard,

It's been my experience at Seeker Rods, that any alteration in our factory rods (with the exception of cutting the blank) does not void the warranty. And, in fact, if you Buy a Seeker Factory rod, and strip it down to the blank and rebuid it your way, The blank is covered under our Lifetime limited warranty. Even if you put a ferrule in the middle of that blank, it'll still be covered by the warranty. I believe this issue may be dependant on the Rod manufacturer.

Paul Panzer
Seeker Rods





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2006 03:11PM by Paul Panzer.

It certainly is and I'd say that Seeker has a very lenient warranty policy in that regard according to what you've just stated. Best bet is to ask the manufacturer directly before you do anything that might be in question.

Seeker has always made some great blanks.

...................

Howard,

If you break a Seeker factory rod, even if it was done in a car door, You'll only pay a $40. or $50.(plus tax) replacement fee. Which is better than an entire new rod at retail price. But, to alter a blank by an extension in the butt or a ferrule in the middle will not alter or void the warranty. However, If you extend the tip, by whatever means, the warranty will be voided. When you extend the tip with another piece of blank you create shear points and this will cause the blank to fail as it was not created to be that heavy in the tip section.


Paul Panzer

My father in-law sent a factory loomis that was bought second hand back
for warrenty replacement due to a break and the rod was replaced with no
questions asked. He did however have to pay shipping and some other type
fee. (around $50 total)

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Yes Loomis had an Expiditer Program once, I am not sure it is still is in existance where $50 was the shipping/handling fee involved. If Loomis has a transferrable warranty they would be one of the few MFG's that allow such a cause in their warranty.

As for the slash a Seeker rod/blank and still maintain a warranty, that has to be a industry rarity and some what bass-ackwards to my way of thinkjng with regard to how loads could effect a rod. Seems to me a Mfg rates the entire rod to hold up under a given load, cutting off some of the blank means the same load now has to be absorbed with less MFG product and more subject to failure than adding a butt extension to the rod which allows the same load to be spread out over a now greater area. Seeker must make a good rod to support a warranty like that

Chris,

The pattern placements/design accompanied with mandrel design combine with the material(glass/graphite) ensure a strong and dependable rod. All rods will break if used improperly or purposely abused. At Seeker Rods each pattern for a blank has been designed longer than the specific rod the patterns will produce. Once the rod is baked and pulled off the mandrel, it's wet sanded and trimmed, first from the tip to achieve the specific tip size, then off the butt to achieve the overall length of the specific rod model. This procedure doesn't change the action of the rod except for the tip size. For instance if a CLB804 (Composite Live Bait) blank pattern is cut, it's usually cut at 100" long, but when the blank is finished it'll be 8'. At Seeker we don't encourage you to cut a perfectly good blank in half and install a ferrule(which creates new shear points) needlessly, but sometimes it may be absolutely necessary. Generally, if your honest about it, and you don't give us a line like "my dog chewed the tip off", we are very lenient with our replacement policy. We try to be accomadating to all fishermen, weather your catching 3 lb Rainbow trout on a river, or catching 300 lb. yellowfin tuna off of mexico. Ask Tom Kirkman, He's been to Seeker rods.

Paul Panzer