Customer Service !!

[CopperJonny]

Saturday I broke my rod tip , during my first cast of the day ..I sent er sailing across the pool and nearly spearchucked a Brown I was casting too . lol .. Awe sunken heart all right !!! Yet I was out with some friends and had a blast none the less !!

This Morning , monday morning I went to Springbrook Calgary ands was treated promptly , punctually and within 10 minutes I was out the door with a brand new tip , and ready for action again without a missed skip .. ( except yesterday as I am pretty hardcore and only come home to snooze and power up for the next adventure lol . And it was a Sunday so I'm sure they have to fish sometime too ) ........ Really though I just have to give a hats off to TFO and there exceptional service !!!!

Unfortunately I can't say the same for another local rod company ... yep you guessed it .... It was a cold and dark Sunday on the Bow river in Feb 2012 when I noticed my Scandi line outside of one of my guides on the second section from the tip on my Metal Detector 400 .... So I restrung through all of the guides , scolding self for missing one when I noticed that "that Titanium " guide had snapped right in the middle section of the metal , broke right in half .. the "titanium" guide was now two pieces rather than one continuous spiral ..... Frig i said what the heck ?! ...... some "titanium" !! I thought ..

So remembering the "Warranty" of the rod I immediately and promptly ceased casting , so as too save the rod and line from getting damged , aned with a somewhat sunken heart I called Pieroway... no answer .. left messages ..... finally about 3 weeks ago I had gotten ahold of them , and was told they would call me right back the following week ... and still nothing !!! I have tried calling and still no answer ... Thought I would share this ... I am definately choked and unhappy regarding service ..

For an up and coming rod manufacturer and fledgling entrepreneurship , I see a huge failure to communicate in this manner !! I for one am pretty sure I shall never again purchase another rod or any gear from any other than tried and true , in the least definately will heed the reputation .. my bad for giving anyone a chance , even though I hear warnings from others past experiences !!!

As I type this , my broken rod is beside me and unusable as it has been for nearly four months now .. and will continue to be in this shape for as long as I can imagine ... Some good this is !! So its great that its pretty I suppose , to look on the bright side , guess I spent the money on a display handle totally useless for service .... never again !!

If you see this " to whom it may concern " ... could you please get a hold of me , and I will " Shirley" aknowledge here the fact !! ....... maybe ....... if I ever get around to do it !

One unhappy customer !!

Jonathan . aka CopperJonny

[Swede]

You think thats sad I bought 2 sages for 1500$ , got them home and found out my 90$ rod had a nicer reel seat than the sages. yup agree never again lol.

[ÜberFly]

Yous pays your money, yous takes your chances!!

[pkk]

The rod isn't broken, just the line guide.I have never sent a rod back because of broken line guides. It is a very easy fix that you can do by yourself. it won't be the last time one of your rods needs a little love. If you take it in to get fixed elsewhere it will probably cost the same or less than what TFO charged for a replacement piece. Yes TFO has a great program and we are fortunate that they are here in Calgary. Also unfortunate that pieroway hasn't helped out or given some suggestions.

 

The whole lifetime warranty is an interesting thing.Unconditional warranty. Not many products in the world have that. Dont think there are many rods that are broken when actually fishing.

 

PK

[Hawgstoppah]

I must be unlucky then, out of the 4 rods I have broken, all have happened while fishing. One on a bad cast with a streamer that tore off the rod tip, and the other three while fighting fish. They do break. I also guided a fellow who just picked up his brand new Peiroway rod... nice stick, felt nice to cast for sure, but it also broke on him during the day. It was a cool day, maybe they are not too good for the winter. Durability score for me was low, but the rod itself felt very nice, casted smooth, accurate, and without much effort.

[pkk]

I must be unlucky then, out of the 4 rods I have broken, all have happened while fishing. One on a bad cast with a streamer that tore off the rod tip, and the other three while fighting fish. They do break. I also guided a fellow who just picked up his brand new Peiroway rod... nice stick, felt nice to cast for sure, but it also broke on him during the day. It was a cool day, maybe they are not too good for the winter. Durability score for me was low, but the rod itself felt very nice, casted smooth, accurate, and without much effort.

 

The times that they do break while fishing are largely do to nicks or dings in the rods from poor handling or poor casting ( flies hitting the rod ), not defects in the rod.

Some rods are more prone to breaking than others. Typically the cheaper ones.

PK

[Pipestoneflyguy]

I posted this on MountainRiverWalker's facebook page this morning...

 

Orvis Helios 905-4 5 wt flex tip flyrod - $875

Orvis warrantee repair fee - $30

Shipping one rod & tube to Vermont - $41.50

Having Candyman pick up your favorite flyrod out of a row of TFO's and rental Dragonfly's, to show a class of newbie flycasters how NOT to thread a flyline and actually breaks your effin rod demonstrating how NOT to do something - then hearing my voice yelling across the entire town of Lake Louise "WHAT THE F%&$ PAUL" - PRICELESS !!!

 

I called Country Pleasures and they were very helpfull and offered excellent service - I decided to go to Orvis Direct and so far am quite pleased with the process. Good luck with yours Copper

 

As I mailed my rod yesterday, the missus mentioned that another buddy also mailed 3 sage rods yesterday - I think Peter's comment nailed it right on the head !

 

[mickberry]

You think thats sad I bought 2 sages for 1500$ , got them home and found out my 90$ rod had a nicer reel seat than the sages. yup agree never again lol.

 

 

Grn D,

 

interesting....never had any problems my sage reel seats (fingers crossed) and they don't just hang out in the closet either.

 

busted an old rpl + twice (my fault) and each time and the discontinued model was repaired, cork sanded, and back in my hands in a month.

 

anywho not trying to turn this into another rod pitching thread, just wondering why you are worried the reel seets?

 

is it the look/feel of them or have they actually failed you?

 

 

[ÜberFly]

Rob,

 

If I send direct I always try to send it down with someone that I know is going to the States to send it through USPS. Canadapost $30+ to send from up here USPS $5 - $10 from pretty much anywhere in the States! Not a option for everyone I realize, but a good one nonetheless for future reference!

 

P

[dutchie]

Saturday I broke my rod tip , during my first cast of the day ..I sent er sailing across the pool and nearly spearchucked a Brown I was casting too . lol .. Awe sunken heart all right !!! Yet I was out with some friends and had a blast none the less !!

This Morning , monday morning I went to Springbrook Calgary ands was treated promptly , punctually and within 10 minutes I was out the door with a brand new tip , and ready for action again without a missed skip .. ( except yesterday as I am pretty hardcore and only come home to snooze and power up for the next adventure lol . And it was a Sunday so I'm sure they have to fish sometime too ) ........ Really though I just have to give a hats off to TFO and there exceptional service !!!!

Unfortunately I can't say the same for another local rod company ... yep you guessed it .... It was a cold and dark Sunday on the Bow river in Feb 2012 when I noticed my Scandi line outside of one of my guides on the second section from the tip on my Metal Detector 400 .... So I restrung through all of the guides , scolding self for missing one when I noticed that "that Titanium " guide had snapped right in the middle section of the metal , broke right in half .. the "titanium" guide was now two pieces rather than one continuous spiral ..... Frig i said what the heck ?! ...... some "titanium" !! I thought ..

So remembering the "Warranty" of the rod I immediately and promptly ceased casting , so as too save the rod and line from getting damged , aned with a somewhat sunken heart I called Pieroway... no answer .. left messages ..... finally about 3 weeks ago I had gotten ahold of them , and was told they would call me right back the following week ... and still nothing !!! I have tried calling and still no answer ... Thought I would share this ... I am definately choked and unhappy regarding service ..

For an up and coming rod manufacturer and fledgling entrepreneurship , I see a huge failure to communicate in this manner !! I for one am pretty sure I shall never again purchase another rod or any gear from any other than tried and true , in the least definately will heed the reputation .. my bad for giving anyone a chance , even though I hear warnings from others past experiences !!!

As I type this , my broken rod is beside me and unusable as it has been for nearly four months now .. and will continue to be in this shape for as long as I can imagine ... Some good this is !! So its great that its pretty I suppose , to look on the bright side , guess I spent the money on a display handle totally useless for service .... never again !!

If you see this " to whom it may concern " ... could you please get a hold of me , and I will " Shirley" aknowledge here the fact !! ....... maybe ....... if I ever get around to do it !

One unhappy customer !!

Jonathan . aka CopperJonny

 

 

in my opinion , all rods can break , seen even the best of them fail , allot of times it is the fault of the guy using it , i'v snapped rods a couple days later after i knew i had hit the blank with split shot or a big heavy streamer , and yet i'v seen brand new rods first time out on the water break

 

the rod that you had the tip replaced Johnny is the way it should also happen , in the door , pay your warranty fee and back out with the new tip , nice to have TFO in our backyard ,

even when mailing in a rod for a repair it should be fixed asap , the big name companies most times do the best to get the buyer happy as word of mouth travels , plus the high cost of the rods today makes room for the repair cost to be added in ,

 

your rod thats broke now with a snake guide is a simple easy fix and one that should be taking care of by the builder right away as he's local , not like they have to build you a whole new tip , just a rewrap on one guide , my advice after trying to have them fix or repair it with no LUCK , would be to go see the forum member CDone and ask him for help as he's done some rod building ,

 

always it's buyer beware , ask around before you spend your hard earned cash ,

 

and worse case Johnny , just get some good ol duck tape and patch it up , won't hurt your casting none and at least you'll be fishing

 

[Jayhad]

Rods like all tools break if used, just make sure to get a lifetime warranty from a company that will be there when you need it. Bummer CJ but you don't need that pig stick for drifts

[skearns]

The rod isn't broken, just the line guide.I have never sent a rod back because of broken line guides. It is a very easy fix that you can do by yourself. it won't be the last time one of your rods needs a little love. If you take it in to get fixed elsewhere it will probably cost the same or less than what TFO charged for a replacement piece. Yes TFO has a great program and we are fortunate that they are here in Calgary. Also unfortunate that pieroway hasn't helped out or given some suggestions.

 

The whole lifetime warranty is an interesting thing.Unconditional warranty. Not many products in the world have that. Dont think there are many rods that are broken when actually fishing.

 

PK

My favourite is the Bass Pro lifetime redhead wool socks guarantee....on my third pair now, just take the old ones to the customer service desk, no inspection, no questions asked....great wading socks for the cold mtn rivers. ( btw I also have engaged Cdone in the past for some minor rod repairs with great success)

[CopperJonny]

Yeah you're right , all rods break that's a "shore" thing , and yes its definately not as useless as i originally sounded like .... i do have a replacement , my TCX and its merely a matter of time ... .. fortunately it has been dry season so i would'nt have used it either , lately ... and it's not my first breakage of rod either ...

I have definately heard of the turn around times sometimes with the big name brands , yet personally I am not very interested in off the shelf as much as i used too . And given the fact of turn around times , it wouldnt be any different anyhow , I understand that . Another member actually built this work of art , and it is custom and a beauty ! It casts beautiful and handles the heavy lines without a problem at all . After all , I did fall head over heels for it and bought it . I am certainly all for local and smaller companies , and will do my part to support "the little guy " ! I merely feel maybe they still have a part to do as well . I have had plans to learn rod building myself as well , for self growth .. I just haven't had the chance as of yet ... I humbly apologize if I sounded harsh , I do have a habit of coming off a bit ass like , until i think of it later ..lol . No harm intended !

I am only suggesting , in order for one to promote a company to friends , colleagues and future clientelle , I feel a company has a responsibility to their clients . Past , present , and not just future ... They absolutely did offer help when I finally had gotten ahold of them , yet still waiting for some communication ... and yes , i haven't been sitting and waiting , have left messages even since the original post .... Come on guy's whats up ? any communication is better than none .. I would love to see more Canadians getting in on a share of the market , in all fields , services , and industries ...

 

[Swede]

Grn D,

 

interesting....never had any problems my sage reel seats (fingers crossed) and they don't just hang out in the closet either.

 

busted an old rpl + twice (my fault) and each time and the discontinued model was repaired, cork sanded, and back in my hands in a month.

 

anywho not trying to turn this into another rod pitching thread, just wondering why you are worried the reel seets?

 

is it the look/feel of them or have they actually failed you?

Just for a 700 dollar rod you would think they would put a little pride into it . The the real seat is ugly and cheap to boot. sure its a great little rod but so is my cheap 90 dollar one.

Every rod Ive ever busted was my fault. took the tip clean off one chucking enough weight to sink a small ship. Also like Dutchie Ive had rods break a few days after ticking it with a splitshot.

[SanJuanWorm]

I'm a huge fan of TFO. It's all I have other than 1 orvis dry fly slinger. There's no need to go anywhere else as I've had exceptional service from both Fish Tales and Springbrook when they spontaneously break. Sorry to hear about your dealings with the other company. Maybe they'll respond if you keep on them?

[Guest Wrecker]

You think thats sad I bought 2 sages for 1500$ , got them home and found out my 90$ rod had a nicer reel seat than the sages. yup agree never again lol.

 

you figured this out after you bought the rods? LOL!

 

with sage you pay a lot for marketing, warranty, marketing and more marketing.

[Guest NamasteMushroom]

you figured this out after you bought the rods? LOL!

 

with sage you pay a lot for marketing, warranty, marketing and more marketing.

 

There are no graphite rods worth $500+

 

You're paying for brand, and over-priced esthetics (cocobolo, and bird’s eye maple / nickel seats, cork.....not exactly the rarest of items)

 

And the warranty ...that's why the rods are the price they are; you've already purchased a second. TFOs are cheaper because they're offshored, and Sage are higher priced because they're US built (not their reels though, and they still want US prices for those).

 

No matter what you think, are told etc. Fly Rods are not precision crafted metaphorical Stradivarius' (save Bamboo). They're a mass produced piece of graphite, with some cork, and wire guides...and maybe a tiny piece of exotic wood.

 

.....show me a rod that will help you catch more fish.

 

Just sayin.

[Swede]

you figured this out after you bought the rods? LOL!

 

with sage you pay a lot for marketing, warranty, marketing and more marketing.

Its a pittance

[Taco]

Other than from abject stupidity ie; truck doors, bouncin' spare tires and or loading a graphite rod 90 past degrees, the only rods I have ever snapped whilst fishin' were the cheaper off shore rods. By cheap I mean under $300. They better have a good replacement warranty or they're sales life would be short.

[cpraud]

I just saw Geoff a couple days ago to return some epoxy he had loaned me for building one of his rods at home. It sounds like he's been up north working for awhile and I believe he's gone again for a week or so so I wouldn't be holding my breath for getting that guide fixed in the next few days. I have to agree though, he is tough to get in touch with, but when you're a one man show something has to give I guess.

 

Another guy that may be able to help with rod repairs is Bowbiker, not sure if he does that type of thing or not but I've seen pictures of some of his rods and they are pretty impressive as well.

[alan2]

Orvis ain't all its cracked up to be either.

 

I won a 6 wt T3 several years ago and the reel seat was a piece of junk, always loosening. It was selling for $950 Cdn at that time. First time the tip broke I sent it back I also complained about reel seat, they returned same rod just a new tip section. 2 yrs later, it split lengthwise and to make sure they replaced the whole rod, I broke 3 of 4 pieces, again they replaced those 3, I still had the same crappy reel seat. Recently the tip broke and they can't repair it now---obsolete and are replacing my $950 rod with a $350 one which they say is equivalent. But for $350 I can upgrade---Hah! The replacement came and it was 8wt instead of 6 wt. I am waiting another 5 wks now. Hope they get it right.

 

I had asked for money back instead but since I won it, it apparently has no cash value in that instance. So don't let a big brand name like Orvis fool you either. Not as great as the glossy ads boast.

[CopperJonny]

I have been in touch with them ... Pieroway ... these guy's have been terribly busy keeping up with everything and as well as their full time lives as well .. just like the rest of us ... may be a lot of gear out , yet they are still a tiny couple of guy's show .. And again , I sure have to say ... These fellas are really being helpful and are actually going to go out of their way to accompany me .. That I have to say is pretty stand up ...Also , anything I may do to help ... I'm in !! They're Canadian , local and very tiny .. One heck of a piece of art they put out , merely a couple of wrinkles as always , but one thing I may say is ... I have had some nice browns and bows on the end of the line in even the coldest of fishable days on this river and the rod is good as new ! A mere malfunction in a guide and I sure understand that these fellas do not manufacture guides .. Beautiful workmanship I am happy to say , same as some of our boat builders on the site , as well as other great rod builders and fly tiers .. reaaly though , I feel like an ass , and have had somewhat of an about face in regards to the little guy's again .... You all are pretty Awesome craftsmen and I for one am all about supporting and promoting great people and products .. built in Canada , made by Canadians , and for the most hellish of extremes , and beautiful conditions we may face in this frozen hostile wasteland ( Carrey ) . A little bit of feedback and working together everyone can shine !!

As a matter of fact , another member , a buddy of mine has given me the privilidge lately to read an older book " Fishing Dry Flies for Trout on Rivers and Streams " by an Art Lee ( while I'm in between my beloved Gierach books )and in it he maintains " something like , and I'm looking at it right now so as to not directly quote him , " a well travelled American fly fisherman are the most accomplished pract... of the sport anywhere ! " well .. I for one am pretty sure we've a few up here that will give 'em a run for their money ! ( pardon the digression )

Anyhow , Jeff , Brad .. I apologize .. I'm not perfect , thats for sure .... But I'll keep improving and I will offer you if you've seen this , and any other member on here help in any way ( ok almost anyway ) you need , if its in my capabilities to help you all improve , grow , smile and prosper .

CJ - Jonathan

[FlyFishingEMT]

I bought a Pieroway Element 9' 6wt last year and really like it. I haven't managed to break it yet so I can't offer up any warranty experience but what I will say about Pieroway Rod Company is this. When I first moved to Calgary a few years ago Brad from Pieroway volunteered to take me out for a walk and wade and taught me a lot about fishing the Bow. The whole day on the river he never tried to sell me anything instead just helped point me in the right direction with my casting and taught me a lot of techniques that would have taken me a long time to learn on my own. I personally believe they make a pretty solid product and do their part to promote fly fishing locally.

I fish a Sage Launch 9' 6 weight and a Pieroway Element 9' 6 weight and I definitely favor the Pieroway. My Sage Launch caused me lots of problems last year. I had to send it for repair three times. First the reel seat broke and then I broke two blanks later in the year. One blank broke on a roll cast and one broke when I had a fish on. Each time the warranty work took between 4-6 weeks which is really annoying in peak season. I understand the Launch is not an expensive Sage rod but it's the most expensive rod I own and its the only one of my 6 rods I've ever broken.

Anyhow I guess all I'm getting at is that I stand behind my Pieroway Element and I think it's a great rod for the money.