Super User S Hovanec Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Got an Abu Villain in for repair today. The repair wasn't guide related, so I'll get to that later. Upon inspection, I noticed the tip was severely grooved from the line. Upon further inspection, all of the guides were grooved to some degree. Here are the best pics I could come up with showing the damage. I replace a few grooved tips every year, but this is the worst one I've ever seen. This rod is less than 2 years old. Now to the reason it was brought in for repair. It seems the handle section is built on a separate piece of blank than the rest of the rod. This joint came un-bonded. Guess it's a 2 piece rod, kinda? From the description on TW : "Titanium alloy guides with Ti inserts help reduce weight further and provide excellent durability, while a C6 Total Exposure reel seat puts you in complete contact with the rod blank and delivers maximum sensitivity transfer" I call BS on the durability of the guides. Also BS on the complete contact with the blank thing, unless they mean through a sloppy fitting and poorly glued splice. 2 Quote
Super User Hi Salenity Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Wow, that's sneeky and disappointing ! Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Wow! Great photo- doc. I would quit fishing if I had to use Abu- anything.. Lol.. Geez, what crap. I really hate to be negative but some company's deserve it, I guess....good luck on the repair.. 1 Quote
Super User S Hovanec Posted October 1, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I had a Diawa spinning rod of some sorts in for a guide repair years ago. The stripper guide needed replaced. I cut the wrap off and there was a splice hidden under the wrap. Abu isn't the only one doing it. At least this one isn't in the middle of the rod like the Diawa. Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I had a diawa green rod years ago @ clearance for 39 it had a solid graphite tip spliced in.. It was kinda different .. Quote
Super User Jrob78 Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I will never buy or use a guide that doesn't have ceramic inserts, including Recoils. I think they look cheap and I've seen too many with grooves. I use micro guides to save weight, a size 5 will pass any leader knot you can tie. As for the blank, that's just disgusting. Quote
georgeyew Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 I wonder if the other Abu rods are glued together like that. Quote
Super User flyfisher Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 The proof is in the pictures but it sure seems like a weird location on the guide to cause a groove. 1 Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 How would the owner not realize his guides were destroyed and murdering his line? Wow Quote
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 I'll use minima4 double waged guides on a light rod and have yet to repair one of them but always use ringed tops Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I'll use minima4 double waged guides on a light rod and have yet to repair one of them but always use ringed tops I like minimas too, should I replace the tip with a sic or similar material? Haven't had a problem but just wondering if it may avoid a future problem. Quote
Super User S Hovanec Posted October 1, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 1, 2014 The proof is in the pictures but it sure seems like a weird location on the guide to cause a groove. The damage is 360° around the tip. Probably from tip down, tip up and left and right reeling. 1 Quote
Super User S Hovanec Posted October 1, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 1, 2014 How would the owner not realize his guides were destroyed and murdering his line? Wow My guess is really heavy braid. I bet it is really fuzzy and frayed, judging from the extent of the damage. Quote
Jason Penn Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 i was pretty sure the abu rods were assembled in this fashion but really had no proof. i think a lot of the rods nowdays are though. Quote
Lucky Craft Man Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 If you tear apart my NRX and find it spliced like that, let me know as I will be returning it promptly. Quote
Super User Sam Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Please share your photos with and tell Abu what happened. This is no good and it could really damage Abu's reputation and kill sales. Ask Abu for a replacement guides. I would also like to suggest replacing all Abu guides on that rod with other ones that perform as expected. Quote
Dypsis Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 I'd be interested on how this plays out (from Abu's end) please keep us posted. Quote
Super User smalljaw67 Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I saw a guide like that once and it wasn't from braid, it was from wire line and it was a friend of mine who got an entire spoon plug system. He got everything, a line counter reel, wire line, I mean everything except a rod, he had a rod that was used to troll for walleye and that is what he used for spoon plugging. He never noticed the guide until he went for walleye with another friend and they were rolling lead core, it didn't take but one strike for the line to break and that is when he noticed the guide. Other than that I never saw one as severe from any kind of line. In fact it looks as if some took a file to it and tried to smooth or cut the insert out, that guide would have been cutting line way before it got to that point and the 2 piece deal isn't cool either, I'd be mad at Abu Garcia. 1 Quote
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 The two piece blank is what I find most disturbing. The guides at least are plainly visible so you can factor them into a purchase decision. 2 Quote
Capt.Bob Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 I will never buy or use a guide that doesn't have ceramic inserts, including Recoils. I think they look cheap and I've seen too many with grooves. I use micro guides to save weight, a size 5 will pass any leader knot you can tie. As for the blank, that's just disgusting. I have yet to feel any rod built with anything other than recoil guides to offer more sensitivity, more weight savings, or more durability!! They allow for the same blank to be "lighter weight, more sensitive, faster, and quicker than with any other guide. I have 3 rods now with Recoils, all are custom, 2 St. Croix Extreme casting rods, and one Elite spinning rod, I can't believe anyone would ever use Recoils and not want a Sic or similar tip when using these indestructible guides. The 6'10" MXF casting rod get's big time use, with thin 20# 832 braid and is as new, the Elite MLF gets a lot of use but have only had it this season, River fishing for Walleye and it catches Cats Carp and other fish up to 15# is a ball and stressed to the max with 10# 832 are unbelievably sensitive, and a huge part of the sensitivity is from the use of the Recoil guides, and the amazing light weight of these guides is ridiculous. These guides have made these rods the absolute most durable and light sensitive rods I have ever owned, and why right now I have a 6' LF being built and yes, they are the same guides being used on this rod. One should not be confused with the extreme high quality of the Recoil Guides, and those being offered to imitate them, "or" these cheap soft guides being used by Abu, Berkley and others, the Recoils are quite expensive and lifetime guaranteed, I assure all these others aren't!!!! Quote
Super User Catch and Grease Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I'm Probably in the minority but am I the only one that doesn't really like threads like these...don't really know why, I just think there are better places to put negative reviews on products... kinda silly I geuss... Quote
Super User BrianinMD Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Negative reviews are a fact of life and forums without them are useless. The only thing is to handle them properly which this OP does, at least in my opinion. It is not a post to bash the vendor but provide information to the users of this site which is the intended purpose. It is rather disturbing to see the two piece blank, but surprising to say the least to see the grooving in the guides. With advances in materials it should not be difficult to use materials where this does not occur. Very interested in hearing what customer support says about it. 1 Quote
Schaefer Posted October 1, 2014 Posted October 1, 2014 I'm Probably in the minority but am I the only one that doesn't really like threads like these...don't really know why, I just think there are better places to put negative reviews on products... kinda silly I geuss... I wouldn't call this a negative thread, this is actually very eye opening information. Im sure 99% of the people on here had no idea these were 2-piece glued rods, after seeing this I will never buy an Abu rod. 1 Quote
Super User Catch and Grease Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 I wouldn't call this a negative thread, this is actually very eye opening information. Im sure 99% of the people on here had no idea these were 2-piece glued rods, after seeing this I will never buy an Abu rod. That what I'm saying, like Abu is a great company. Ive used many Abu products without problems and I think they are great, but threads like these scare people away from great companies... sure this single product they make might be bad but that doesn't mean they don't make good products. EDIT: Not saying negative reviews are bad, I just don't like seeing them on bass resource... Dunno lol Quote
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