the MegaBass rod warranty process and customer service.

[Darth-Baiter]

First and foremost, SAVE the receipts when you buy a rod.  my entire life, I bought regular fishing rods and just tossed the receipt.  that habit kept going after I started to increase my rod-budgets.  NOT smart.  this was on me.  my bad!  now I keep everything on a computer file.  two computers.  work and home. 

 

the shop I used was very much more organized than myself.  I gave them my last name, and the date I bought the rod.  BOOM.  Ethan from the the HookupTackle, emailed me a receipt immediately while I was still on the phone.  he didn't want to hang up with me, until I got the receipt in my inbox.  I am bringing him some beer, when(if) I drive by to Texas this holiday.   great CS from Ethan.

 

MegaBass rod warranty.  very clear parameters, and instructions.  original owner, within the first year - no questioned asked rod replacement.  the next 2 years, rod is replaced if I pay 60%. (or if I break the freebie, one year rod).  you have to have the receipt of purchase (see warning above).  it was easy.  online form to vent my woes.  they ask for honesty, stating they try to learn from our mistakes (paraphrasing).  if it was a car-door, tell them it was a car door.  they asked for details.  right down to the line, and bait.  I was honest.  5 days later, I got an email telling me I was clear to send them the broken rod.  they allow one additional cut-down of the rod blank to minimize shipping cost.  a Dremel with abrasive cutting disc is like a light-saber to a carbon rod.  I shipped the short tube for $40, including insurance for the entire rod.  oh, I stuffed copies of the email and approval into the tube for clarity as requested.  

 

4 days later, I just got an email with the tracking # for the new rod!!  very painless.  except the cutting of the rod, and shipping the rod.  minor inconveniences..overall it was easy. 

 

I break it again, I ask the question "is it me, or the rod?".    it sucks rods break.  but this one didn't leave me crying.  disaster averted.  good, no great CS as well from MB.

[MiceNReets]

Thanks for the info and happy to hear it all worked out in your favour.  
 

what rod did you break? Just curious.  

[AlabamaSpothunter]

IIrc, is this is the rod you broke setting a hook, or during the course of normal fishing usage?

 

Knock on wood but I've never had a fish or hookset break a rod no matter the quality, but I think a ton of rods get broken boat flipping.    I know you aren't flipping in a yak 😁

 

eta:

Back in the day, pre Shimano buy out.....I could take in rods shut in car doors, tell them that, and pick up a new rod of the rack.   Things sure have changed.  

[TNBankFishing]

I had a similar experience with MB when I shut the tip of my perfect pitch in the hatch of my car. Told them straight up I did it to myself and the replacement was on its way 3 days later. I prefer their type of warranty compared to the tiered system a lot of companies use. I still think the upgrade replacements from Croix are also fantastic. 

[Darth-Baiter]

i broke my X-Bites.  i was snagged, line was taut, and a wake boat blasted past me, and the surge lifted me up and snapped rod.  i didnt have the idea of pushing the button. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Sounds like a freak accident, hopefully it wasn't a fault in the rod or materials.  

[jejenkyns]

I have broken 2 MB rods, both in accidents and not during normal fishing. Both rods replaced for free. I like Megabass warranty for this reason.

 

I broke my SD destroyer 8 days after it arrived. It was already my favorite rod so I was pretty devastated when I slipped on a rock in the rain and feel with my whole body weight, breaking my fall between two boulders with my precious, new rod. I remember praying as I scanned the ground below me, hoping to God I'd find that shiny new SD intact and unscathed below me. Alas, I had to take my prayers to MB of America....

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I haven't had to deal with rod warranty aspect from MB, but have contacted them with questions about hooks, and lo and behold they sent me half a dozen 110jr replacement hooks for free.

 

On the other hand, I reached out to Shimano to try and buy replacement hooks for their new line of baits....their hooks are incredible, they wouldn't sell me any, nor would they send me replacements.     

 

Quite the difference b/t the two comparing apples to apples.   I have no problems letting the monkey spend my money with MB 😆

[Darth-Baiter]

this entire scenario went from "oh-NO!"...to "ohhhh whoa!"  in about 5 weeks.

 

 

[FishTank]

I have had two rods from Megabass that I send in. One through MB USA and the other through MB Japan. 

 

The USA experience was great. Ben at the Hook Up Tackle helped and I had a new rod in a few days. The Japan experience is still on going. My contact in Japan said they are months away from getting warranty issues caught up as production of both rods and baits have gone beyond capacity.  Good news the shipping was not too bad as they supplied the FedEx label and updates (not good ones) continue to arrive.

[Darth-Baiter]

14 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I have had two rods from Megabass that I have to send in. One through MB USA and the other through MB Japan. 

 

The USA experience was great. Ben at the Hook Up Tackle helped and I had a new rod in a few days. The Japan experience is still on going. My contact in Japan said they are months away from getting warranty issues caught up as production of both rods and baits have gone beyond capacity.  Good news the shipping was not too bad as they supplied the FedEx label and updates (not good ones) continue to arrive.

Ethan at The Hookup saved my butt.  he found and sent me a replacement reciept.  

[jejenkyns]

20 hours ago, FishTank said:

I have had two rods from Megabass that I have to send in. One through MB USA and the other through MB Japan. 

 

The USA experience was great. Ben at the Hook Up Tackle helped and I had a new rod in a few days. The Japan experience is still on going. My contact in Japan said they are months away from getting warranty issues caught up as production of both rods and baits have gone beyond capacity.  Good news the shipping was not too bad as they supplied the FedEx label and updates (not good ones) continue to arrive.

So you bought a rod from Japan and was able to use the warranty program by shipping it back to the retailer and going through them?

[FishTank]

Sort of. I know someone in Japan that contacted the website/store I bought it from. They sent me the label. I had to go to Megabass Japan's website, use Google translate, and fill out the warranty claim.  I shipped the rod to my contact with the warranty card that comes with the rod, the warranty claim from the website and the receipt and he took it from there. I should have it back next week.  I will then pay for shipping to the US, about $60.

 

Understand this is not the norm and I got very lucky. 

19 minutes ago, jejenkyns said:

So you bought a rod from Japan and was able to use the warranty program by shipping it back to the retailer and going through them?

 

[jejenkyns]

5 hours ago, FishTank said:

Sort of. I know someone in Japan that contacted the website/store I bought it from. They sent me the label. I had to go to Megabass Japan's website, use Google translate, and fill out the warranty claim.  I shipped the rod to my contact with the warranty card that comes with the rod, the warranty claim from the website and the receipt and he took it from there. I should have it back next week.  I will then pay for shipping to the US, about $60.

 

Understand this is not the norm and I got very lucky. 

 

yes, that makes perfect sense. thanks for the explanation!

[FishTank]

On 10/31/2023 at 12:55 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

this entire scenario went from "oh-NO!"...to "ohhhh whoa!"  in about 5 weeks.

 

 

 

I got mine today. Megabass shipped it DHL Express. Thats 2 days from Japan to my door.  The shipping they paid was probably more than the cost of the rod.

 

[Dye99]

Man that is great to hear. Ive got close to a dozen MB rods mostly destroyers and a couple orocchi's and today when setting up my rod locker I walked out of my shop swinging the door behind me, while carrying my flyssa. Stupid move.

Broke the tip. What a moron. 

Havent broken a rod in ten years.

Just contacted them about it. 

Save your receipts people!

[ABU is overpriced]

My only experience with their warranty is sending them vision110's with broken bills. Replaced a bunch for free and no need any receipt.

[Bigbox99]

Why are we treating a warranty as a replacement program?  

[garroyo130]

21 minutes ago, Bigbox99 said:

Why are we treating a warranty as a replacement program?  

 

The company has the final say. If they aren't giving pushback, I'd say replacement costs may be baked in to price already.