Sage Rod Repair Turn Around Time

[Sunfish]

I sent my Z-Axis in for repair the last week of August, 2011. I have yet to receive the rod back but was assured a week ago it was in the pipeline. Have others had similar long waits for their repaired Sage rods?

[EricW]

XP sent very end of Aug, received 10/4 (last Tues). Which I thought was quick. Wonder if it's because they didn't have any of your blanks in stock since the Z is discontinued.

[Blane]

I have sent 3-4 Sage rods back over the last 5 years or so due to user error breakage. Each time they have been turned around quickly(2 weeks or less) and in one case with a trip 7 days out they rushed the job to ensure I had my favorite stick to fish. Ive found their warranty service to be the best around. If you have concerns pick up the phone and call or drop them an email!

[Tony Buzolich]

Sadly I have to say I've sent in more than my share of Sage rods over the years for warranty repair or replacement. None have ever been for workmanship or material reasons but simply user error i.e. high sticking, ceiling fans, car doors, etc.

Turn-around time has averaged 2-3 weeks and I think this is great. Friends with other brand rods have been tied up for sometimes two to three months, even with the company's expedite program.

If you have a pending trip coming up and need the rod sooner, just let them know and they will rush things through.
TONY

[royewest]

Here's another good reason to buy from your local shop, if you're lucky enough to have one: some shops will loan you a demo rod of the same model to tide you over while your Sage is in for repair.

[Jay Murakoshi]

The first time I sent my Sage LMB rod back it took 1 1/2 months. They said they had to roll a new tip section. And now I have broken off a inch and a half of the tip (my stupid error)
I hope it's not a two month wait. But spring time is a long ways away

Jay

[Darian]

I broke the tip of my SAGE, RPLXi, 9 weight last October. I called SAGE and was told they would have to re-make the tip section for approximately $130.00. Took it in to Kiene's and had them send it back. Cost: $50.00 Total. As I recall, it took about a month but that was OK with me. :smirk:

Just did the same thing with the same rod.... #-o Hope SAGE hasn't changed anything. :confused:

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Anything under a month is pretty good for rod repairs on average.

2 to 3 month for some companies does happen but not usually with Sage.

[TaylerW]

just got my sage back in three weeks. my scott came back in two.....

[EricO]

I was lamenting sending my barely used St Croix switch in to be repaired. But after researching their website, they have pre-made tips for most of their rods (makes sense since the tip is usually what I end up busting). Cost was only $30 bucks and it's en route within a week of ordering.

I'm not sure how many rod manufacturers keep tips in stock but they should!

EO

[Sunfish]

Just got the Z-axis today. Nearly 7 weeks. I have sent 4 rods to St. Croix and turnaround times from California were 2-3 weeks.

[Randy B]

I've always sent rods back to Sage through Bill's shop and they've always seemed to turn them around fairly quickly.

[Sunfish]

The Z-axis was sent in by the fly shop that I bought the rod from.
They even called Sage several weeks ago to try and determine the status of the rod.

[civicrr]

Took 9 weeks for a Xi2 rod last Oct to be repaired.

What was frustrating to me was that it sat @ Sage for 5 working days from UPS delivery to the time it was checked into the system @ Sage.

[Dagee]

...about my rod. They told me the turn around is about 7-9 weeks right now.

[amoeba]

look people:

2 months (or somewhat longer) is entirely within the normal timeframe for a Sage repair, so is 5 days to log in. Turn around depends most on their backlog at the moment your rod is received, and somewhat on the repair (which section, or sometimes not even a whole section). Most of the 2-3 months (if that) is with the rod sitting waiting to be repaired.

Sage does not slop together some pre-made tip....everything is built from scratch.....it ain't no St. Croix. Personally, I'm not very much interested in how fast they turn around the rod. I have other rods. I want the repair done right. I can wait 2 months or more, and have. I've also waited less than a month.

As far as I have been told by Sage, a fly shop such as Kiene's does not get any sort of first dibs to reduce the repair time if you send it from there.

I've had ~5 or so repairs of ~12+ Sage rods over the last 20 yrs, all except one from "user error". Most have been abused to the end of the earth, without failure. I have never busted a Sage rod tip from normal use, even on such things as yanking large king salmon on an 8 wt DS2. I have stepped on Sage rods, and clanked a section with lead eyes - so ooops on all that.

One other word of caution - if you're picky about the aluminum rod tube condition (and I'm not) don't mail it in that since it might come back with a few more knicks/scratches from handling.

[EricO]

Hmmm. Guess we differ. Rod turn around time is THE most important thing...ie...this thread. Duh. ;)

EO

[civicrr]

I do agree that getting the repair done correctly is the most important thing.

What bothered me, what I didn't put in my original post, was that I talked to Sage the day I sent it to them. I was told there was a 4 week turn around at the time. It is a 2 day ship to them. If we discount shipping time, the turn around time doubled. I didn't know of increased time frame until I called after the fourth week.

As I mentioned, I sent the rod in the beginning of Oct. I was missing the Fall run on the Delta. The repair took so long that I ended up buying another rod.

I also feel compelled to say that something sitting for 5 days to be checked into the system seems a long time to me. Imagine if it took 5 days for the service writer to acknowledge your car being dropped off for repair. Not apple to apple, I know but I think you see the point.

[Blane]

Somewhat off topic but wanted to give Bauer Reels props as they serviced,repaired and shipped two M3s I sent in to them in a total of 7 days. Sent them in last week and they showed up last night!

[amoeba]

I've always sent rods back to Sage through Bill's shop and they've always seemed to turn them around fairly quickly.

And I've always sent them in myself, with insurance, and delivery confirmation; so I know for sure that it left and got there.

Sage has alot of lifetime warranteed rods out there....and only one place that repairs. OP's 7 weeks total turnaround, or longer for others, is no cause for concern.

[Scott V]

OP's 7 weeks total turnaround, or longer for others, is no cause for concern.

It is a cause for concern when he was originally told 4 weeks but it took them 7 weeks. That is not acceptable in my business nor should it be accepted in any business.

[Jeff C.]

7 weeks is ok. When I broke my TCXs switch rods 4 times this summer it took 2-5 weeks to get them back (just depends on how many rods are in for repair). It took 8 months to get a Winston BIIx switch rod fixed. I'll never get a another Winston!

[loganmike]

7 weeks is ok. When I broke my TCXs switch rods 4 times this summer it took 2-5 weeks to get them back (just depends on how many rods are in for repair). It took 8 months to get a Winston BIIx switch rod fixed. I'll never get a another Winston!

With that data it is probably a good guess you are wither fishing too light of rods or need to be a bit more careful. That is of course there was a fault in manufacturing, which is totally possible, but that's a helluva lot of rod breakage:(

me

Yes, I have broken rods, not that many, but I have broken rods.

[Jeff C.]

All four breaks were during casting. One was a clean break in the top section probably due to a nick. The other three were in the butt section and they looked like the were crumpled and splintered. The Sage rod designer said that the rods were overstressed throwing T14 and T17 tips. I now only use a 7 wt for T14 and T17 tips. BTW, my 7 wt broke at the stripping guide throwing a 10 ft T17 tip.