My Ron Arra 1204 broke during the act of fishing, when sent back under their "Lifetime" warranty, they claim it was crushed. I know this rod was never crushed or damaged or misused. I never fell on with it nor was it abused in anyway. I took great care with it. Moreover I never let anyone else fish with it.

What is bizarre is who I was fishing with at the time of breakage....A lamiglas dealer! Even he spoke to them and told them how this occurred. I had been catching fish for 2 1/2 hours with it with him. Then I clipped on a 2 oz plug made an easy cast and BANG!

They were polite but stubborn about this on the phone. I told them they if they don't stand behind this warranty I will never purchase another product from them.

I am moving on, I want a breakage warranty that doesn't bust my balls on a high end product like this. It pisses me off they will not stand behind this. I have over 60 rods and many of them are lamiglas. Never again.

Arras were alwasy too brittle for me. :wave:

60 rods.......whoah :blush:

I also had an (older verison 3/4-2 1/4) 1204 break over the past week. Gave it back to the dealer that is taking care of everything. I hope I don't end up having a similar problem.

Write a letter to the president of the company. Don't indicate you'll never buy another product, but do the opposite. Explain how as a loyal customer, you're dissapointed in the lack of customer support for this obviously atypical performance of their product. This will get you the callback and ost likely the stick replaced.

Write the letter...a company like Lami looses everything without its reputation.

-spence

Me and many of my buddies have moved over to Star Rods not only for their excellent warranty, but also because they are great rods. We use the Star "Stellar Lite" line of rods, and none of us have ever had a problem. They come with Fuji Hardloy guides and Fuji reel seats. Good rods, classic actions, give em a try.

sorry to hear that.

if that truly is the case sandman, i don't think i'll be buying any more lamis.

the good news is ... there's plenty of competition out there for your business.

I'm willing to bet it broke 18" or so down from the tip like the two of mine, both of which were during a normal cast. For what it's worth I've never broken any other rod.

I would talk to Todd Vivian at Lami. Explain things to him and what you were doing when it broke and who you were with fishing (dealer) if they want to contact him.

let them know that you are a long time customer and want to discuss this issue completely with someone in a decision making position to make sure there is no misunderstanding before going online to all the sites and reporting their refusal to honor their warrantee.

I'm willing to bet it broke 18" or so down from the tip like the two of mine, both of which were during a normal cast. For what it's worth I've never broken any other rod.

You had the old 1204. Now they call that one the 1203. I'm pretty sure you had one of the blanks from that bad production run about 10 years or so ago. They had one run where they left a layer of cloth out--1322s and 1204s were snapping left and right.

If this is the new 1204--it's the reason I don't buy fast taper rods that have a very powerful butt and taper down to a 7/64" tip. IMO they're a disaster waiting to happen no matter who makes them--Loomis, All Star, Lami, whoever.

As far as Arra's being fragile--I think some of them need more TLC than others. I think the standard taper, "medium/fast" parabolic ones like the 1205, the 1322 and the 126 1MH are as durable as any other graphite rods. No need to baby any of them. Some of the lighter ones need a little more TLC.

Personally I would never own a surf rod with a tip as small as the 1083's (6/64") or the 1084 and new 1204 (7/64").

Mike - It might have been from the bad production run. I bought he blank at Eastman's in August and broke it the following August. Lami replaced the blank and it broke the following spring. Same production run, I don't know. I'll stick with the GSB's.

I had snapped my1233 lamie @ cuddy last month and the GD waders with simms I feel your pain !:realmad:

It broke mid span. And when it broke it sounded like a gunshot! Both buddies I was fishing with heard it and it was a nasty sound. I have had it for couple years and caught thousands of fish with it. Never had a problem. I did baby it a little but I fish it often. It was my favorite surf rod. I will write a letter but doubt it helps. They seem to think I am trying to dupe them I guess. (why would I crush a beautiful custom rod to get a free blank?...there is more money in the labor and components then then blank)

While this was a custom I have a few more, I am moving over rods with to over the counter unconditional guarantee's on breakage. Shimano has a couple new ones that seem like they will work out and a couple other companies are offering rods like this, they are not quite as sweet as the customs but I if they don't respect my 40+ years as a surf caster and the word of other reputible people and say I crushed or fell on it somehow I will find someone who does.

Funny, I once broke a 79.99 Tsunami in half while fighting a fish, showed it to the guy in the shop and he took a new one off the rack and we swapped, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I know they are not the same but you get the idea.
I just bought their new Tutog Rod and two tuna 30-80# rods this year... and have one custom on order...maybe I can return them. All I want is for them to stand up to the warrenty...