[rugbyfisherman]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone know about my experience with the Albright company. My 5wt. Ablright A-5 which is about 8 months old broke while setting the hook on a fish (a blue gill in my local stream). It broke right where the plastic ferrule is inserted into the rod blank and the break was obviously a manufacturers error. I contacted the company and they said that isn't under warranty. The warranty card that came with my A-5 said lifetime warranty, so I was puzzled. It seems as though they have changed their warranty recently - possibly due to the economic situation. The person at the company who deals with the warranties said that a tip section is worth $49.99 and a whole replacement is $129.99!!! They said I would have to send the entire rod in (from Canada) and they would replace it for that fee - $129.99 and charge me shipping. A new A-5 is $115 - puzzling to say the least. I informed them that they are misleading customers who believe their products have warranties (which they DO NOT)!

I don't want to give this company any of my money so I don't think I'll even bother shipping my rod back or buy a new section - which apparently they don't do!!!

I know that a lot of people (including myself bought A-5's based on good reviews), however STEER CLEAR OF THIS COMPANY!

I can't post in the trading section but if anyone has a 5wt. that they don't use I may be interested.

[ChuckingFluff]

That's just bad customer service. I've been trying to sell one of there rods for a while but no one wants it.

I bought a entry level Ross 5wt that only had a 1 year warranty and it broke 52 weeks to the day that I bought it. Not only did it only cost $29.99 for a complete replacement rod they also bumped me up to a more expensive rod with a lifetime warranty. I would highly recommend them if your looking for another rod. Great action and even greater customer service.

Ian

[deeky]

I'll add to the list - first trip out the foot of the reel broke off of my Albright reel. $19 later the reel was replaced, but the owner of the company called me a liar in the process. My business with them is done.

Deeky

[BigDaddyHub]

I fish alot of cheaper rods for the small warmwater flows I haunt. I have been known to dump rods out of canoes, boats, and floattubes...I love my Plfueger Trion rod...I have fished Pflueger rods for years and have never had to replace any of them...I have never broken one under normal fishing conditions...ever...I've busted three Loomis and two Orvis rods on hook sets....Now I fish mid level Ross's and the Pfluegers....no complaints...

[deeky]

I'll second the Pfleugers too. I have a 4 weight Purist that I love!!!!. Great utility rod with no problems, even after I had to dredge the tip section off the bottom of the lake one time. Don't see too many of them, but if you are looking for a good entry level rod, they are worth finding.

Deeky

[rugbyfisherman]

I told them that the card that comes with the A-5 says "Lifetime Warranty" and that is misleading customers into assuming they have a warranty on their product. They said, "Those cards are old and outdated, they should be torn up, technically that company is closed and the new entity is Albright Direct".

Funny thing is I bought the rod only 8 months ago, so...They aren't THAT outdated

[JSzymczyk]

that SUCKS. I have a 3wt A5 which I love, I've only fished it a couple times and caught several 10-12" trout with it. When I bought it last year, they had a special deal and I got my son a 6wt XP or XPS? rod at the same time and it is also a great rod. I guess I hope they don't break!! I also have an Albright bugati reel on the 3 wt and some other "cheaper" reel on the 6 wt.

I noticed just last week that Albright has basically doubled their prices on rods across the whole spectrum. They call them different names, but prices are way up. They were out of stock on most items for a long time. Apparently they must have gone through big changes. It is BS that they say the warranty is not valid. I would have bought another A5, but not now.

[BigDaddyHub]

I'll second the Pfleugers too. I have a 4 weight Purist that I love!!!!. Great utility rod with no problems, even after I had to dredge the tip section off the bottom of the lake one time. Don't see too many of them, but if you are looking for a good entry level rod, they are worth finding.

Deeky

Deeky,

Have several old Pflueger Purists I bought 20 years ago as a broke college kid....plastic reel seat...rods were about $20 a peice...one is a 9 ft 6wt and the other is an 8'6" 5wt....both have hauled in literally thousands of trout, smallmouth, and gills in thier day....the 6wt had to double as an emergency rod on my first Erie steelhead trip after Smalliehunter brought the tip off my 8wt with slpit shot and an errant back cast... landed several 6 -9 lb fish without much fuss....although one particularily good hen played hell on the drag of my 1495 when I fouled the beast in Walnut Creek. Great rods to start the younger folks and kids on...especially if your fishing creeks and tossing in and out of your truck or trunk. LOVE the TRION!! Almost as good as my old GL2...both 8wts...the Pflueger has better mid flex and really launches big hair bugs well!

[BigDaddyHub]

I told them that the card that comes with the A-5 says "Lifetime Warranty" and that is misleading customers into assuming they have a warranty on their product. They said, "Those cards are old and outdated, they should be torn up, technically that company is closed and the new entity is Albright Direct".

Funny thing is I bought the rod only 8 months ago, so...They aren't THAT outdated

Joel hit on the head...BS.....Ross, Echo, and St Croix all make great mid/entry level rods...you may start looking into those avenues for your next purchase....just rambling I guess....When I was in the "game" I sold truck loads of St Croix rods and guys loved them....never had one returned for a break, unlike most of the Loomis rods I sold. Even the Metolious seemed to find its way back to our shop...usually with a failure above the handle and before the first eye....

[flytire]

albright warranty policy

http://www.albrightflyfish.com/warranty-information

brand new a5's are $249.99 on sale

http://www.albrightflyfish.com/fly-rods/a-...y-rods-new.html

where did you buy the rod? it makes a difference

[AlexC]

I fish alot of cheaper rods for the small warmwater flows I haunt. I have been known to dump rods out of canoes, boats, and floattubes...I love my Plfueger Trion rod...I have fished Pflueger rods for years and have never had to replace any of them...I have never broken one under normal fishing conditions...ever...I've busted three Loomis and two Orvis rods on hook sets....Now I fish mid level Ross's and the Pfluegers....no complaints...

I'll also second this. I've had an 8wt pfleuger medalist rod for over 5 years now- that I picked up from a MI salmon/steelhead guide used, so who knows how old the rod actually is. I've abused the heck out of that rod and it is still kicking.

[ChuckingFluff]

albright warranty policy

http://www.albrightflyfish.com/warranty-information

brand new a5's are $249.99 on sale

http://www.albrightflyfish.com/fly-rods/a-...y-rods-new.html

where did you buy the rod? it makes a difference

That warrenty is crap, I bought mine off of the website direct so it's not covered. That just a big pile of . They bumped the prices huge I remember one sale for a short time you could get a A-5 for $79 now there $250 because they changed the name.

[steeldrifter]

That warrenty is crap, I bought mine off of the website direct so it's not covered. That just a big pile of . They bumped the prices huge I remember one sale for a short time you could get a A-5 for $79 now there $250 because they changed the name.

They were even cheaper than that last year Memorial day (They were $59.99 last year). As a rod builder for a living I keep track of factory rod prices as you would expect. If you look back just a few months ago Albright A-5 was listed as a MSRP of $225 and "normal" price was about $110 and you could find them on sale for $59-$79.

Now all the sudden if you look at their website it shows that exact same rod as a MSRP of $449 and a sale price of $250 and on their site they are saying how it compares so well to a $400 rod etc etc.

What's changed in the rod? Not a thing.



I was just having a bit of this conversation this morning with rugbyfisherman about rod prices and how not to get sucked into the whole marketing game when your looking for a rod. What Abright is doing is exactly what other companies like Sage and Winston have done successfully....Keep pushing the price to a super high dollar price then bombard the fly anglers with tons of advertising and next thing you know that fisherman thinks the rod he's paying $500 for is something he can't live without, yet it's the same rod the next guy has which he paid $100 for.

I'll let ya in on another little secret as well....know those GPX fly reels they list at MSRP$259/sale price $129? That's the same reel I import and have been selling for $69.99. They don't have that reel special made for them, they import them from the same place I import reels/fly boxes from.

That's why I always tell people buy fly fishing gear like rods/reels based on how it fits what you plan to do with it, how it feels and looks....not on price because fly gear has a HUGE mark up and 90% of the time when your paying more your simply wasting money and not getting any better product.

Steve

[Pelhament]

I have about 7 albright rods and 6 or 7 reels. I bought them knowing full well that if they broke, I would have to pay to replace them. Over all they have been great rods and I personally think the company does a pretty good job of offering affordable fly gear.

[rugbyfisherman]

I don't think they are going to improve business by going about things as they are. I agree with Steve about the psychological marketing behind companies like Orvis and Sage. However, the thing is these companies have been around for a long time and have built up a name associated with quality and, therefore, can charge the rather absurd prices they do. Albright on the other hand doesn't really have quality products. As Steve said their products are the exact same as they used to be - most/all of which are imported from China. In my case it was obviously a manufacturers error where they scored the blank and then cracked it when putting in a plastic ferrule connector - they then covered it up with thread wraps and sold it on the website. That is the thing with a company based entirely online - you can't see or test the rods and are really likely to get a lemon (as I did). I would say that Albright has lost a TON of business!