for the last few years, i've been fixing reels at a clip of about 100 a month. i get quite a variety. it's fun because i learn something from every reel that i crack open. after getting grease on the dining room table, my wife banished me to the garage. the set up is definitely not fancy, but it works for me.
the way it works is like this.... star drag reels are $15-30 to service and take 15 minutes to a half hour.
lever drag reels are $40-60 and take 40 minutes to an hour.
then add the cost of parts and return shipping. the service charge is higher if the reel is badly corroded or requires some special work but will not exceed the ranges above unless i call you first. most are very straight forward, but it's not uncommon to have to take a two speed lever drag reel apart 4-5 times to dial it in just perfectly. snapping the head off of a corroded side plate screw can take another half hour to drill out and retap. i'm sure that anyone that has worked on a badly corroded reel can relate.
basic spinning reels are a little different. penn spinners are no problem. the newer high priced shimano and daiwa reels are a nightmare. they can take several hours to go through properly, so i do not accept them for service unless it's a simple drag upgrade only. for top drag spinners, it takes 3 seconds to pop out the old drag washers, match them up with carbon fiber washers that i have in stock, then reinstall the new greased washers. service for a basic spinner is $15-30. a simple drag upgrade is done for just the cost of the drag washers.
to get a reel out to me, first please send me a pm or e-mail to make sure it is a reel that i can work on. for shipping, i recommend a priority mail. a single reel can be shipped within california for $5. for multible reels, get a flat rate box from the us postal service. the standard box is $10.35 (11x8.5x5.5)
and the large box is $13.95. (12x12x5.5)
insurance is optional. i have a drop box on this end so shipping is pretty secure. please do not require that the package be signed for. if i'm not home, i have to drive all the way out the post office to pick it up. i like shipping via usps rather than ups or fedex. if you mess with the us mail, you don't go to county court, you go to federal court. and when you're convicted, you don't go to county jail, you go to federal penn. it's pretty stupid to mess with the us mail!
my address is 12362 ted court, saratoga, ca 95070 and my cell # is 408-219-1149. e-mail me first at
alantani@yahoo.com or send a pm here. when you ship the reel, please include your return into and phone #, and a copy of the e-mail or pm conversation that we had. i will generally call before shipping a reel back, just to make sure i did not forget to address any particular issues. and most importantly, if you need the reel back by a particular date, please write the "shipped on ....." date and the "please return by ...." date on the OUTSIDE of the box. the line of boxes right now is half of what you see here, but that can change in an afternoon.
any reel send it in will get greased carbon fiber drag washers if it does not have them already. any corroded bearings will be replaced. remember that bearings cost $8-20 each and some lever drag reels have 6 bearings. when the reel is shipped back, please go through it, make sure it works and then send me a check in the return envelope that will be send out with the bill. afterwards, i seriously need you guys to let me know it you ever have problems with the reel. if there is a problem, i HAVE to know. drag washers are guaranteed forever. that's how good the greased carbon fiber drag washers are. if there are any other problems with the reel even years down the line, it will be fixed for just the cost of parts and return shipping. you will not be dinged for another service charge.
oh, and before you ship your reel out, please do not peel off the old fishing line. i need line on the reel to do the final check on the drag settings. if you want me to have it spooled up, i can have my local tackle shop do that and add the cost to the bill. thanks! alan
