Folks, I had a customer who also owns some factory rods. One is a Winston and he wanted to have his grip replaced, by Winston. They told him they could do it but they'd have to take the reel seat off and it would have to be replaced along with the grip.

While I can't fathom why they wouldn't just remove a guide or two and go that route, this is how they told him they'd replace the grip. They charged him $50 for the grip and $50 for the new seat plus shipping back to him. Labor was included so he ended up paying about $112 for the whole job. He was delighted. Got the rod back on Friday and it looks as good as it did when new.

I do a few repairs and sometimes will replace something like a grip or seat. I have never charged $100 for the duo but am thinking that maybe I should. It seems like robbery but this guy was just so happy to pay it that I think my usual $35 or so fee for replacing a fly grip is just way too cheap. Anyway I just wanted to pass along that pricing info for any of you who make these sort of repairs and wonder what to charge.

Must be nice. Maybe I will change my business name to "Winston" Tackle Service!

First, the proof the job is value and satisfactory is the fact the customer 'was delighted'. Considering the replacement with a $50 reel seat, that leaves $50 for the other labor and skill involved to properly match up the high end rod.
I wouldn't probably do it for less either. For 'standard' reel seat and grip replacement for a 'standard' spinning rod may charge less, of course. Have to compare some apples to apples in this case, I'm afraid.

William, if your normal price is $35 that may be fair and in line perhaps with what many other rodshops may charge. If you charged the $50 for the reel seat and using extra grade cork, I'm sure you would be in a similar ball park as the Winston Tackle Service. I don't see the charge that much out of line in this case. Would the customer want to tackle the job himself?? I don't think so, thus he is satisfied in relation to the total value of the rod.

IMHO

Rich
Solyrich Custom Rods

Your customer had a "factory rod" and asked Winston for refurb. service. I'm sure that they gave him "Winston quality" as far as workmanship and components and he is satisfied with their service. He still has a "Winston". I agree with Rich, I feel he has spelled it our very well.

Some rod shops charge more for work done on expensive rods than on less expensive rods. Although I never went along with this, preferring instead to charge the same for the same job regardless of the rod it was performed on, there is a mindset among the general public that work done on expensive items is supposed to cost more than work done on less expensive items. Even if the work performed is exactly the same.

After paying between $600 to $800 for a fly rod, I am sure the gentleman fully expected to pay $100 to have a grip replaced. For the same work and same components on a $200 fly rod, he would probably expect to pay quite a bit less. It may be a strange way of looking at things, but that seems to be the way it goes.

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Frist of all the man got Winston credibility. Now if you know you product prices these componutes are not cheep. Winston does not use cheep componutes. That is why they have the name they have.
My husband (Bob) has been building custom rods for over 20 years. He is also on this site. He explains his priceing as such. You do not take your 1939 3 window ford coup to a run of the mill auto body shop to have it restored to factory look or have it chop , channeled and have a candy apple hand rubbed lacqured paint job done. So looking at it in this prospective that price was not out of the ball park

I have to say that I have never been overly impressed by rods from Winston, or even any commercial rod maker for that matter. I see nothing expensive on the rod, although they may charge a lot for it. This may sound egotistical, but I am certain that the rods I build are better in performance and workmanship than any commercially built rod I have ever seen.