So, I have a pre-Rap 13 Fishing reel that I bought for like $20. Had it all disassembled the other day and lost a spring. Like nowhere to be found. Looked on rapala’s website for another one. Nothing. Google. Nothing. Contacted Rapala customer service and asked. They said that I could send it in for service and the service fee covered everything, including any missing parts. Only problem was the service fee was like $40. Double what I paid. I told the CS guy that and told him not to worry about it. He said he’d look around and see if he could find anything and to give him my address if he did. Didn’t think anymore about it thinking whatever. About 3 days later I got an OVERNIGHT UPS package that contained a spring. Probably $10 to send a $0.10 spring.

2 hours ago, Smirak said:

Probably $10 to send a $0.10 spring.

For you or me yes...probably a bit different of a price for Rapala corp...but still an awesome story and nice to see some people can still be pragmatic about something.

13Fishing rod warranty is also really good.  

This redfish ate my lure as I was lifting it out of the water at my knee.  I over-reacted with a high-stick set at the same instant the redfish exploded.  

Rod exploded in torsion 1/3-down from the tip.  

  

(finished the trip with back-up rod and a great 3 days)

When I called 13Fishing, asking about their discount replacement, they told me fishing break was warranty, and I had a new rod in 10 days.  

19 hours ago, Smirak said:

So, I have a pre-Rap 13 Fishing reel that I bought for like $20. Had it all disassembled the other day and lost a spring. Like nowhere to be found. Looked on rapala’s website for another one. Nothing. Google. Nothing. Contacted Rapala customer service and asked. They said that I could send it in for service and the service fee covered everything, including any missing parts. Only problem was the service fee was like $40. Double what I paid. I told the CS guy that and told him not to worry about it. He said he’d look around and see if he could find anything and to give him my address if he did. Didn’t think anymore about it thinking whatever. About 3 days later I got an OVERNIGHT UPS package that contained a spring. Probably $10 to send a $0.10 spring.

 

Nonsense.

 

We all know why you "lost" the spring.

 

It's not fooling me and I doubt your wife either!!!

 

That is good customer service though which is sometimes hard to find nowadays.

Well, in my defense, Mrs Smirak told me to buy a new reel since I couldn’t repair that one. I had to stand strong and say no. That is until @bulldog1935 started showing me all the bling an older ambassadeur reel can become!

yes, jack it up and put an old one underneath

 

On 8/5/2025 at 5:12 PM, Smirak said:

So, I have a pre-Rap 13 Fishing reel that I bought for like $20. Had it all disassembled the other day and lost a spring. Like nowhere to be found. Looked on rapala’s website for another one. Nothing. Google. Nothing. Contacted Rapala customer service and asked. They said that I could send it in for service and the service fee covered everything, including any missing parts. Only problem was the service fee was like $40. Double what I paid. I told the CS guy that and told him not to worry about it. He said he’d look around and see if he could find anything and to give him my address if he did. Didn’t think anymore about it thinking whatever. About 3 days later I got an OVERNIGHT UPS package that contained a spring. Probably $10 to send a $0.10 spring.

Rapala made some serious cuts, but the main rod designer/engineer, Ricky is still there.  Just like rod series they cut way back on reels as well.  I don't know if the designers are still there or not.  The design of the rods and reels haven't changed.  Other than availability, there is no difference in pre or post Rapala rods.  13 had the best customer service I've ever experienced, and I was a SC guy for 2 decades.  If it half as good as what it used to be, it's still better than the vast number of companies on the market.