Used rods are all over the Internet these days. However, there are some things you should know about them before you decide whether you want to buy one. First and foremost is that many warranties are non-transferable meaning that if you break the rod, you may be charged a significant amount of money to get it fixed or replaced. This can have a major impact on the cost over the life of the rod.

While enforcing fly rod registration to determine the original owner is not easy (many folks do not send in the warranty cards), most manufacturers "auto-register" rods which come into their repair center. In addition, many vendor's track rods back to the original fly shops via serial numbers and a simple question, i.e., "where did you buy the rod", can quickly determine if in fact you are the original owner.

As for value, this is tough one. However, there are some basic guidelines you can use to estimate the value of a used rod. The first rule of thumb is that no used rod is worth more than 60% of its original purchase price (and then only if it is currently marketed, in mint condition and a desirable product). Next is that discontinued used rods are worth significantly less than currently marketed used rods.

1. Material (Tradition or Technology?)
   
2. Line Weight (One Size Doesn't Fit All!)
   
3. Action (There Is A Place For All Of Them...)
   
4. Length (Size Does Matter!)
   
5. Pieces (Are You Sure You Want That 12-Piece Rod?)
   
6. Overlay vs. Internal Ferrules (The Real Difference!)
   
7. Standard Snake vs. Single Foot Guides (The Real Deal!)
   
8. Factory vs. Custom (Things You Should Know!)
   
9. Warranties (Why They Are Important...)
   
10. New vs. Used (Is It really such a Great Deal?)
    
11. Discontinued Rods (What Are They Really Worth?)
    

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