New Stella- Need Help....

[Bryin]

I purchased a Stella 1000 from Cabelas.... it is not as smooth as my Stradic Ci.... I can small clicks as I turn the handle and it does not seem to spin as freely as the Stradic. It would not bother me but for the cost of the Stella I thought it would be perfect. Is this a break in issue? Thoughts?

[BassMan33]

I would exchange it call cabelas and tell them how your unhappy with it I'm sure they will take good care of you.

[Bryin]

Cabelas will certainly take it back.... my question is this a break in issue?

[MondayMonkey]

It certainly should bother you. At that price it should be perfect out of the box. My Stellas needed no break in time what so ever. I've yet to find a new similar sized reel at any price point as smooth as my 3 year old Stella 1000FE. She also feels exactly the way she did when I opened the box. Definitely exchange it with Cabelas and if there is any issue with that Shimano offers amazing first class service especially for Stellas. Send it in to them if all else fails.

[BlaineFred]

I have purchased Shimano spinning and B/C reels, and SOME needed breaking to overceome sluggishness caused by the grease. This may be your situation. 30-50 casts should do it.

There's also a Manufacturer Support forum near the bottom of the forum listing here. Bantam1 is the screen name of the Shimano rep. Send him a message.

Good luck.

[jeb]

Both of my Stella's were smooth that way. Very smooth. But the drag washers were way over greased on them, making the drag very inconsistent and sluggish. So I'd recommend removing those and cleaning up all the extra grease.

[MaxZmus]

You should feel no resistance when turning the handle on a Stella. Take it back to Cabelas and exchange it!

[Afrayedknot]

For $600+, it bettar be smooth out of the box . I would take it back to cabela's.

[John Puckett]

My 3000FD was really nice straight out of the box, I've never even heard of anyone having to "break in" a Stella. IMO there is definitely something wrong with yours and you should either take it back or at the very least send it in to Shimano.

As MondayMonkey also attests my FD is still very smooth to this day so I don't think yours should have any type of problem straight out of the box. Also I've not had any problem with my drag being over greased, very smooth and consistent.

[Bryin]

I talked to Batman1 (Shimano Rep) and he said send it back... I am 100% Shimano/ Loomis guy... 3 older Stradics, 2 Stradic Ci... 4 Loomis Rods.... I love my reels and have never had any problem with them. The new Stradic Ci fishes great for me. I went for the Stella for new custom rod I am getting later this month.

I am not getting another Stella. I can not accept that a $700 reel had ANY defect. For that money (which is insane) no product should ever get to the consumer that is not 100% perfect. Sure, I can return it to Cabelas or send it to Shimano to be repaired but I am not willing to give a second chance at this price level. For that kind of money I expect to get a perfect product out of the box. This experience proved to me that no reel is worth $700. I will try a Sustain.

[tywithay]

I talked to Batman1 (Shimano Rep) and he said send it back... I am 100% Shimano/ Loomis guy... 3 older Stradics, 2 Stradic Ci... 4 Loomis Rods.... I love my reels and have never had any problem with them. The new Stradic Ci fishes great for me. I went for the Stella for new custom rod I am getting later this month.

I am not getting another Stella. I can not accept that a $700 reel had ANY defect. For that money (which is insane) no product should ever get to the consumer that is not 100% perfect. Sure, I can return it to Cabelas or send it to Shimano to be repaired but I am not willing to give a second chance at this price level. For that kind of money I expect to get a perfect product out of the box. This experience proved to me that no reel is worth $700. I will try a Sustain.

If that reel was sitting at the Cabelas for a year or two, it probably needed to be cleaned and relubed. I wouldn't give up on it so easily, because it truly is the best spinning reel out there.

[jeb]

I am not getting another Stella. I can not accept that a $700 reel had ANY defect. For that money (which is insane) no product should ever get to the consumer that is not 100% perfect. Sure, I can return it to Cabelas or send it to Shimano to be repaired but I am not willing to give a second chance at this price level. For that kind of money I expect to get a perfect product out of the box. This experience proved to me that no reel is worth $700. I will try a Sustain.

Understandable. Hope you like the Sustain.

[Bryin]

I don't think the reel would sit at Cabelas... they sell too many reels for that.... Cabelas would blow out any reel that was in stock for more than 6 months. The more I think about it, the more irritated I become. I have to spend my time to take this thing to UPS. After reflection I would have thought the Shimano rep I contacted on this forum would have offered to do something special for me for my time and trouble. After all it is a $700 reel and I have been a loyal Shimano/Loomis cst. I think I am going to give another manufacturer a shot. So lets hear some suggestions for a UL reel....

[Bryin]

The reason people pay $700 for a reel is so they DON"T have headaches....

[BassMan33]

Someone at he store could have messed with it even one of the young workers might have tested to see how tuff they are I would not give up so easy. Don't blame shimano you have no proof it left the factory like that.