We are very selective when taking trade-ins, and we generally pass on gear that we would not fish ourselves - with the notable (but very rare) exception of collectible vintage gear. We do a thorough inspection to ensure that all of our acquisitions (whether new old stock or pre-owned) are fully functional, and we’re very careful to take “real” pictures that reveal any imperfections. In fact, we intentionally photograph and focus on any blemishes rather than attempting to obscure or hide them. The fish don’t care if your gear has a few dings, but unhappy customers are bad for long-term business. That said, we have refrained from using some kind of system to rate our pre-owned gear, mostly because we’ve learned over time that everyone’s rating system is different. We might consider something to be “fair” that someone else would rate as “good” or even “excellent”. Instead of slapping an arbitrary label on our gear, we attempt to carefully document and disclose any deviations from new condition and provide multiple pictures, so you know exactly what you’re getting. If you have questions about any gear (whether new old Stock or Pre-Owned) listed by Fintek, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to chat about it in detail. We’ll take and send additional photos, if that’s what you need. Our goal here is to enable you to buy with confidence and be thrilled with your purchase, not to unload someone’s used gear on an unsuspecting customer who will never come back. If you are not satisfied after you’ve made a purchase, let us know. We will do our best to make it right!