Pearl gets a black eye from a dealer

[DrumYoda]

Recently, a friend purchased an Export kit from a local dealer. The kit qualified for the recent "Add-on-Tom" promotion. After having to wait well beyond the promised delivery date for the original kit it finally arrived, minus an extra floor tom ordered at the same time. The dealer kept making excuses and dodging phone calls. He had also done this during the time spent waiting for the kit to arrive the first time. The additional floor tom never did arrive and a very grudging refund was made. All the excuses were that "Pearl had screwed up." When the matter of the add-on-tom was brought up, the dealer claimed first that there was no such promotion. He backed down on that claim when my friend shoved the ad from Modern Drummer in his face.

Once again began the long run around and dodge routine. Finally my friend asked if he should just forget it and right the experience and Pearl off for the future. I told him to call Pearl Customer Service. He did and was put in touch with the area rep. In about a day and a half, my friend had his drum and hardware along with a very snazzy Pearl golf shirt for his trouble.

The lesson is, don't immediately get torqued at Pearl. It may be the dealer trying to cover his own lousy business practices. It was in this case.

[DrumSRX]

When I ordered my SRX I got everything in about a week but they sent me the standard shell pack instead of the fusion. Since I ordered an 8" and a 16" toms too it didn't fit on the rack. It took about another 2 weeks for me to get the right drums (a week to ship the wrong ones and week to ship the right ones I guess). Then after I got everything set up and I was happy, I got another package with another set. I don't know how that happened but my parents made me send it back. With all that in the past, I couldn't be happier with my set, but can I have a shirt too?

Oh yeah, aslo I ordered the M4014P Piccolo Snare last Xmas for myself which cost me about $220 but what I got was the M513P Piccolo snare which is about $150. The only difference in appearence is the square badge compared to the round badge so I didn't notice this until May and by then I figured it was too late to call up Interstate Music and tell them they sent me the wrong snare 5 months ago. If you guys could help me or give me any advise on what to do it would be greatly apreciated. (I still love that snare though)

[DED]

It is unfortunate that lazy and inept dealers use the manufacturers as scapegoats. It happens all too often and they know that it's easy enough to keep the customer in the dark so that they can not check to see if the dealer is telling the truth.

A forum like this will at least give consumers a chance to deal with the company and prevent a lousy dealer from blaming Pearl for problems caused by the dealer.

I just hope that Gene, Carl, Raymond, et al. don't get too swamped with forum requests!

[Mr. Tom]

Well then, since we now have a forum to discuss such matters, I have a question. I bought my Pearl Export on August 27, 2001 from a very reputable dealer. He owns a single store, and is very customer-oriented, so this has nothing to do with him. Also, I am not looking for anything free that I do not deserve under any special promotions. Anyway, It wasn`t until a month or so later that I learned that Pearl was giving away a free 10" tom for the Exports with the purchase of an Export. Well, needless to say, I never got that tom, nor was I informed of this deal at the time of my purchase. I was wondering, did I miss the time-line on that promotion? Sure, I would love to have that tom, but if I did miss that promotion, that`s my tough luck. If I didn`t, how could I go about attaining this tom? Any answers would be most appreciated! Other than that, I am very satisfied with this kit.

[cooljj24]

All of the dealers I have dealt with have been great and pearl has been awesome. They are truly the best company

[pearl-drum-man]

The Guys at Pearl were great to me a couple years back. I ordered an MRX kit in Purple Mist through Interstate Music. I deleted the tom mounts on the bass drum, not knowing it would make it a special order and basically leave me without a bass drum for many months. I complained to Interstate, basically telling them I need my kit to be operational ASAP and they contacted the Pearl rep. The Pearl rep offered me an MMX kick to replace the MRX kick (same color obviously) that couldn't be made available. I accepted and they came through, no extra charge. This more than anything is why I'm a loyal Pearl user. All the companies make great gear, but Pearl stepped up and helped me out.

Now I see that Interstate lists that deletion of the mounts will add considerable order time.

On the flip side, when I ordered my BRX kit, I ordered an 18"x24" kick, I received an 18"x22". I suspect this was the fault of Interstate, not Pearl, I ended up keeping the 22" and am glad I did, I now prefer it.


pearl-drum-man

My Drums?

http://www.artbybeth.com/misc/drumpicep.jpg

[Mr. Tom]

Originally posted by Mr. Tom
Well then, since we now have a forum to discuss such matters, I have a question. I bought my Pearl Export on August 27, 2001 from a very reputable dealer. He owns a single store, and is very customer-oriented, so this has nothing to do with him. Also, I am not looking for anything free that I do not deserve under any special promotions. Anyway, It wasn`t until a month or so later that I learned that Pearl was giving away a free 10" tom for the Exports with the purchase of an Export. Well, needless to say, I never got that tom, nor was I informed of this deal at the time of my purchase. I was wondering, did I miss the time-line on that promotion? Sure, I would love to have that tom, but if I did miss that promotion, that`s my tough luck. If I didn`t, how could I go about attaining this tom? Any answers would be most appreciated! Other than that, I am very satisfied with this kit.
I wonder why my post hasn`t been addressed. Gene, T. West, anyone at Pearl???http://freehost22.websamba.com/vegita/Smileys/ponder.gif

[DZ1Hsr]

I purchased a 5 pc. ELX kit August 2001 and was never informed of this promotion. Would it have applied to me as well?!??

[DZ1Hsr]

...I would appreciate a response to this matter. I can only assume at this point that I will not be able to take advantage of the alleged offer.

I puchased my ELX kit in late June of 2001 and not August as I had originally thought.

Just to let you people at Pearl know...I bought the ELX kit because of budgetary constraints. I have owned other, better Pearl kits. I came back to Pearl despite the lousy service I get from my local dealer. I live in a small northern Ontario, Canada city called Timmins. (POP 45,000) It is just south of the 49th parallel and boasts only one price gouging music store. Come to think of it...I can't even be sure that these jokers are Pearl dealers.

It's just good to know that I didn't need them after I bought my gear.

cheers!

[Dex]

I've seen several complaints about interstate music on this post. I, for one, am sick of them. I do all my shopping there, which may not be much, but when I am going to lay down $500 for a bunch of crap, I'd appreciate a little service and support. I was going to buy a snare stand to mount a practice pad on so that I could practice standing up. I called interstate to ask about the stand (height, etc.) and felt somewhat snubbed when they suggested that I do my own reasearch. Unfortunately, they have the best prices and selection that I have found anywhere, but that doesn't make up for shoddy service.

[Lee]

I didn't have any trouble at all getting ahold of my drums. Though there was no mail order involved. I bought them straight out of Mars Music. They were about to set them up but I got there just in time so the were still in the box unopened.

Here are a few pics of my drums.....

http://www.giltband.com/images/drumshot.jpg

and

http://www.giltband.com/images/satandrums.jpg

[JMaxey79]

Pearl's customer service is really great. The last few months Iv been kinda holding a grudge against Pearl...and my dealer....When all the details of my purchase was brought to light, I found out that the dealer is the main reason there was such a long wait. Pearl is awsome, and they do take care of there customers.. I will keep buying from Pearl, just as I have from the beginning of my drumming life.

[ellioman]

One of the reasons I´m buying a Pearl set is because
the store who sells ´em is the greatest music store
here in Iceland! If any company is customer friendly then
this is the one!

I had to buy my sabian cymbals from another store and
it was amazing to see how much different the customer
service are between those two stores!

the one who sold me those Sabians don´t know what
customer service is! which is kinda irritating when you
have to do buisness with ´em!


A+ to the Pearl Dealer in Iceland ... hehe :D

[jprintz31]

I purchased an EX the last week of March, and it had the free 8" tom. The shop I go to did not have it in stock, but said they could get one from Pearl in about a week. Three days later the kit was in my house ready to be played. I keep reading about what has happened to others, but I have had an easy time getting my export.

[codi_rowe]

the promotion was for Export ONLY and I think the Export Select offer was a free throne.