I got a floor tom in the mail.

[WhatIsIt]

Remember all that stuff a while ago? With the Decade tom with a bit of a seam gap ... so anyway:



This is... I'm gonna have to think a little bit before I say more. But this is what was in the box they now sent me.

HMM.

[MitchLyons]

It's a budget drum kit. There are going to be flaws due to lessened QC, lowering the price of the kit. Not a single person will be able to hear the gap in the seam, and nobody is actually going to care, either. Just play the damn things.

[WhatIsIt]

It's a budget drum kit. There are going to be flaws due to lessened QC, lowering the price of the kit. Not a single person will be able to hear the gap in the seam, and nobody is actually going to care, either. Just play the damn things.

...

[WhatIsIt]

MitchLyons: I'm assuming you do NOT know the backstory I hinted at there. I'm also going to be a bit blunt here...

Dude. It has taken those guys over 6 months to make this simple exchange happen. And I actually still don't know whether or not this is actually the exact drum that Pearl had reserved for me or did the dealer again mess things up somehow and just send me something different. I was personally promised a replacement by PME over the phone. Everyone at Pearl also agreed that such defects are unacceptable (there's a margin, and these go over it), even if you think otherwise.

You could even say that the issue has never been the little surface flaw. I for myself have never argued that anyone could hear a difference in the sound or that it would affect the "functionality" of the drum. The real and much more serious concern here is the unbelievably bad customer service. Obviously, I have not been able to USE the (previous) tom in the meantime.

Do you know what I am saying?

[JY Kelly]

I think they sent you back the same drum.

[Pearlnpaisteguy]

I think they sent you back the same drum.

I agree. Honestly, that’s inexcusable even for a budget kit. What’s even worse is the way they’ve treated you. It looks like your not going to get this issue resolved to your satisfaction, since it’s seems they don’t care.

[MitchLyons]

MitchLyons: I'm assuming you do NOT know the backstory I hinted at there. I'm also going to be a bit blunt here... Dude. It has taken those guys over 6 months to make this simple exchange happen. And I actually still don't know whether or not this is actually the exact drum that Pearl had reserved for me or did the dealer again mess things up somehow and just send me something different. I was personally promised a replacement by PME over the phone. Everyone at Pearl also agreed that such defects are unacceptable (there's a margin, and these go over it), even if you think otherwise. You could even say that the issue has never been the little surface flaw. I for myself have never argued that anyone could hear a difference in the sound or that it would affect the "functionality" of the drum. The real and much more serious concern here is the unbelievably bad customer service. Obviously, I have not been able to USE the (previous) tom in the meantime. Do you know what I am saying?

You're right, I don't know the backstory but I have seen your consistently vague posts regarding this drum and think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. If it means that much to you, sell the kit or try to return to where you bought it from but it's probably not possible to return at this point. Idk man, I don't think it's that big of a deal and it sucks that customer service is bad but I don't know what you want me or anyone else on this forum to tell you other than "that sucks". Who cares if there's a cosmetic flaw, just play the drum, dude!

[quicksticks]

It would have been nice if someone at Pearl would have checked the drum before shipping it. Obviously that amount of gap is within Pearl’s specs for that series. I’m not saying it’s right. At this point I would just move on and enjoy the drum. You tried. If I had to bet on it, a third tom will probably have the same seam.

[Drumming-4-Life]

Remember all that stuff a while ago? With the Decade tom with a bit of a seam gap ... so anyway:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]514124[/ATTACH]

This is... I'm gonna have to think a little bit before I say more. But this is what was in the box they now sent me.

HMM.

Pearl has shipped this product out to customers more than once now (whether it's the exact original drum, or not), so they think it's fine. This is clearly the case of the end user expecting too much for the little money laid out.

Consider any car company, doesn't matter which kind you like or dislike. I will choose Ford, although they will only be manufacturing trucks and SUVs soon. If you have a brand new Ford Fiesta and a brand new Ford Taurus, and they sit next to each other in a moderate hail storm, would you expect both vehicles to endure the hail in the same way? Not likely, as the Ford Fiesta will likely take on more damage than the Taurus. Why? Because the Fiesta is a cheaply made vehicle, with body panels made with a lighter-gauge steel than a Taurus. Did Ford know they made the Fiesta cheaper? Of course. Did Pearl know they put a lot less time and materials into the Decade series. Of course.

It doesn't matter how many people think this floor tom is finished incorrectly; Pearl thinks it's fine for what the end-user paid for it.

If you're not happy with the quality of the Decades, sell them and get a higher quality set of drums. There are so many nice drums out there; you should check them out!

I'm not against you, or pro-Pearl... I simply think your expectations are too high. It doesn't matter that some of your other drums have nice seams... it must have been luck, because Pearl was willing to settle for less.

[TWH]

I had a set of 03’ ELX exports and all of the floor toms had the same seam. It never bothered me because the seams faced the back. Those were excellent drums for the money and sounded great. I wouldn’t worry too much unless they were a masters or above.

[WhatIsIt]

I think they sent you back the same drum.

That was my very first thought. Beginning from when I saw there are handling marks and scratches on the heads and hoops, and quite curiously the seam appears to be exactly in the same place on the surface the way it lines up with the lugs etc. I still am not sure.

I am NOT going to start debating the quality control/budget drum/whatever sort of thing again with anyone on here. One thing (again) to those who for some reason don't get it, PEARL said the flaw is a bit too much and PEARL promised me a replacement. PEARL told me on the phone that the replacement also has a gap in the seam but it's not quite as bad.

I could go on about how there's this invention called wood filler, another called sandpaper, and that spraying even coats of lacquer is not really that difficult. You can't fit any of that into an analogy about different gauges of steel. But I won't go on about that.

I will say AGAIN that I'm not excepting the drum to be more than it is, however I AM expecting the customer service to be even halfway decent.

The point here is VERY simple. After many months of promises, delays and tons of trouble (to ME), I get back the same drum or a replacement that's damn near identical. You think that's "fine"?

[dale w miller]

Pearl has shipped this product out to customers more than once now (whether it's the exact original drum, or not), so they think it's fine. This is clearly the case of the end user expecting too much for the little money laid out.

Consider any car company, doesn't matter which kind you like or dislike. I will choose Ford, although they will only be manufacturing trucks and SUVs soon. If you have a brand new Ford Fiesta and a brand new Ford Taurus, and they sit next to each other in a moderate hail storm, would you expect both vehicles to endure the hail in the same way? Not likely, as the Ford Fiesta will likely take on more damage than the Taurus. Why? Because the Fiesta is a cheaply made vehicle, with body panels made with a lighter-gauge steel than a Taurus. Did Ford know they made the Fiesta cheaper? Of course. Did Pearl know they put a lot less time and materials into the Decade series. Of course.

It doesn't matter how many people think this floor tom is finished incorrectly; Pearl thinks it's fine for what the end-user paid for it.

If you're not happy with the quality of the Decades, sell them and get a higher quality set of drums. There are so many nice drums out there; you should check them out!

I'm not against you, or pro-Pearl... I simply think your expectations are too high. It doesn't matter that some of your other drums have nice seams... it must have been luck, because Pearl was willing to settle for less.

The classic “you get what you paid for”.

[therocker]

The decade maples are lower grade than the Exports so... It's a shame of what's up with your tom. To me you have to options

1. Keep battling

2. Admit defeat

You have to ask if it's worth the stress it's causing you. Even if you stress the guy/gal at your music store briefly, as soon as you leave so does their stress. But you have to pack it around and that's not good for you. You can simply enjoy the kit for what it is and just never buy Pearl again. Or buy again and hope for better results. I feel for you and hope all comes out good, no matter what you choose. Cheers

[quicksticks]

The decade maples are lower grade than the Exports so... It's a shame of what's up with your tom. To me you have to options

1. Keep battling

2. Admit defeat

You have to ask if it's worth the stress it's causing you. Even if you stress the guy/gal at your music store briefly, as soon as you leave so does their stress. But you have to pack it around and that's not good for you. You can simply enjoy the kit for what it is and just never buy Pearl again. Or buy again and hope for better results. I feel for you and hope all comes out good, no matter what you choose. Cheers

Nothing is perfect. I agree that stressing over a drum that cost a couple of hundred dollars is just silly. There are some advantages to buying an in stock kit from a local dealer.

[sticks4drums]

The decade maples are lower grade than the Exports so... It's a shame of what's up with your tom. To me you have to options

1. Keep battling

2. Admit defeat

You have to ask if it's worth the stress it's causing you. Even if you stress the guy/gal at your music store briefly, as soon as you leave so does their stress. But you have to pack it around and that's not good for you. You can simply enjoy the kit for what it is and just never buy Pearl again. Or buy again and hope for better results. I feel for you and hope all comes out good, no matter what you choose. Cheers

Well said.