Shot down by Mapex :(

S

sticks4drums

Guest
Most of you know me as a pretty big Mapex Saturn promoter. I have spent in the ball park of 14 thousand dollars on their drums, and hardware. The other day I put in a request to a very strong Mapex dealer, to have an 8 x 8 tom in the yellow ocher sparkle made for me. This is not a stock size that carries a Mapex sku number. They do however have the mould to make one. I have an 8 x 8 for my burl kit that the same store got for me from Mapex, that they made a couple of for artists. Well Mapex said no, even after the Mapex USA guy explained to them, my history with the companies product. I found this a little hard to accept. Helped me realize that we have to be careful about being too brand loyal. We are just dollar signs to them. :(
 
Man, Pearl would never do that to a customer......come over to the dark side!
 
I think brand loyalty meant something before everything was made in China and Taiwan. At least Sabians are still made in Canada, right? I'm going to build my own pro kit with American made drum shells, and it will be made in the USA (maybe not the lugs).
 
Can't really expect them to make exceptions... If they do it for you, they have to do it for everyone.

Plus... I doubt some bigwig US rep has the ability to get some random chinese factory worker to do something out of the usual... There's a lot of layers of separation in there... Maybe if it was a US company ;)
 
I'm supporting European companies. I play Meinl cymbals. Would also like to play drums from here, but I don't like the bulkyness of Sonor. I like the fact when a product isn't mass produced.
 
Well, Mapex is a Taiwanese company, so it makes sense for their stuff to be made there ;-)
I was not going to say anything, and let everyone have their rant. I did not intend this to be about countries or nationalities. Just about how we are treated as customers. They will make no accommodations for anyone, which is what I am seeing with Mapex, or they make some for special cases. Not really sure which is right. A big reason why their pricing is so good,is because they have a set line up with set sku's that they can pump out, in large quantities. If they had all sorts of special orders, I am sure the price would jump up like a DW.
 
Maybe they'll do it for professionals/endorsers/sponsors, but not for the average joe (no disrespect intended).

But, money talks, and if they tell you it'll cost them $1000 in manufacturing and material costs (since they presumably already have the mould) to produce an 8x8 drum, then I guess it comes down to how much you want it.
 
Maybe they'll do it for professionals/endorsers/sponsors, but not for the average joe (no disrespect intended).
That is true. They will. I think I am somewhere in-between the two though. Many of the regulars on here have admitted that I kind of really opened people's eye's to the Mapex brand over the last year. I have my own web site that I talk a lot about my kits. My Monster kit has had lots of attention on many websites, and on youtube. I have spent a crap load on their product, and I could even venture to say that I probably give their product more exposure, than a lot of their smaller endorsed players, that nobody every hears about, do. The internet reaches a lot of folks. This site alone reaches many drummers around the world.
 
I'm supporting European companies. I play Meinl cymbals. Would also like to play drums from here, but I don't like the bulkyness of Sonor. I like the fact when a product isn't mass produced.

Well, there are other European drum manufacturers too. Premier and Drumcraft are two of the big ones, and then there are a number of smaller custom builders as well.
 
Can't really expect them to make exceptions... If they do it for you, they have to do it for everyone.

Plus... I doubt some bigwig US rep has the ability to get some random chinese factory worker to do something out of the usual... There's a lot of layers of separation in there... Maybe if it was a US company ;)
It doesn't quite work that way. All the factory worker does is build what they tell him to. The USA Sales rep, talks to the Taiwanese sales rep, and it goes from there. Mapex USA buys a lot of drums from Mapex. If it was for someone special enough, they would do it.
 
That is true. They will. I think I am somewhere in-between the two though. Many of the regulars on here have admitted that I kind of really opened people's eye's to the Mapex brand over the last year. I have my own web site that I talk a lot about my kits. My Monster kit has had lots of attention on many websites, and on youtube. I have spent a crap load on their product, and I could even venture to say that I probably give their product more exposure, than a lot of their smaller endorsed players, that nobody every hears about, do. The internet reaches a lot of folks. This site alone reaches many drummers around the world.

I'm familiar with your site, I've checked it out from your signature.

I'm curious how you're somewhere in-between being a professional/endorser and an "average joe". I mean I understand what you've outlined above in terms of your own exposure, but do you have an endorsement deal with Mapex?

If not, the sad truth is that you and all your affiliations (your website, YouTube, and all the other satellite sites that you reach) are simply free advertising for Mapex.

Regardless of how much exposure you're giving their product without their backing, I'm not sure Mapex "owes" you anything (that sounds harsh, but not sure how else to say it). Of course, many companies will treat their long-time customers. Usually in the form of stickers and whatnot.

Unless you're touring with a revenue-generating band or a solo artist that makes a living as a session drummer or whatever, it'll be a hard sell to get any percussion company to pony up that kind of resources for custom stuff.

If you come across a company that does though, you let me know!!!!!!!!!! :)
 
I've noticed on your web site you state, on your arctic white kit, that you have an 8x8 tom, yes? How did you get that one from Mapex?
 
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