House of Drumming.com

This is a story of how I'll never buy from GC ever again.


I was badly in need of a hardware case and no other local music stores carry them on hand. I was in GC and picked up one of their Road Runner hardware cases (38", which barley accomadates all my stands) for about 70 bucks. That was in September. I finally tried the case out last weekend and last night I noticed that the stitching on the handles came apart. It wasn't even sewn straight. Just poor manufacturing. Now, this wasn't a huge deal, but what if the rest of it starts to fall apart? Thus began the battle for options.

I called the store, not sure if I was out of the 30 day window or not and they informed me I was. I purchased it in early September and today is Oct. 31st. They advised I contact the manufacturer for a warranty claim. I googled RoadRunner cases and found their site. Under the 'contact us' page, it listed several emails, one of which was support. I started there. Upon sending the email requesting help, I get an automatic 'sender failure' from the domain. The reason? Their mailbox is full. I started to worry. So I email every other address on the site. Guess what? Those are all full as well. I also emailed the domain registrar, but I doubt I'll hear from them, it's a private domain mgmt company.

So then I call GC customer service. I tell them the whole story and they go so far as to suggest I mail them, using the listed PO BOX on RoadRunners site. Now I'm just pissed. The kid on the phone isn't much help and says he might be able to arrange a new one to be sent, but since I bought it in store, he's unsure how that would work. I think he wanted to help, but just didn't know what to do.

Frustrated, I called the local GC back. No help. They say it's outside of the 30 days and to contact the manufacturer. They won't take trade ins (even though its in mint condition). They were able to give me the distributor's ph though.

So, In the end, I have no way to contact RoadRunner cases, aside from registering the product I bought. I've left a msg for the distributor, but I seriously doubt they'll help me.

what do I really want? I want a larger hardware bag. And one that's a quality product. This is the most piss poor service I've ever received from a product. Don't buy from GC, drive hours to a local shop that has what you want.

happy halloween!

I suggest you send them snail mail at: http://roadrunnercases.com/warranty.cfm

As for Guitar Center, I never shop there anymore after my own horror story from ten years ago. Problem is, I do occasionally buy from musiciansfriend.com, and they're OWNED by Guitar Center. Oh well...

For the most part, I've found great service from Allied Music of Ohio, and they get most of my business (even though I've never set foot in the place).

http://www.alliedmusicohio.com/

Regarding cases, Road Runner may have even gone out of business for all we know. I suggest Protection Racket, but I'm not sure if they have any large hardware cases/bags. I suggest using two or more smaller cases/bags for hardware anyway though. Otherwise you end up straining both the case as well as your back.

If you're in IL, just give Brad and Drum Pad your business!

At first I was thinking... oooh a gospel chops horror story, but alas. Anyway

deseipel wrote:what do I really want? I want a larger hardware bag. And one that's a quality product. This is the most piss poor service I've ever received from a product. Don't buy from GC, drive hours to a local shop that has what you want.

There in lies the issue. With the consumer (you) not the manufacture. Let's look at the facts you've presented us with.


You said you were "badly in need" of a hardware case, yet didn't try it out til a month later. That alone makes zero sense.

There are signs ALL over GuitarCenter that say very clearly what the return policies are. Because you failed to acknowledge the posted return conditions, which almost every store is 30 days no matter the industry. That's your fault GC can't help you, again because you waited so long.

Secondly you seem to be well aware of Guitar Center and all the fun that goes with dealing with them. Why you would buy the cheapest GuitarCenter house brand is beyond me. That's like buying a *insert crappy car* and then complaining it's crappy. Well duh, you get what you pay for.

Thirdly, you could have purchased ANY name brand hardware case off numerous retailers online. You also could have hopped onto MusiciansFriend.com and read the reviews of the various hardware bags, cases and brands. You would have found very quickly that "RoadRunner" has horrible reviews both as products and customer service.


If you wanted a high quality hardware case, why didn't you just buy that the first time around? Most drum shops don't have large inventories anyway and you would have had to order whatever you wanted (SKB, H&B, etc)


This is a CLASSIC case of 'buyer beware' and then blaming the retailer for your lack of researching into the products, which would have taken less then 10 minutes at most.

It's not GuitarCenter's fault that you didn't look into the brands, companies or reviews of the products before you blindly purchased the cheapest junk.
Since by your own statements you didn't use the case for more then a month, you could have ordered anything online with plenty of time to spare.

Perhaps you've learned the lesson, at a fairly cheap price at that. Research a little into products before you buy them, take advantage that people post reviews of nearly everything online.

I would recommend any of the name brands, SKB, Humes&Burg, Anvil, ProtectionRacket, etc - though expect to pay 2-5x what 'RoadRunner' cost you. With that extra price you also get great customer service.

ProtectionRacket makes a couple hardware bags with wheels.


It's always amazing that people are surprised they get junk when they buy junk. *shrug* From what I've read of reviews on RoadRunner, and seen a few people with them - if you gig regularly, that hardware case won't last a year.

after calling the local store 2 times and GC customer service 3 times; I realized that I'd be better off just fixing it myself and dealing with it. I'm not a seamstrer (masculine version of seamstress?) by any means, but this will do for now. I'm still amazed at how Roadrunner, who is owned by Guitar Center btw, has such horrid, horrible customer service. Or more accurately, no customer service at all. thumbs down.

YamahaPlayer wrote:At first I was thinking... oooh a gospel chops horror story, but alas. Anyway

deseipel wrote:what do I really want? I want a larger hardware bag. And one that's a quality product. This is the most piss poor service I've ever received from a product. Don't buy from GC, drive hours to a local shop that has what you want.

There in lies the issue. With the consumer (you) not the manufacture. Let's look at the facts you've presented us with.


You said you were "badly in need" of a hardware case, yet didn't try it out til a month later. That alone makes zero sense.

Why. Aren't I allowed to switch my gear to the new case when I please? I guess I have to be literal. The old case functioned, but was on its last legs.

YamahaPlayer wrote:There are signs ALL over GuitarCenter that say very clearly what the return policies are. Because you failed to acknowledge the posted return conditions, which almost every store is 30 days no matter the industry. That's your fault GC can't help you, again because you waited so long.

I'm well aware of the retail industry return policies, I don't have one issue with that. I never said they should let me return it. The fact is, it's their product. They own it. They should support it. They don't. Waiting so long has zero to do with warranty claims.

YamahaPlayer wrote:
Secondly you seem to be well aware of Guitar Center and all the fun that goes with dealing with them. Why you would buy the cheapest GuitarCenter house brand is beyond me. That's like buying a *insert crappy car* and then complaining it's crappy. Well duh, you get what you pay for.

here's why: it was an impulse buy. I was browsing in there, had some cash, and remembered it would be nice to replace my crappy case. I didn't buy it because it was the cheapest. I bought it because it was the only one within at least 1.5 hrs of where I live. I complained about it because it was a defective product that had a warranty that is impossible to obtain a claim on. Sorry I wasn't clear.

YamahaPlayer wrote:Thirdly, you could have purchased ANY name brand hardware case off numerous retailers online. You also could have hopped onto MusiciansFriend.com and read the reviews of the various hardware bags, cases and brands. You would have found very quickly that "RoadRunner" has horrible reviews both as products and customer service.

this is true, but I don't feel like researching every damn thing I buy. Is it too much to ask GC to stand behind what they in fact own & make? I don't think so. I'm interested in these horrible reviews you mention, links?

YamahaPlayer wrote:If you wanted a high quality hardware case, why didn't you just buy that the first time around? Most drum shops don't have large inventories anyway and you would have had to order whatever you wanted (SKB, H&B, etc)

Correction: the inventory in central IL is zero. I wanted something that wasn't falling apart. My expectation was that GC at least sold that. I was mistaken. lesson learned.

YamahaPlayer wrote:
This is a CLASSIC case of 'buyer beware' and then blaming the retailer for your lack of researching into the products, which would have taken less then 10 minutes at most.

It's not GuitarCenter's fault that you didn't look into the brands, companies or reviews of the products before you blindly purchased the cheapest junk.
Since by your own statements you didn't use the case for more then a month, you could have ordered anything online with plenty of time to spare.

Perhaps you've learned the lesson, at a fairly cheap price at that. Research a little into products before you buy them, take advantage that people post reviews of nearly everything online.

I would recommend any of the name brands, SKB, Humes&Burg, Anvil, ProtectionRacket, etc - though expect to pay 2-5x what 'RoadRunner' cost you. With that extra price you also get great customer service.

ProtectionRacket makes a couple hardware bags with wheels.


It's always amazing that people are surprised they get junk when they buy junk. *shrug* From what I've read of reviews on RoadRunner, and seen a few people with them - if you gig regularly, that hardware case won't last a year.

dude, I blame GC because they own the product and effectively their warranty is bullshit. I own some nice padded Humes cases for the record, but I don't have huge, disposable incomes as some of you guys seem to have on here. I also don't feel like spending my valuable time researching the best BAG to hold cymbal stands, give me a break already. I see your point to an extent, but I don't feel like spending $500 on a case to hold stands. sorry, go ahead and blow that cash.

Well there ya go man, impulse buy of the cheapest thing on the market. Literally, the cheapest, it's just not in any way surprising the story you relate and is a very expected outcome. To blame the retailer for your impulsiveness is a bit of an exaggeration. If you had purchased, say an SKB case from GC, these problems most likely wouldn't happen.

You don't have to spend $500 to get a good hardware case. As I mentioned, just do a little research and read reviews on sites like MusiciansFriend. Such hyperbolic reasoning is not going to serve your best interests.


Besides, if I spend $200 on a hardware case that lasts me 5 years. And you spend $70 on one that lasts 1 year. Who's really spending more money here?

Agreed. I got a bit bent out of shape at first, so sorry if I was defensive.

OT: here's a cool video on how the paradox of choice is sometimes paralyzing

http://blog.ted.com/2006/09/26/paradox_of_choi/

It's understandable, being frustrated.

For the record - I HATE GuitarCenter, and I mean hate, with extreme prejudice. They've put some of the best drum shops out of business and continue to eliminate small, local music shops. It's a horrible, horrible, horrible thing. They push absolutely CRAP products onto the market, are staffed by, for the most part, totally ignorant, underpaid jerks.

That said, it is what it is, and unfortunately they serve the greater market. So I do judge the DrumOff's, do clinics there and have a presence for the store here in the area. It's to me, more about serving the audience then the corporation.

But GC is evil, and perhaps a greater influence to the general 'ignorance' of many instrument players.

YamahaPlayer wrote:For the record - I HATE GuitarCenter, and I mean hate, with extreme prejudice. They've put some of the best drum shops out of business and continue to eliminate small, local music shops. It's a horrible, horrible, horrible thing. They push absolutely CRAP products onto the market, are staffed by, for the most part, totally ignorant, underpaid jerks.

+ eleventy billion