Gibraltar racks?

[drmoze]

I'm considering replacement of my V-Custom rack with a Gibraltar one, specifically the 350GC (with 40" curved front bar, 36" uprights, 24" side arms, 2 post-mounted cymbal arms, 4 multiclamps, $270 or so). My question is, how solid is this rack? (The name suggests it's pretty solid, of course! $^) It has just a single cross bar, whereas the Roland V-Custom rack has 2 (and cheap plastic clamps!!!). Any opinions on this rack would be most welcome. Thanks!

[Alexander]

Originally posted by drmoze:
My question is, how solid is this rack? Any opinions on this rack would be most welcome.

Extremely solid (and aesthetic too, btw)!

I have the majority of my Gibby GRS350GC from guitar center. It has the exact same components as the GRS350C, plus it has 2 SC-RBA's (built in cymbal booms), and it comes w/4 multi-clamps. In the end, you save some dough here. I also ordered 3 additional super-multi-clamps, 1 extra cymbal boom, 10 memory locks, and 2 hinged mem. locks. I'm still waiting on these special order items, but once I get 'em this kit'll be awesome! Unfortunately I'm stuck with the original MDS8, Roland V-Custom rack, unopened and brand new. Oh well, !

Oh yea, make sure the GRS350GC/GRS350C comes with a 40" front, horizontal, curved bar. Mine came boxed with the same as above but 46" in length (Many of them come with a 46" stock, you may dig it though). It was too wide for my needs and phucked up my kit's symmetry !

Would those of you drummers who also own a GRS350C or GC please measure the length of your front curved crossbar? Is it 40" or 46" in length? Just want to see which is the standard, after the fact.

Guitar Center happily swapped mine out for a shorter 40" tho'. Still waiting for its arrival...


------------------
Thank Ye,
Alex.

[drmoze]

Thanks for the info! The 2 catalogs that I've seen the 350GC in both list a 40" front bar. They do sell a curved 46" rack without the side bars, different product #.

I already have a few Gibraltar multiclamps (replacing broken Roland plastic ones!) and 4 cymbal booms with clamps. So I could probably mount my whole Custom kit (with one extra PD7 and one Yamaha cymbal pad) withput buying any more clamps. And then sell/give away my Roland rack. Tempting....

Here's a dumb question, as I could check it out myself but haven't yet: does it work well to mount the hi-hat and snare on a single side arm, with the L-rods facing up and down, respectively?

[WholeHogLD]

You won't go wrong with a Gibraltar rack. I've been using mine for years now for both acoustic and electronic drums and have not had one single problem with it. Extremely reliable and solid.

[suuntov]

I love my rack.

[puttenvr]

I have a Taiwanese Gibraltar rack clone with Dixon clamps and it works as well. Gibraltar is quite expensive here in Holland. Don't know how it is in the US, but there are alternatives.

[drmoze]

The price I've seen for the 350 GC (which looks perfect for the Customs/Pros) is only $270. That includes the 2 T-legs, 2 36" uprights, 40" curved front bar, 2 24" side bars, clamps to hold it together, plus 4 multiclamps, 2 memory locks and 2 upright-mounted cymbal booms. Pretty cheap IMO! I already have multiclamps holding my Roland boom arms, and 2 aftermarket clamp/cymbal boom combos, so this would be everything I need. I could then sell my entire V-Custom rack--I even have a full set of unbroken original clamps! (Several were replaced by Roland, but I decided to stay with a few of the Gibraltar clamps that I had already bought.)

So, how much do you think I could get for a complete V-Custom rack? (I'll be keeping the mounting plate for the TD8, though.) Tempting!!!

[bwherry]

Hey guys,

I have a GRS350GC as well, and it is a good
value (two boom arms, little clamp deals on
the tops of the uprights) BUT there are two
things you must know:

1) the GRS350GC only comes with FOUR multi
clamps, not 6 (as the picture indicates) and
it does not come with ANY memory locks for
the clamps (as the picture also indicates).
Grrrr....

2) the long curved bar is in fact 46" long,
not 40" (at least mine is) -- just so you
know.

I was a little PO'ed when I got the thing
home and only found 4 clamps in the box, and
no memory locks. Then I read the box label
carefully, and sure enough, it says "4 clamps
included"... But the picture showing 6
clamps, all with memory locks, is a little
misleading. Don't be mislead as I was! Heh.

But it's still a good value (as compared to
the regular, non-Guitar Center GRS350).
Enjoy.

Brian

[drmoze]

Sounds like you bought your rack in person. I've seen it listed in 2 different catalogs. Both clearly state a 40" bar (can you just cut the 46" one shorter?), 4 multiclamps, and 2 memory locks. Never saw one that claoimed 6 clamps. (Perhaps the 2 locks looked like clamps?) I might get mine in person and make sure it is as-advertised, instead of mail-order.

How solid does the rack feel compared to the Roland one? (Mine shakes and moves a bit when I play.)

[This message has been edited by drmoze (edited January 08, 2001).]

[Zilla]

drmoze...i may have an interest in your vcustom rack. i do a sunday gig at a church that i could leave the rack at allowing me to just load pads... don't need the clamp for the td8. let me know what your thinking for price. if it gets up there too much, i will probably just buy the gibraltor.

[bwherry]

Originally posted by drmoze:
Sounds like you bought your rack in person. I've seen it listed in 2 different catalogs. Both clearly state a 40" bar (can you just cut the 46" one shorter?), 4 multiclamps, and 2 memory locks. Never saw one that claoimed 6 clamps.

Yeah, it always listed only 4 clamps, but
there's a big-ass picture of a rack with
SIX multiclamps and SIX memory locks on
the top of the box, and in the Guitar center
circulars! Just a tad bit of deceptive
advertising...

My GRS350GC came with a 46" curved bar --
I've got a GRS850DBL and that's got two
40" curved bars -- the 350's is about six
inches longer. Yes, you can cut it with an
exhaust pipe cutter if you need the long
curved tube to be a bit shorter...

How solid does the rack feel compared to the Roland one? (Mine shakes and moves a bit when I play.)

I got Gibraltar racks to replace my Hart
Dynamics Ultilite (lighter weight) rack
that was supporting quite a bit of stuff.
The Gibraltar is rock solid. I'm sure it
will be quite an improvement over the
Roland rack as well...

Hope this helps,

Brian

[cliff]

Gibraltar usually ships that rack with a 46" bar even though the rack has a 40" spec.

[TimG]

Ok, here's a shameless plug (sorry!)- the new carbon fiber racks are another alternative discussed in a previous topic a couple of weeks ago. They don't compete with Gibraltar on price, but they're solid and weigh significantly less. A carbon rack from Carbonlite with tube lengths as described above- (1) 40", (2) 36", (2) 24", plus (2) 24" feet- would be $382 for the rack without any multiclamps (M/C's $15.50/ea with rack). The cut-to-length tubes only, for use with your existing Roland or Gibraltar 1.5" clamps, would be $252.

Sorry for the "sales pitch", but if interested, check it out at http://www.carbonlite.com

[Alexander]

Timmy,

Carbon bars only come in straight (non-curved) tubing, eh? I'm happy wit' my Gibby rack !

------------------
Thank Ye,
Alex.

[Redline]

I don't have alot of experience with racks except what I have seen from Roland & Yamaha(@GuitarCenter). But my new "Hart Dynamics Custom AX" came with what appears to be a pretty kick ass rack-so far! It's stainless steel w/quick realease metal clamps which are awesome for making adjustments on-very quick & easy. Feels solid too. (Now if only my TD-8 were here-"If i only had a brain") I am not sure if they sell only racks but they do sell them piece by piece which may or may not be cheaper than Gibralter parts:HartDynamicDrums.com