Gibraltar rack ROCKS!

[drmoze]

[Yes, pun intended. $^) ]

Just picked up the Gibraltar 350GC rack from Guitar Center, on sale for $270. (It's also available online for $280 from MusiciansFriend.com. Great deal! And it's bigger than it looks. It has the big (46") curved front bar, 2 24" curved sides, and 2 vertical legs (36"?) with T-stands. It also comes with 2 leg-mounted cymbal booms, several locking collars (on the T-legs and horizontal bars), and 4 multiclamps.

This rack is a lot heavier than the aluminum V-Custom rack. It's steel, chrome-plated, and looks great. Everything fit just fine: Snare, hi-hat, trigger bar and brain on the left arm, 2 crashes on the booms, 2 toms on the front bar, ride, 3rd tom, and an extra PD-7 on the right. I picked up new all-steel L-rods for the toms (unlike the Custom's rods, which have a plastic-covered end). I also adjusted the legs so that they extend towards me. (They arrive with the post centered on them, but almost all of the weight is on the drummer side of the front bar!)

The rack feels solid, clamps are a joy (they are solid and they all split for easy relodcation). And everything now feels so *adjustable*! All pads are in very comfortable locations, and the whole set-up feels much more solid than the stock rack did. Haven't fiddled with triggers, but I suspect I can reduce crosstalk settings a bit.

One note: I moved the right post in about 15" from the end of the front main bar because it's just too wide. The extra bar length just sticks out now; I may cut it off after I play for a whiler and am sure I like the width I set up.

For moving, like the custom rack, I'll just be removing the pads and brain, folding the cymbal booms in close, and pivoting the side arms and feet inward for compactness. Cables are very neatly routed along the inside of the horizontal bars, attached with periodic velcro strips. I also ran the cables along the inside of the vertical posts, guaranteeing enough slack when the side arms are folded inward.

So far (1 day after set-up!) I love this rack. Although it'll be a bit heavier to carry. But it's a great deal for $270 at Guitar Center. Looks cooler too!!!

[This message has been edited by drmoze (edited March 05, 2001).]

[Mick Wade]

I agree on all points. I have basically the same setup myself, and it currently supports 14 pads quite solidly. The curved bars are really cool for tom pad placement as it follows the natural motion of your body, and those cymbal boom holders that mount into the vertical sections of pipe are bad to the bone. Quite honestly, I thought the racks and hardware that Roland came out with for the V-drums looked pretty flimsy and I never gave them any serious consideration. However, I've seen the new rack for the V-Session kit up close and it's way groovy.....

[Lefty-Lo]

drmoze
I just received Guitar Center Sales catalog
today and remembered that you had asked me about that Rack I was going to let you know about it but you beat me to it. Did you go to the Seven Corners Guitar Center? Where are you gigging? Let me know so I can come see you.

[drmoze]

Yo Lefty,

Yup, I saw the green tag and decided it was time to splurge. $^) Actually, musiciansfriend.com had it for $270 a while back too, but local tax and online shipping are about the same. So I opted for the cash'n'carry route. Also bought new L-rods, as noted above. I picked it up at the 7 Corners GC (Falls Church, VA).

I was hapy that the rack had 4 clamps, as some folks reported their racks had just 2. Combined with earlier purchases, I have enough clamps for everything without having to use any Roland clamps.

And let me reiterate: on the Gibraltar rack, between the clamps and cymbal arms, everything just feels so much more *adjustable*! It's nice to sit things just where you want them.

[Lefty-Lo]

It sound like the rack has enough space for the td 8, but I have a V-Pro set how do you think the rack would work with the larger size drums? And how did you mount your module?

Lefty-Lo

[drmoze]

*plenty* of room for the V-Pros. As I noted, I moved the right-side upright 15" in from the end of the front bar, which is 6" wide. Plus, the side arms are 24" long, and can be positioned for lots of room.

I kept the stock plate on the TD-8, and mounted it on a Gibraltar clamp. Same place as the original set-up, on the left sidebar, to the left of the hihat pad. I considered mounting it on the far right, past the 'floor' tom, but the left side is more convenient. Extra cymbals (like my ride and another PD-7) set up easily with short rack-mount cymbal arms (about $25 each).

[drmoze]

*plenty* of room for the V-Pros. As I noted, I moved the right-side upright 15" in from the end of the front bar, which is 6" wide. Plus, the side arms are 24" long, and can be positioned for lots of room.

I kept the stock plate on the TD-8, and mounted it on a Gibraltar clamp. Same place as the original set-up, on the left sidebar, to the left of the hihat pad. I considered mounting it on the far right, past the 'floor' tom, but the left side is more convenient. Extra cymbals (like my ride and another PD-7) set up easily with short rack-mount cymbal arms (about $25 each).

[DougM]

drmoze,

Thanks for your review of the Gibralter rack. Do the L-rods you purchased fit the clamps that came with the rack? Can these clamps also accommodate 7/8" (Pearl style) tom mounts or would I need to purchase additional clamps?

Thanks,
Doug

[drmoze]

The L-rods I bought (I wanted more solid all-metal ones, and also plan to sell the Roland ones with the rack) have one arm that fits into the V-drum mount (like stock) and the other leg is a bit thicker. They are also ribbed for more pleasure^h^h^h^h^stability! They were 2 for $12 at GC.

Dunno about the PEarl 7/8" rods, but I'm sure they will fit in the included Gibraltar clamps, which are the sturdy ones. They have a split wide opening for the rack pipes, and the bar end clamp is attached with 2 long bolts that have a long hex nut and a big wing nut. It'll accommodate a 7/8" rod easily. These clamps are great and very adaptable.

As for total clamps, the rack comes with 4 of these rod clamps and 2 cymbal boom arms. You will need more clamps (or have to recycle old ones) if you have more pads.

[Dana]

For those who are interested .......
Midwest Percussion has the Gibraltar
#GRS350C rack for $265.95 with free shipping.
http://www.midwestpercussion.com/har...ltar_rack.html

Nice Rack!!!!

[RonBon]

Originally posted by DougM:
drmoze,

Thanks for your review of the Gibralter rack. Do the L-rods you purchased fit the clamps that came with the rack? Can these clamps also accommodate 7/8" (Pearl style) tom mounts or would I need to purchase additional clamps?

Thanks,
Doug

I just got mine off of EBay. New $219.50!!

Yes, it works with the Pearl arms with no problem. I'm using the Hart pads that use the Pearl type arms and the clamps work just fine.


------------------
RonBon

[drmoze]

**IMPORTANT**!!!

Referring back to Dana's post above, the Midwest Percussion GRS350C rack DOES NOT have the cymbal arms and post mounts!!! They only come in the GRS350GC racks sold by Guitar Center and online by Musician's Friend (owned by GC), currently for $295 shipped.

For the same price (about $270), *definitely* go with the GC version, which adds the 2 cymbal arms and pole mounting clamps!!!! Even with shipping (MF) or taxes (GC), the GC version is the better buy.

[This message has been edited by drmoze (edited March 10, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by drmoze (edited March 10, 2001).]

[Dana]

drmoze .......

You're right my friend, didn't catch that "GC" phrasing.
For sure a better buy w/ the (2) cymbal booms. Looks like a perfect replacement for my Pintech rack.

Thanks ...... Dana

[drmoze]

Dana,

Yep, I caught the subtlety. Mainly because I've been looking at this rack (and sources for it) for at least a couple of months now, and concluded that the 350GC was exactly what I wanted for my Customs. And I was right. $^) I haven't traveled with it yet but it should fold up to be about as compact as the Roland, just a few pounds more!

[DougM]

FYI:

As of this afternoon, the Musician's Friend web site was advertising the curved Gibralter rack w/ 2 cymbal boom arms for $219.99 (with free shipping). Looks like a great deal.

Doug