Dissapointed in Gilbraltar Curved bars

[SpazApproved]

So I finally got my hardware case back from my old band so I am going to build my double bass PDP kit now.

Well I special ordered two 30" Curved rack bars. Well now that I've taken them out of the package I realize the so called "curve" is a joke and more or less just a bend in the middle. It's not a smooth ( shape at all. It's more like < but not as aggressive.



It's straight on the ends and a slight curve in the middle... looks stupid to me



I want curved bars like my original rack piece... look at the difference




I'm going to write Gibraltar today and see what the heck is up. I wanted a nice round front and we all know I'm OCD and I can't leave it if it already bothers me.

[SpazApproved]

Here's a picture from their website... looks perfectly curved to me (

[Ricardo]

WOW.....................deceptive................. I'm surprised.

[late8]

I had to go back and look at the Gibraltar curved bar I bought before DW took over Gibraltar and your are correct. The Mandrel bend has certainly changed. Knowing how much time, care and not to mention the money you've put into your kits to make them picture perfect, I commend you for and I feel your frustration. Since you work for a music store, I'd imagine getting through to your regional DW/Gibraltar sales rep should clear up this issue?

[SpazApproved]

yeah I'm going to give my boss a call shortly and have him talk to someone for sure!
I just don't like how it looks at all.
If I need to buy two 42" bars and cut them down to size I will to get that nice round curved look that I want.

God that exotic DW is sooooo unbelievably sexy and just stunning!!
So jealous...

[late8]

yeah I'm going to give my boss a call shortly and have him talk to someone for sure!
I just don't like how it looks at all.
If I need to buy two 42" bars and cut them down to size I will to get that nice round curved look that I want.

God that exotic DW is sooooo unbelievably sexy and just stunning!!
So jealous...

Thanks Zack and your newest edition, the Pork Pie Zebra finish kit is just too good on the eyes. Bill Detamore is such a cool guy to deal with.

What's your theory on the change for the curved bar?

• DW trying to save some pennies and they ditched their mandrel machine in Taiwan?
  
• Maybe the entire hardware factory re-tooled their line?
  
• Maybe DW is completely depleting the "old" Gibraltar inventory that was on the books before the buy out and now have re-introduced a different type of curved bar?
• Elvis Presley is still alive?

[SpazApproved]

Thanks Zack and your newest edition, the Pork Pie Zebra finish kit is just too good on the eyes. Bill Detamore is such a cool guy to deal with.

What's your theory on the change for the curved bar?

• DW trying to save some pennies and they ditched their mandrel machine in Taiwan?
  
• Maybe the entire hardware factory re-tooled their line?
  
• Maybe DW is completely depleting the "old" Gibraltar inventory that was on the books before the buy out and now have re-introduced a different type of curved bar?
• Elvis Presley is still alive?

hahahaha Elvis for sure

My boss just texted me the information for our sales rep since I'm not at the store today. So I'm email him photos now and will call him shortly and we'll find out! I'm going with a new type of crappy curve bar that involves less production and work.

[late8]

hahahaha Elvis for sure

My boss just texted me the information for our sales rep since I'm not at the store today. So I'm email him photos now and will call him shortly and we'll find out! I'm going with a new type of crappy curve bar that involves less production and work.

Cool! Please keep us posted. I was looking forward to adding on to my rack with some more curved sections but may wait until you receive word back from DW. Thanks!

[pcs90]

Hopefully there is just something wrong with the bars you have and this isn't a total change, especially since all the prices got raised once DW took over so they definitely shouldn't be taking shortcuts!
Honestly, as much asI knock DW, if you want rack bars, theirs are a lot better IMO. Also less slipping on those. Some people have no problems with slipping on the Gibraltar ones, but from what I've found, for some reason the clamps just grip better on the DW bars for me.

[N2Bluz]

hahahaha Elvis for sure

My boss just texted me the information for our sales rep since I'm not at the store today. So I'm email him photos now and will call him shortly and we'll find out! I'm going with a new type of crappy curve bar that involves less production and work.

I'm gonna say they went from having them bent on a mandrel machine to having a guy stick one end in a fixture, grab the opposite end and static bend it around a fixture placed in the middle. Or....maybe people were complaining the consistent curvature made it hard for clamps to get a solid grip?

[late8]

Hopefully there is just something wrong with the bars you have and this isn't a total change, especially since all the prices got raised once DW took over so they definitely shouldn't be taking shortcuts!
Honestly, as much asI knock DW, if you want rack bars, theirs are a lot better IMO. Also less slipping on those. Some people have no problems with slipping on the Gibraltar ones, but from what I've found, for some reason the clamps just grip better on the DW bars for me.

I've never had any slippage issues with the Gibraltar rack tubes as long as memory locks are used. Most of the Taiwan stuff is made by one huge company in Taiwan and it's just a matter of rebranding.

[FlyByNight]

Wow that's not right. I would definitely try to get in touch with the supplier.

[wired]

It looks like to me that they only bent that bar in one spot on a bottlejack bender. I'm a welder fabricator and what I would do if sending it back wasn't an option I would take the bar you want to match and use it as a template.

Then you could probably take it to a muffler shop that has a pipe bender and have them bend it. I would wrap it in towels but rebending it might cause the chrome to flake off of it. You might be able to fix it like that but it still sucks better to send it back and make them replace it.

[NPYYZ]

With my I rack I have several different lengths of curved bars. Only the shortest ones, I believe they are 30"and 36" have that type of curve, the rest are the type of curve you are looking for. Unless they changed them you should be able to get the nice evenly rounded curved bar in the 42" and 46" lengths. Mine are road series not sure if that makes a difference or not.

In this pic I have a 30" , 36" and a 42" all the 46" bars are currently on my kit but you can see the 30 and 36 seem to have that more aggressive bend. You may need to get longer bars.



In this pic the 3 bars right , middle and left are all 46". There's a 36" and a 30" holding up the two 8" toms I think you might find you will need more then a 30" bar anyway. They can easily be cut down, I've done it. Just pop off the end cap, cut to size, smooth any roughness on the edge and pop the end cap back in. Also i don't mean to be offensive here but I've been using Gibraltar rack systems probably since they were invented and I have never had any slippage issues, If you get slippage you are not using the equipment correctly. No I do not work for Gibraltar but I wish I did. I love their stuff.

[SpazApproved]

yeah i have the kit all setup now and i don't mind it... but yeah I'm still waiting to see what they tell me on why they don't do the full curve on the smaller lengths. if it bothers me enough I'll spend the extra money for the longer tubs and cut them down. But now that I set it all up i'm fine with it.

i'll wait to see what they tell me tomorrow being the weekend they aren't working.

[SpazApproved]

Just an update... surprisingly enough Gibraltar never got back to me... i think this week i might recontact them and surprise them, let them know they forgot all about their customer.

[davewilson]

I just got some new stuff from girbraltar.. including new curved bars, and they're exactly the same as my old ones as far as curve radius,etc. Are you sure you didn't get a "V" bar by mistake?.. because that's what it looks like. They make straight, curved, and V bars so it's possible they shipped you the wrong item.

[davewilson]

those are V bars on either side... not curved bars. They make straight, V, and curved

I had to go back and look at the Gibraltar curved bar I bought before DW took over Gibraltar and your are correct. The Mandrel bend has certainly changed. Knowing how much time, care and not to mention the money you've put into your kits to make them picture perfect, I commend you for and I feel your frustration. Since you work for a music store, I'd imagine getting through to your regional DW/Gibraltar sales rep should clear up this issue?

[SpazApproved]

It was definitely the curved bar.
But from my searches and info provided by NPYYZ it seems that they don't curve the smaller bars as good as they do the larger bars. So I may down the road someday order two of the bigger bars and just cut them down to size like I love to do.