Alesis is strange. They have poor customer relations and don't seem to interested in listening to consumers opinions. Like they do.
n't really care about us. The only reason I stay is their prices and this site. If u do your homework u can have a very nice kit and not be broke. But dmdrummer is invaluable for so many of us. alesis has good stuff they just dont seem to care about customer convienence.
I agree and have to think it's part of their business strategy. To keep prices low and units flying off the shelves, they can't spend much on customer support or relations. If you really have a defect or an issue, they will help, but on their terms.
For some this is disconcerting, but for myself - and I suspect many other Alesis users are in the same boat - there are some good reasons for choosing an Alesis kit:
- Switching from an acoustic set, it's hard to justify spending 2-3 times as much on an electronic set which ultimately will fall short of the feel and response we're used to from acoustic drums. Not to mention the sound system required to get close to the punch and clarity of real live drums.
- Acoustic drums don't "just work, out of the box". Many of us have spent years trying different heads, sticks, cymbals, foam, pedals, tape, gadgets and hardware on our drums. It's a labor of love. Having played many different people's acoustic sets, you realize that every one is a bit different. There are hundreds of different preferences. So when people bitch that their electronic kits don't feel just like "an acoustic kit", I have to wonder - who's acoustic kit is it supposed to feel like? I'm a fan of Sonor acoustics. I've never called Sonor to ask how to tune their drums. I figured it out on my own (and was taught, and read articles on the subject). So converting to mesh heads and tweaking settings on a DM-10 isn't that daunting. I would want to customize things anyways.
So the money issue is big - but the decision is also about considering your expectations of the product, and ultimately, being happy with what you have.