This particular Thread had nothing to do with - "ENDORSEMENT ISSUE" (which is a rather sensitive issue in a way when discuss very openly - especially to an endorsee of whatever Brands"., it's about Price Increase in the 1st place.
Many do not realise, as I had mentioned. It is not so easy to get the Real-Deal from say a Drum Manufacturer these days eg Tama, Pearl for instance. It's unlike before - because there are just too many Drummers hoping to get endorse by a Drum Company.
Take a look at the US, there are plenty Drummers on the waiting list,writing to Drum Manufacturer waiting to be endorsee. They do not aim to get FREE -STUFFS (gone are the good-old days). As mentioned, some Drummers PAY Manufacture just to get endorsed in the States.
Most Drum Manufacturer, are not aware of who are the Professional Drummers in many other countries, especially Asia, so they leave it to the Core Distributor to Endorsed whoever Drummer they deem fit in the Marketing Of Their Product Brand (Pearl for instance here - they leave the responsibilty to the Distributor in the Country - Unless they have a setup there, meaning here Swee Lee is own by Pearl - then they do it themselves).....But afterall remember - There is no such things as FREE STUFFS anymore - so, Pearl & Swee Lee (or even Swee Lee alone itself had to bear half the cost as they are Distributor), and the Endorsee pay the other half for a Kit (as an example here) - but there will be other Terms & Condition among them which of course need not be discuss here at all (It's between them).
Let's look at it this way - How many Drummers from the many other countries (besides USA) & (some European & Japanese Drummers) do really have their ENDORSE-FACE up on the Main Manufacturer Booklet lah.........
Reason - There are just too many Good Drummers in this World and Drum Manufacturer had enough Drummers now to market their product already and they are not so focus on smaller market like Singapore and other Asian Countries.....Maybe China they will Kekekekeke - Of course, that's where most of them had shifted their Manufacturing to....
I am real Proud Of All Our Singaporean Drummer (Alvin, Jimmy Lee, Tama Goh, Sallie, Mohammad Noor, Fairoz, Bobby Singh, Boon Gee etc) that had got endorsement by Famous Drum Manufacturer here through our Local Drum Distributors eg. Pearl (Swee Lee) & Mapex (Pro Musique) - These Distributor did a Great Job I would say - 3 cheers to them. NOTE: - These Are Real-Deals Too, not Fake.
PS:- If you ever get an Endorsement from a drum company (say a Pray, thank GOD - don't ask for Free-Stuffs or a beautiful Picture of your face must be up at the Drum's Main Site, forget about that nowadays) getting an endorsement is already damn lucky nowadays - (Remember forget about the Free Stuffs - even the states drummers don't get it nowadays - unless you are another Steve Gadd).......
There are Cymbal Manufacturer Endorsement and Drum-Stick Manufacturer Endorsement - Hmmm.mmm maybe for this they give you Free (limited quantity)....but I read some Drummers in US actually pay Drum-Stick Company to get their Names on the Sticks (if they get endorsed)?.... AIyoh world has changed liao.
PS: - One more Thing - All these Local Drummers here were approached by the Drum Distributor itself - and not the other way round ! ...
Eric
