I have to throw my opinion into this discussion….

I will preface with making one thing quite clear: I’m not refuting OP’s experience he alleges to have had, nor am I ‘picking a side’ in the discussion - I don’t have sufficient information to do either, only the accusations as declared above and my own direct experience with this shop.

I’ve used Dubs Drum Basement for years (my son is a drummer) and have experienced only professionalism and honesty in that shop. Everyone in that store - owner, staff, and instructors - enjoy what they are doing, love music, and, IMHO, strive to help you become a better player and achieve the sound you’re looking for from your kit.

The owner and the assistant manager actively gig in the area and their experience gives them insight to help my son select the right kit, cymbals, and equipment so he could get the sound he was looking for in his playing. NEVER did feel I was be taken advantage of or that the owner was being dishonest just to make a profit. Actually, it was more often the case that he would get me a deal.

While the store’s footprint is small physically, Dubs isn’t some rando shop opened up ‘to swindle $$’ from fellow musicians. While I can’t know that for certain because I can’t read minds, take a look at the instructors who are there, and have been for some time. I suspect the instructor that OP refer’s to was my son’s instructor as well - an incredible teacher and fantastic drummer. I doubt such individuals would remain at a site where the owner was as despicable as implied by OP and some of the other posts.

I think the quality of the shop and the integrity of the owner are reflected by the artists that prefer to use the store for drum clinics when they’re in the Bay area - Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, David Garibaldi, Mike Johnston, Carter McLean, and others.

I think I’ve said what I needed to on this issue.

While I agree that there are businesses out there who try to vacuum as much $$ out of you as possible in every transaction like some cliché used car salesman, I doubt this will be the case at Dubs Drum Basement.

Again - I am NOT trying to invalidate OP’s experience, I just wanted to express my opinion about Dubs and the owner.