Saturday, July 31st, 2010

Platinum Stages Dance Pole Review

There are many portable dance poles out in the market which makes it really hard to decide which one to get. But there is one product that simply outshines the rest. It does not just provide a portable dance pole for beginners or professionals; it provides a different experience for both the user and the people around.

A unique dance pole & podium stage design that is just amazing
The Platinum Stage is undoubtedly in a class of its own. Having its own podium or stage, it will definitely put the spotlight on you. Underneath this fascinating contraption is a design concept that brings exceptional balance and stability for the user. Perform your pole routines with the peace of mind that you won’t fall off or have parts springing into life unexpectedly.

Start with the Platinum Stage
The varied options make it a true customizable dance pole that will suit whatever theme, party or purpose you may have. The 4 square foot stage rise at 12 inches and come with multiple accessories and designs. Several side stage options are available for you. To wit, choose among frosted, mirrored, white, black or skirting as side surface. Furthermore, you may want to add lighting kits to add to the excitement. You can opt for LED lights, Black light or lights that change color.

Likewise, the stage surface comes in different designs. Go all black with black tile or choose a black and white checkered pattern. Other options for the stage surface include galvanized steel, red wood and carbon fiber. Continue to add flare to your stage by opting to use a frosted surface to let light shine through from the bottom of the stage. Mirrored acrylic and clear acrylic are also available as stage surface designs.

Just with the stage, you are given a host of choices that you can mix and match to achieve the best effect that you want. From newbies to professionals, this equipment will certainly make your performance unforgettable.

To spin or not to spin
When you buy the Platinum Stage, you have the choice of using a brass pole or a stainless steel pole with mirror finish. A quick note though, brass poles do not work with the spinning kit. Spinning kits are additional options should you wish to have a spinning dance pole rather than a stationary one. This option makes the Platinum Stage the pole of choice for any performer regardless of skill level. You can easily pull off climbs, poses, slides and other tricks and techniques that you wish.

Other options for the Platinum Stage include quick release kits and wheel kits. Through this system, you get to have the dancing pole solution that you have been wanting. By combining different accessories and choices, you can customize your own dancing pole and create one that truly suits your requirements.

Accessibility and portability
Standing at a height of 96” (including the stage), your Platinum Stage will undoubtedly be the center of attention. Likewise, it will easily fit into any room or space since standard ceilings are at 97” high. Another amazing feature of the Platinum Stage is that it can be set up as easily as it is taken down. Practice in your bedroom, living room or take it out into the garden; regardless of the place, you are assured of the same high quality dance pole. Furthermore, there is a case to store your equipment so you can travel with ease.

With the Platinum Stage, almost anywhere is a good place to set this up. With the lights and all, you are sure to make heads turn.

  • upset customer
    This is a long one, just warning you, but it might be worthwhile to read if you are thinking about purchasing from this company:

    I so wanted to like you Platinum Stages, and I gave you so many chances, but there are some major flaws with your manufacturing and service.

    I spent a lot of time researching poles, and Platinum Stages seemed to be the company of choice according to google. I did read about a few complaints, but figured hmm…I guess there are rare cases where things go wrong, or maybe the person installing it was just doing something incorrectly.

    Well, I got to see for myself what those people were complaining about. I ordered a multi-piece super pole, with a 2 foot extension and a vaulted ceiling mount. I did read all the information online before purchasing, and everything seemed legit and simple.

    I also live in Orange County, so I was so happy when I found out I could pick up the pole from their office and save on shipping. Little did I know that I would have to make several trips back to the Platinum Stages office for defective parts. I don’t even know how somebody out of the area or out of the state would have had to deal with a problem like mine!

    So I ordered my pole on a Sunday, and got a call the next day that it was ready to pick up. I’ll have to admit that it was nice of them to have my order ready so fast.

    I picked up my pole and brought it home, and started putting it together right away since I knew there was only a 7 day return policy. I got all of the multiple pieces of the pole together, but my top coupler piece was not fitting into the top mounting plate or the vaulted ceiling adapter. It wouldn’t go in even a little. My boyfriend even measured the piece with a caliper and found that the coupler was a fraction of an inch too large for the holes in the top mounting plate and the vaulted ceiling adapter. We also found that the locking pins were not fitting in the base piece. Even after lubricating them, neither of the two included pins would go in. Either the pins were crooked, or the base piece’s hole for the locking pins was not drilled straight. There was no way I could fix any of these problems myself because they were manufacturer’s defects. I reluctantly drove back to Newport Beach to get some help.

    It turned out all three parts were defective!! I’m not even exaggerating. The locking pins or the base had to be replaced (I’m not sure which because Kevin took all the pieces to the back and I didn’t see what he did.) After that, they seemed to be going in ok. Then he examined the problem with the top coupler. I was right; it was too big to fit in the top mounting pieces. He brought the coupler to the back, and came back with it and it was fitting. I looked at it later and it appears he did not replace it, but rather had just filed it down with whatever mechanical saw or filer he had back there. I’m not complaining about not getting a new piece, I mean whatever would make the pole work was fine with me.

    So okay fine…the top coupler was fitting nicely into the pressure mounted non-slip top plate. I asked Kevin to show me that it fit into the vaulted ceiling adapter (since that would be the one I would be using) and HMM it wouldn’t fit in! There are these little screw-like things that go into the side of the vaulted ceiling adapter’s hole (you’ll have a hard time picturing this if you don’t know what I’m talking about, and I’m going to talk about those a little later, or more like complain about a different issue involving them later. Anyway, the little screw-like things were out of the way, and the coupler was still not fitting into the vaulted ceiling adapter! Kevin took the piece to the back, and indeed, the vaulted ceiling adapter was too small. Kevin gave me a new one. Other people in the office were like, “oh what’s the problem?” and Kevin shouted something in response like “the bearings are off! That’s never happened before!”

    Somehow I am reluctant to believe that…

    I went home happily thinking everything was solved (although I should have been more angry. THREE DIFFERENT DEFECTIVE PARTS! All in my one order!

    Had to install it Thursday because Wednesday, I was busy purchasing a ladder for my high vaulted roof, an electric drill to screw the vaulted ceiling adapter into my roof, and a drill adapter piece…all which I purchased for pretty much no reason because the pole ultimately did not work out for me and I ended up returning it. Wednesday I was also busy moving around heavy furniture, which was also a complete wasted effort since I ended up returning the pole.

    I know this review is long, but as you can see, there are a lot of different problems going on here.

    So you could imagine how stressful it is to have to install your pole in a hurry because you only have 7 days to return it, especially when everything is going wrong.

    Thursday, we got the ceiling mount in place and connected the pole. Everything seemed okay, until we tried to but the pole on spin mode. The pole was rubbing against the edge of the mount! With much frustration, we began to dissemble the pole, because I knew I did not want a pole that was meant to spin, but was not working properly. We were starting to decompress the base and looked up and say the pole was instead unscrewing between some of the multiple pieces of the pole because of the friction from the top coupler rubbing against the vaulted ceiling adapter! That was very SCARY and DANGEROUS to me, because what if the pole had completely unscrewed itself between the top pieces and it all fell down on us? Those are VERY heavy pieces, which would be falling from 12 feet above.

    Friday, the last day I could make it in to return the pole, I had everything packed back into the box, convinced I did not want to keep this poorly designed pole. Went back again to the Newport office for the third time in the week. First I talked to Kevin again. He was like “oh, our vaulted ceiling adapters are only designed to fit 45 degree ceilings. Your ceiling must be more than 45 degrees.” I was like, uh, that doesn’t sound right at all. There is no way my ceiling is more than 45 degrees. Duh! Kevin started to suggest something about getting a block of wood and attaching it to the ceiling…and in my head I was just like whoa there! Solving a potentially dangerous problem with a block of wood? Uh how about hell no!

    Kevin seemed especially cocky and unwilling to help that day. It’s like, oh I’m sorry Kevin…am I troubling you with YOUR defective parts’ problems? GEEZ! I just got to the point. “I don’t want to keep this. I want to return it.”

    He said, “okay, you’ll have to talk to Kim about that” then he disappeared.

    Waited for Kim for several minutes while she was on the phone, then explained the vaulted ceiling issue to her. I was very frustrated because this was the 4th separate problem with my pole that I had to explain. She started talking about how those little screws in the vaulted ceiling adapter are meant to grasp the coupler to be able to increase the angle so the pole can work with a highly slanted ceiling. Clearly she and Kevin were not on the same page. Anyway, I was just shocked to hear that explanation. Uh two screws holding my pole in place so it doesn’t slide out of the vaulted ceiling adapter? No thank you.

    I told Kim, “why don’t you explain these things beforehand?”

    Kim replied, “it’s in the instructions included in the box for the vaulted ceiling adapter.”

    Strike 5: I did not receive any instructions in my package for the vaulted ceiling adapter, just the pole instructions.

    I tell Kim “you know that’s very dangerous not including all the instructions in the box if it’s so much more complicated then you make it seem online.”

    Kim replies, “yes it is dangerous. You should have called us and we could have mailed you the instructions.”

    I ask Kim, “the multi-piece pole is meant to be broken down after each use. So you expect me to climb up on a ladder to reach the vaulted ceiling adapter on my 12 foot ceiling, and unscrew the coupler every time I use my pole?”

    “Kim replies, “well that’s why most of our buyers go with one-piece poles.”

    I tell Kim, “Why don’t you tell your buyers about all these details on your website before they make their purchases?”

    Kim replies, “well we have an 800 number. You could have always asked.”

    Uh NO! If you have a website that allows online purchases, all the information needs to be on the website. About how vaulted ceiling adapters are for 45 degree ceilings at most, and how the vaulted ceiling adapter is for semi-permanent poles. And uh, INSTRUCTIONS.

    Finally, Kim begins to process my return. She mentions, “you know what I’ll just waive your re-stocking fee.” Ohh yippee. You’d have to be crazy to expect me to pay a 4 something dollar restocking fee when I was the one being caused all the inconvenience!

    Did you notice that there was no apology whatsoever from Kevin or Kim? Just confrontations and arguments. Hello sex industry related workers…your customer service needs some major work!

    To summarize, I am a nice person who rarely complains, but this was a well-deserved complaint. I am not going to say “DO NOT BUY YOUR POLE FROM PLATINUM STAGES.” Platinum Stages has some cool poles, and they do seem to be made of sturdy material. I could imagine that people who have ceilings of average heights might get along just fine. Studios probably love their Platinum Stage poles. I’m just extremely unsure about their reliability and the company’s dependability. I mean, 3 separate manufacturer’s defects for one pole?? Forgotten instructions posing potentially dangerous situations? Come on, what are the chances? I know I’m not a pro stripper, but I do know what I’m dealing with here. They claim that their poles are perfect for college students, housewives, and everyday people. I’m just saying…if you are a one-time pole buyer like me…think about it. I should have gone with Lil Minx from the beginning. Now I have a bunch of annoying holes in my vaulted ceiling, but at the very least I’m just glad I was able to get all my money back.

    I’m just being honest and thorough and trying to help so people don’t have to go what I went through. I should have listened to the other reviews. If you are out of state….just a precaution for what you might have to deal with...it could be a HUGE hassle for you guys. People shouldn’t have to go through so much trouble to get a working pole.
  • upset customer
    I meant "40 something dollar" up in that paragraph up there. it's a 10% restocking fee, typically for all returns). watch out!!
  • Vickie_M
    I ordered one of the poles back in the last week of Feb'10. It was suppose to be 2-3 weeks. After calling numerous time as I was going into the 4th week...they kept saying they were right on schedule and kept lying about when it was sent. They finally mailed it about the 5th week. This is rediculous. If you know you are back logged...do not promise a customer 2-3 weeks. A smart business person would say 4-6 weeks. However, it came without a case as promised. I am still waiting on my case. I think the pole is nice but I would not suggest that anyone order from these people. Then they try act like the pole is so popular as if that is suppose to pacifiy bad business practice. Where the F(((( is my case people?
  • heather112
    this is the worst portable pole i have ever seen...no joke. not only did i wait six months after i was first promised it (after at least 3 more dates i was told i would have it that i didnt) but it was the worst quality material, weighed more than triple what it was supposed to, was double the size in the base, didnt come with a carrying case with wheels (even when broken down, this pole is NOT portable...i am extremely strong and had a very hard time with assembly) and the base surface was so slippery it was impossible to dance on in shoes. Also, the main center part of the base was bent and it wont even assemble properly! i thought it was just customer service that was terrible at platinum stages but now i know the products are a clear representation of their overall business...crap.
  • jackelvis
    damn i saw striping poles gone bad and that was some funny shit... i mean i feel sorry 4 the girls but couldn't help but laugh... its off the chain..thank you much ; ELVIS
  • beigelove11
    I ordered a spinning/still removable pole from Platinum stages at www.platinumstages.com. I told Kevin (the guy who took my order) that I specifically wanted it for a party and that I needed it to be here the next day. He let me know that they could over night it to me and that it would be here on Friday 16 Oct 2009. He assured me that it could spin or lock into place and that I didn't have to purchase any additional items for this product. I originally gave a length that was too long for the area that I wanted the pole, but found that it worked perfect for the living room area and since it was removable I figured it would work out perfect. I went searching for all the parts to find that the locking pins were not included in this order. I was told that he could overnight the pins but I let him know that I didn't want that because they wouldn't get here in time for my party. The women that were going to use this pole were all new to this, so I decided not to set up the pole. I expressed that I wanted to speak to a manager and was promised that Kim Arcement (manager) would contact me on Tuwsday 20 Oct 2009. I had to call and ask for her to call me again because apparently she wasn't given the message. I then had to call the next day again because I was not called. I finally spoke with her today (21 oct 2009) and let her know my issue about the locking pin. She implied that I may have lost it and then went on to say that the pole didn't need a locking pin to work properly. She suggested that I could have placed a bobby pin in the place of the hole. She asked what I would like for them to do and I suggested them giving me a full reimbursement since the pole was not fully functional. She said that they would reimburse me for the pole and not make me pay the 10% restocking fee but that reimbursing for the shipping was not an option. She placed me on hold for quite some time and later Bill (supposedly the owner) came to the phone saying that I have completely exhausted Kim out to no end....By asking for a refund?!?!? He then he told me that he knows I bought the pole for a party, used it and now I want my money back. Not true, But I think it would have been in his best interest to at least take a look at the pole first before suggesting this to a customer. Once I told him how offended I was for him to question my integrity, he then said that he should not have said that. He also said that when he gets the pole if and when the pole has not been used he would write me a letter of apology. Then later said that it would be an email saying they received it and it has not been used. I should have just went with lil minx like I originally wanted to. please feel free to ask any questions.
  • Erika
    omg that is so horrible! I have been wanting to buy a platinum stages pole because I've used one before and liked it. But after hearing of your story I certainly don't want to buy from a company that is going to treat their customers like that! I am so sorry you had to go through that :( Thank you for sharing this, it has helped me a little more in deciding which pole I want to buy. Good luck sweetie :)
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