I just saw Antiques Roadshow and they valued a 50's Gretsch guitar at 20-22 k. I've also seen other shows where guitars were worth as much as 100k. The most expensive vintage drum set I've ever seen was 10k, are guitars just more expensive or valuable than drums?
Are there any really highly valued vintage drums? What are the most valuable vintage drums? What's the most paid for a vintage drum and what kind of drum was it?
Anyone know about this stuff?
That is a good question. There have been several kits of historical significance that have really high price tags. Gladstone kits, kits owned by famous drummers, that sort of thing. Like it or not, guitars are more valuable than drums in the vintage world. As much as we love a particular drum kit, that relationship is arguably not the same as a guitar player to a guitar. If you were to play a particular kit for years, you could walk up to a backline kit of the same sizes and heads with a similar shell layup, spend some time with it and feel pretty comfortable with it. The same is just not true with a guitar.
Guitars easily trounce drums in resale value. I haven't seen any drum kit's selling for over 2 millions dollars as a guitar sale has.
And to think, most guitars that are now high priced collectibles sold for less than a drum set when new.
Example: 1959 Les Paul Standard flametop, only $259.00.
Yeah, but drums have the "cool factor" in spades ... and the average Joe can pick up a sweet old vintage kit and still afford food and shelter.
Well, there was that copper Spizzichino kit w/rare cymbals that was selling for 45G. Do not know if was bought though. Also some of those rare Trixons go for big bucks.
Of course there was Keith Moons '68 Premier kit that sold for a quarter Mil.
Whatever became of Chick Webb's drumset?
Vintage drums are (in musical instrument terms) still a bit of a bargain, the argument for guitars fetching more could then be transferred to the prices that violins can fetch.
Vintage drums are still a relatively new market, the vintage guitar market started in the 1970's and has had time to mature into several smaller "cult" markets. The idea of anyone collecting Silvertone guitars thirty years ago would have been laughed at but their value creeps up year on year.
This is already happening with the drum market, people are re-assessing early Japanese drums and brands like Kent are starting to appreciate.
I think the highest value kits, much like guitars will always be from the perceived golden era of the instrument.
With acoustic guitars, those from the 30s and forties fetch big money, electrics tend to hit a high from the 50s and early 60's.
The golden era for drums is more difficult but anything from the swing and early be-bop era seems to fetch decent money, but, much like guitars a good playable and adaptable instrument has a strong following which is probably why Ludwig 400's hold their value even though they are one of the most common vintage drums.
If I had a warehouse and a pile of money I would probably stockpile Radio kings, they have all the important factors, big name association, romance and playability. I can't see them losing much in the way of value.
+1 ALL ABOVE!!
............"If I had a warehouse and a pile of money I .......... WILL BE HAPPY!!!LoLoLoLo
Yeah, but drums have the "cool factor" in spades ... and the average Joe can pick up a sweet old vintage kit and still afford food and shelter.
Amen to that. Any Joe six-pack can afford and enjoy vintage drum collecting. And playing them as well. Imagine spending thousands and thousands on a vintage guitar and not playing it.
