I see prices going up on MIJ kits and it's disturbing, now that I have finally come to appreciate them! Going to back to my recent post about the aqua blue sparkle MIJ set I found in Florida for $699; To me, that's WAY too much to pay for a stencil set, even in pristine condition. After I explained to the store owner that he was asking a lot, his response was basically, "I'm keeping them at that price to see if I can land a sucker, but I'll take your phone number if I change my mind." I can't blame him in a way. He wants to maximize his profit. He probably paid $150 for them. Or less.
There are still deals out there to be had, but I would recommend collectors grab them before the demand gets larger. The demand for 60's Japanese guitars has gone up as mentioned, but recently, I tried selling a very nice Hi-Lo Japanese guitar on Reverb and Ebay. I started out at $279, and finally dropped the price down to $179, and still couldn't sell it! It was available on Reverb for over six months! No takers at all. Not even one inquiry. So, I can see where some MIJ drumsets could also sit unsold.
I really do think there are a LOT of delusional sellers out there who think that they have something of great value, just because it's old, or because they see prices of unsold drumsets sitting on Ebay. They should check the "sold" prices instead.
I continue to scan craigslist, Ebay and Reverb for nice MIJ sets and deals. The thrill of the hunt is a big factor of course, so continue to look. The deals are out there; albeit not as many.