I just wonder why does one spend one ounce of energy on something one can't change. Why is it so important to them? Could it be that they have boreing, uneventful lives and need something to make them feel superior in what they perceive to be their ultimate wisdom?

I don't know about you guys, but I have more important things to do than spend time worrying about what someone is asking for their drums.

It takes all of 5-7 minutes to reach out to a seller. I have had a couple of cases where the sellers legitimately had no idea that they were overpricing a drumset. I spoke to them respectfully and told them I had no selfish interest in the drums myself, but I wanted to offer my experience and advice, if they were willing to listen. In both cases, the sellers immediately replied and thanked me for writing.

Then, the two sellers adjusted the prices and sold the drums easily. At no time, did anyone ever angrily respond to my emails of this type.

So, like Mark, I don't think there's anything wrong with contacting a seller, as long as it's done with good intentions and with respect.

It's not like I'm saying, "Yo dude, you dumbass! Your price for that drumset is crazy! Are you on drugs?"

That's not going to win anyone any friends, and that's not how either Mark nor I approach sellers. The ultimate goal is to keep prices reasonable for all of us who like vintage drums. I have seen certain vintage guitars escalate in price due to one solitary buyer: Scott Chinery.

Scott Chinery was a wealthy trust fund guy from here in NJ, who, years ago, started buying up vintage guitars. He would pay any price dealers asked, and it didn't take long before he was deemed an easy mark by every vintage guitar dealer in the country and beyond. If a dealer had a guitar Scott wanted, he'd buy it, regardless of the cost. And he could barely play the guitar! The guitars were seen as art objects to be worshiped and stared at. My late friend, Phil Petillo, sold Scott over thirty old Martin flattops and Stromberg archtops. Phil said to me, "That Chinery is nuts. Every dealer takes advantage of him."

Chinery's goal was to start a guitar museum, but he didn't reach that goal. He dropped dead of a heart attack in his forties, I believe.

I've had more than one prominent vintage guitar dealer tell me that Scott Chinery did more to drive up the prices of old guitars than any other human being in the world. He ruined guitar collecting for a lot of people and deprived real players of the vintage instruments they wanted, so they could sit in glass cases.

I don't want the same thing to spoil our hobby of collecting vintage drums. It wouldn't take much for another rich dude to start buying up every desirable old drumset out there and do what Chinery did; drive up prices and force many of us out of the picture. It hasn't happened yet, but it could.

So, please consider that argument.

Okay then it was a matter of seller and interested buyer working out a price...which is as it should be. But when someone who isn't even interested in buying the item goes to the trouble to contact the seller just to poke at them a bit.....I dunno. I still contend that it's the owner of the property who determines the price and nobody else. If someone comes here to inquire about a drum or a set of drums prior to them listing them for sale, and takes the advice they gather here, then that's one thing. Most of us, of course, are glad to help eduacte them to the best of our abilities. At that point, it's up to them to take the advice or leave it. But, I think it's odd to go out of the way to contact someone, who hasn't asked for advice, about their pricing methods if you have no interest in buying, yourself. If you do have interest in buying and you are contacting the seller in an attempt to negotiate a different price, then, by all means, negotiate away. I don't think it really matters whether it's a Gladstone snare drum or a mixed up set of green sparkle Ludwigs.

You know....When did it get decided that Fender guitars were going to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars? They certainly weren't intended for that fate when they were made. But someone, subsequently, determined a new value for them. Are people "incensed" because a 1962 Strat will pull 6 figures all day long?

This "fair market value" cap to pricing seems to be grabbed out of thin air. What's it based on? Are prices ever going to be allowed to change? I mean.....come on.

I always make a point of telling sellers I have no selfish interest in buying the drums. I'm trying to help them sell the drums at fair market value, and I'm also trying to keep the prices reasonable for all of us. Ultimately, sellers can ask whatever they want, of course.

You can't deny that there are more and more wackos trying to sell old drums for outrageous prices these days than there ever was before. Just look at that guy trying to sell a gold satin flame MIJ set on Reverb for $1971. He's bat-sh** crazy. He set the price at $1971 for some unknown random reason, with no thought to common sense. No one has come forth to buy them yet, and most likely, no one will. Unless he hooks a very big fish who has to have them.

This is the place where people like that seller could become educated. I wish more of them would come here for that purpose.

I think you spend way too much time searching for over priced drums. I'll tell you what, if someone questioned my asking price with absolutely no intention of buying, I'd tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine, ya catch my drift, ya hear what I'm saying? Mind your own biswhacks.

It is not One's place to question the stern proclamation, regarding acceptable pricing of vintage drums, set forth by the Vintage Drum Forum Knitting Club.

I appreciate DrumBob’s concern about overinflation of vintage instruments but unfortunately your two cents are really only worth two cents. Im not an expert on the economics of capitalism but if people want to pay the price you have no means to stop that price from rising. Look at old K’s. Very limited supply and even more limited are the good jazz rides. It would be great if every serious jazz drummer could have one. But some people hoard them, display them and drive the price up. I know working drummers who have sold their prized cymbal because it was worth far too much. This is sad but calling people names isnt going to change it.

JR...

Being retired, I do have time to spend to impart my decades of knowledge with vintage drums and try to educate those who appear less informed. While I can offer that knowledge, it can still fall on deaf ears and nothing will change. But, at least I tried! And, yes, it is important to many of us!

And, believe me, my VDF brother, I DO NOT lead a boring and uneventful life! I am busier in my retirement than I was when I gainfully employed!

Finally, in no way does imparting my decades of knowledge make me feel "superior". And, due to this knowledge, I have gained more wisdom!

-Mark

Well said. Education is the key to fair pricing. However, at the end of the day, it needs to be the seller who has to separate fact from fiction!

-Mark