This is a old thread but I recently bought a 14x14 Ludwig floor tom from Chris at Hawthorne drums.It was a good experience; honestly described, shipped quick, well packaged, good communication, no surprises. I changed a hoop and added a screw that was missing that holds the baseball bat muffler to the body of the drum but otherwise was fine. I should have asked about that and I didn't so thought of it as the cost of doing business and my fault about not checking it out before buying it.I would recommend Hawthorne Drums....
Hi Ludwigboy!
Glad to hear about your experience with Chris and Hawthorne Drums. As many have previously noted, Chris is a standup guy and I've never heard anything negative about the items they receive from him or the service he provides. The real issue comes down to the very high prices being asked for MIJ drums. We all need to look past the cool wraps and remember what these drums truly are. While I have seen some nice MIJ kits sold at high asking prices, the majority are reasonably priced. Every now and then you come across a truly "near-mint" example. Regardless of the fact that they are still "cheap" drums, the condition can sometimes justify the price that someone is willing to pay. And, let's face it, MIJ kits in this condition are becoming a rare commodity! Sadly, we're also getting to the time when what these MIJ drums represent is being lost as the baby boomers pass on and newer generations have no interest in these drums.
-Mark
