I will witness that testicle DOH I mean testimonial!

Wayne, you maybe right for USA (I can't comment that as I am from Germany). And I think that Sonor, as a German company, doesn't have that image for us like US-vintage drums have for US-drummers, besides some very rare kit versions.

Yes, the quality of some vintage MIJ drums is outstanding good.

Especially that point was - to my opinion - the most important factor for the rising success of Japanese drums.

A disastrous combination of this high quality PLUS an extensive (and unethical!) copying from the 'big players' Slingerland, Ludwig, Rodgers and Sonor were the roots for their irresistable success, causing the ruin of some of these glamorous names, what I regret.

Yes, I like playing Star drums. An 'no' to their marketing strategies beginning in the early 70s.

But, as a matter of fact, nowadays copying something and throwing it even cheaper onto the markets has become quite common in this world, so why should I care? I can only say that I dislike that for me, personally.

Ralf

As a marketing strategy, I have to agree with Ralf. And that is one of the biggest reasons, I am quite certain, that many of our otherwise venerable friends on these forums despise them so much. I am not a fan of the way the rest of the third world, and for that matter, the up and coming economies from the world community have gleefully engaged in copying every American innovation of the last 75 years. Patent laws do not apply to most of the innovations of drummakers because for the most part, they rushed to market and did not bother with with getting patents. So, we have some really cheap and badly executed copies of American Vintage Drums, and a few very good examples.

Sure MIJ drums copied Slingerland, Ludwig, Gretsch, and Sonor. But who did Slingerland, Ludwig, Gretsch and Sonor copy?

:2Cents:

Cave men.......

I do not care if they have any quality at all i avoid them same as i do japanese cars or chinese shirts and gloves they are second rate copies of american goods they take jobs and Money from this country so sorry if i sound bitter of old fashioned but i do not buy from the countries who make cheap imataions of our goods .. and i am accross the board on all products not just drums and clothes.. be part of the problem or be part of the solution..

You know it´s 2010, right?

Your overconfidence in the quality of American products seem a little arrogant, not to say ignorant. Japan is high-tech, advanced, post-industrialized society and their products are indeed comparable with those from the new world. Just compare the quality of DW pedals with TAMA´s for instance. I´ve never heard of a TAMA footboard breaking or the footplate hinge getting bent, whereas on DW these issues are common. I´m not sayng Japanese products -or Chinese- are better than American -or European-, I´m merely saying you can´t, and shouldn´t, make such generalizations.

Well i beg to differ since i care not if it is 2010 or 1810 i don't use DW stuff it is overpriced junk IMO and all this is My opinion just like all the other posts are other peoples opinion and we all have a right to them.. My overconfidence? LOL that is funny you missed the point to many jobs have been lost to japan, Korea,Taiwan, etc etc and most of their stuff is Junk it lastes for a short time and falls apart I am not saying the drums do and for sure alot of their cars are good cars again not my point i do not buy out of country if at all possible on all products accross the board ,like i said be part of the problem or part of the solution..

It for me is not drum snobbery but my right to buy what and when i like, and for me i try to always buy american, I live on a Indian Reservation i live life to the fullest and have for over 59 years so what if i am a dinosaur to someone else... truth is all these countries i boycott for lack of a better word have invented very little and their thing has always been to rip off cheap copies of others work well i just try as hard as i can not to play into that game..

Yeah,we all have our opinions of over seas involvement in NA,but times have changed,thank goodness,and i believe for once we are working to strengthen the global economy,not just various countries...If you buy a Tama pedal in America,is that not helping the American economy?...Lets not get political gents...It is what it isWalking