A little historical perspective here. Drums weren't invented in the US - they were invented by cavemen more than 10000 years as seen in Paleolithic cave art. Drums that were light enough to be portable were made in Iraq at least 5000 years ago. Metal bronze drums were made in China and Vietnam 2500 years ago. Japan has temple drums more than 1000 years old. Timpani were made in the Middle East 800 years ago. Snare drums were made in Europe 700 years ago.The modern "trap set" was largely developed in the US, but that is not because the US is "better" than anyone else - it's because Jazz was invented here. And even then there was lots of input from other countries and cultures - Ludwig's metal drums were based on a Sonor company drum (then called Weissenfels). African drumming certainly played a huge part. And let's not forget Turkish cymbals.Don't get me wrong - I love old American drums and I have more than my share of them. And I think it's great that anyone in any country should want to buy NEW stuff made in their own country. Everyone should want to see their own family and friends employeed and productive - no matter what country they are from. So in a perfect world everyone in the world should try (when buying new) to buy from their own country.My view is that cheap oil and globalization is the villain here, and not Japanese, or Chinese, or German drums or countries. As long as it is cheaper to make anything in the lowest wage country and burn petroleum to ship it across the ocean, there will be this tension caused by displacement of jobs. Better to protest at the G7 conference than to protest at Pearl or Tama.But USED drums (and other things) are different. Buy what you want - it isn't helping or hurting anyone or country other than the person you're buying them from. And since this is in the Vintage Non-USA section; well if your boat is floated by Vintage Non-USA drums, then I say GO FOR IT.
Well Native Americans have lived on this turrle Island for way over 10,000 years they were the first drums i ever heard and they are among the best i have ever heard , i begrudge no one to buy what they like i have played American Rogers drums for the better part of 45 years they worked then and they work now.. i just look at what Yamaha has done to the Rogers line to prove my point again trying to make bucks from something they had no hand in making.. now i have said enuff i rest my case to each his or her own no problemo.. :)
