My best deals have always come through word of mouth. So let people know you like drums and want to find drums to work on.

Word gets out and things might just appear. Also find little mom and pop music stores sometimes they still have things laying around.

Other then that I live by the motto "If you don't ask you don't get" so talk to people and visit music stores, sales, thrift stores etc..

Fortunately for me the web site has provided some good leads some of which turned out to be very good deals. They do take a little extra work sometimes.

Ebay in the beginning was a very good place and it is not as good anymore unless you are constantly on it and side emailing people to see if they want to end an auction. I can only imagine how much money Ebay has NOT made with side deals and people connecting and making deals off of Ebay. I venture to guess it is in the billions since they started.

Also search the local papers and craigs-list since it is one of the fastest growing web sites. You can even put a small add in the paper saying cash for drums and cymbals and see what comes in.

Frustrations and failures are sure to happen and I have had plenty, but it has not stopped me. I recently switched gears and started collecting the other stuff related to drums and no longer add drums to my collection for the sake of adding more drums.

Buttons, sticker, drum keys, catalogs, flyers, magazines, sticks etc.. are much easier to keep in bulk and hold value really well.

With that said I hit the local thrift stores, antique malls, church sales and salvation army locations when I see them. With thrift stores you have to hit them regularly and you might get lucky.

I also go to garage sales and have found some really cool items usually old magazines and records. I once hit a garage sale and the owners father was a jazz buff and low and behold about 4 Lionel Hampton records.

You have take your time and really observe the situation. If you see something drum related talk to the seller and see if they have more. remember, "If you don't ask you don't get"

That motto really applies to everything in life so it never hurts to ask people just to see what they say.

David

Buy top line stuff. A lot of "new" collectors purchase student models, marching drums, incomplete drums or sets or drums with modifications, hoping to find the missing piece or do the repairs necessary to bring them up to snuff, only to find out they've spent more than they're worth. If you spend your money on good drums, they will most likely at least hold their value. Buy what you like. Try not to fear "overpaying." Many new collectors pass on stuff they like, only to regret it later. If you're getting stuff just to re-sell, go the afore mentioned garage sale, craigs list route. Anything real cheap that's American made is usually worth something.

Great posts and I would just like to second the notion of only buying the good stuff in top condition and expect to pay a bit more for it. Actually, when you consider that you can get a really mint condition vintage Ludwig or Rogers kit for a lot LESS money on Ebay than you might spend on a comparable new set of DWs in the store, then it becomes clear that high-end VINTAGE kits are by far the best deal. Don't buy "oddball" sized drums. Stick to MATCHED kits in excellent (or better) shape that are complete and with no alterations. Train your eye to know what the common flaws are and where they are usually hidden. Ask LOTS of questions -specific questions.

Well, I'm not quite sure exactly sure what you are trying to do here.

Start some kind of a business buying and or selling drums & perhaps other musical instruments ??

So, I read that you have a love for History, [that makes one of us] lol.

Sure History certinly plays a part in the value of vintage instruments.

A perfict example of this is the Fibes fiberglass snare drum W/SFT strainer.

This is a GREAT snare drum on it's own with no help from anyone, however the fact that Byddy Rich used it both publicly & privately, (even while endorsing other brands), something that @ the time I'm sure only HE could get away with..... Long story short this snare commands a higher value and or price than all other Fibes drums.

In many ways, and I hate to say it, you have missed the boat.

I started playing around 67 and have been drumming ever since............

Somewhere along the line mid-late 70's I became a "collector".

Simply because I refused to get rid of the old to bring in the new.

In addition, in those days through flea markets and garage sales Etc., there was an awful lot of equipment ripe & ready for the picking to be had for very little money.

The same can not be said these days.

Finding great deals on vintage drums in the new Millenium is nearly an impossible task.

From garage sale & flea Mkt. Black Beauties of the 20's for $25.00...........

To even a 6 lug vintage Slingerland or Ludwig bringing rediculous prices.

It's the HUGE music stores ala Guitar Center, that are getting most of the good stuff.

Heck, people even go so far as to bring them the stuff !!!

Anyhow, there are plenty of books out these days all of wich are worth owning, let alone reading.

See, its getting complicated...................... buy books.......... read..... do something else, then do that.............

If I haddent become an accidental collector in the 70's............,

I highly doubt that i would be a collector today.

Perhaps a better player, but a colector, ????????????????????????????????

NO

//

Thanks to all of you for the advice.

Mostly I'm just trying to get a feel for all of this stuff. I have read a few books on the subject by various authors (Rob Cook, John Aldrige, Geoff Nichols, etc.) and I think the detail they go into helps me to appreciate the more historical aspects.

The other side of that (where I needed the most help) was practical application. How to look for things without making mistakes about gear or getting burned. I'm not out to make a living doing this and I don't see snare drums as lottery tickets (despite what some people may think).

I love drums, but more importantly I love drumming. Anything I can do to help make what I love a part of my life seems like it can't be bad.

~Pants

"There is no spoon."

Basically when you see it you will know. With that I mean if you find something in some ones attic it will have a certain feel and look to it.

Sort of untouched and messed with. Looks like a time capsule.

I use the attic as a general topic and it can go many different ways.

I agree these are very hard to come by, but they do happen to people and Ebay is proof of that. Maybe just not to us or the people actually looking specifically for it since it is harder to find.

I imagine in this great world of ours drums are sitting in many different closets, attics and under beds just waiting to be found or sold off or donated.

I think you are less likely going to get burned since you are doing the research and building your knowledge base to better your historical grasp of vintage drums.

If something does not look right on a drum and you are not sure then it probably does have problems. You can always run it by us as a safety precaution.

It is the hunt for the stuff that is also fun and Ebay whether you buy or not is just fun looking around at things and seeing all of the items that can and do pop up.

"Hit" the drum shows also, they can be a blast and are a great way to handle the gear and see so many different drums in one place.

David