Has the rising cost of drum equipment affected you

TNA

Senior Member
I have really noticed lately that a lot of the stuff I used to purchase for my drums has gone up significantly in price. The sticks I use are now about $12, they used to be around $8, heads are now easily $15 each. It has really started to affect me. I used to change my snare head before every gig, but now it's just not feasible. I used to always buy a few extra pairs of sticks to have around, but now I usually only keep one backup pair. I haven't changed out the heads on my toms in a long time simply because I don't want to spend $200. I'm realize playing drums takes maintenance, but it is becoming crazy. Anyone else feel the cost affecting them?
 
Since I spend more than I should on heads looking for that perfect sound, I have noticed the rise in cost. My local ma and pa have gone up more than the box stores and I bought my G14's from a box because I got a tom set of 10, 12, and 14 for a good price, then bought the 8 and 16 to complete the set. Sticks have crept up some as well. I just saw today that food prices for 2011 went up 4.6 percent. So I need to drum less and eat less.. Today I was even contemplating selling all of my drum goods to afford more camera gear and getting out of the house.
 
I have cut out down my shopping list (saving money) to feed my habit of new gear buying and selling...

IS that bad?

I have noticed prices have gone up... but just like everything else, the price you sell it at yesterday was yesterdays price... it went up over night.
 
Where are you getting your gear? I get my stuff online in the U.S. with free shipping cheap!

I get all my heads at Sam Ash and I just got Vic Firth sticks for $7.65 a pair..just search around it only takes me minutes to find the best deals.

I also just started using the Attack 14" medium coated heads on my snare which I get for $9.99 at musicians friend which work beautiful. I change my snare head often at least every 2 weeks so at that price point they don't hurt the wallet to much and they work. I'm sure I could get 6 weeks of a good beating out of them but I just change it in my 2 weeks.
 
I don't change out my heads nearly as much as I should. I don't buy new sticks, either...I have quite a few stocked up, and I haven't broken that many in the past few years. (I think I've got my rimshot technique perfected...)

...so, to be honest, I haven't even noticed that prices have gone up...
 
Yup, prices are going up but my pay-check isn't!

I'm always checking Craigslist and Kijiji for cymbals and I've noticed even used cymbals seem to be selling for more lately.
 
$12 for sticks? $15 for heads??......what luxury!!

Come to me when you pay from upwards of $20 for sticks, $25 for a 14" coated batter.....we'll talk then. :)
 
Where are you getting your gear? I get my stuff online in the U.S. with free shipping cheap!

I get all my heads at Sam Ash and I just got Vic Firth sticks for $7.65 a pair..just search around it only takes me minutes to find the best deals.

I also just started using the Attack 14" medium coated heads on my snare which I get for $9.99 at musicians friend which work beautiful. I change my snare head often at least every 2 weeks so at that price point they don't hurt the wallet to much and they work. I'm sure I could get 6 weeks of a good beating out of them but I just change it in my 2 weeks.

I get all my stuff from either guitar center or sam ash. Going online could be cheaper but i usually don't think that far ahead.
 
How about the cheaper deals?

Guitar Center sells a 7(?) piece Gretsch Catalina Maple WITH a Jam Block and Cowbell for the same price as the 6 Piece Gretsch Catalina Maple in 2008.

Drums heads are a pain in the butt to buy, I only get them when I ABSOLUTELY can't play the current ones anymore.
 
I don't change out my heads nearly as much as I should. I don't buy new sticks, either...I have quite a few stocked up, and I haven't broken that many in the past few years. (I think I've got my rimshot technique perfected...)

...so, to be honest, I haven't even noticed that prices have gone up...

Same here. I can get years out of heads and I don't break sticks much.

Adjusted for inflation, things are about as cheap as they've ever been. There's a glut of drums and musical instruments in general but the consumables like sticks and heads are going to go up in price.
 
Wow.
I haven't changed a tom head in over a year and don't have to tune them other when they first are changed and I could pull one out of their case right now and it would be in tune.
Bass drum head gets changed MAYBE once a year.
Snare head ( top ) gets changed MAYBE once a month.
And I tour a lot. I'm on the road probably 9 months out of a year playing huge venues, plus hometown shows with coverbands and some pick ups.
I hit fairly hard , like hard enough for a 5,000 - 10,000 seat arena.
How is it possible to change heads so much ?
 
To be totally honest, I think drum stuff is cheap. A really incredible kit (relative to what was out there in the past- a gretsch catalinas or mapex whatever) is like $600.

$100 is like the new $20 as far I am concerned so a good costs less than $200 (6 times 20 is 180) in my 1980s brain.... maybe the cost has gone up in recent times but there really is great stuff out there for next to nothing. Break less sticks if they are expensive (never broke one so far). Maybe you were born too late?
 
I can keep up with the creeping prices on heads and sticks just fine, but the price of cymbals have reached a point where I do a lot less buying.
 
I always keep abreast of current prices of drum and audio equipment. Yes the prices are creeping up a bit, but on the other hand there are some very good sales and prices to be had. I do always shop for the best prices, but 9.5 out of 10, I can't do any better than my local Five Star Shops.

Dennis
 
I don't get this.

I can't believe how cheap stuff is now.

In SoCal, with the monster retailers slugging it out, and the abundance of online retailers drop shipping to my door, with CraigsList a click away and eBay still kicking out hidden treasures - Its never been a cheaper time to be a drummer.

I can't believe how cheap stuff is. Clamps, rack parts, cymbals (holy cow cymbals are cheap now), accessories - its never cost me less to keep my rig rolling. I've expanded the rig for the first time in a decade, just recently, with the windfall of amazing gear that is literally raining from the skies.

I buy nothing new except heads and sticks - and even then, often I'll buy my heads from drummers who are pulling them off of their new kits.

Its a very good time to be a drummer.

-K
 
I can keep up with the creeping prices on heads and sticks just fine, but the price of cymbals have reached a point where I do a lot less buying.

I agree the price of cymbals is just ridiculous. About 16-18 years ago I used Paiste 18 and 19" Signature Power Crashes and I was paying about $160-$185 each for them. Today they are $368 to $399. WOW !!!

I recently been using Zildjian K's which I pay $200-$260 for 18" and 19" crashes. Still alot but better than $368
 
It might if I was a dealer. But heck, I always try to get things on sale. Shouldn't be problem if you know where to shop. Used is good too...
 
Our Aussie and Kiwi brothers and sisters do have it worse. Even buying locally made products seems to be pricier 'down under'.

I've noticed prices on sticks especially jumping up.

However as others have said, in the U.S., you have to be an aggressive shopper. In SoCal you can wait for the GC Memorial Day blowouts when you can get heads and sticks cheap. I also look online for almost all supplies unless I need them right away. Even if I do need it right away, I walk in with a printed web quote to make sure we're in the ball park. Course you have to then pay the almost 10% SoCal sales tax and use the highest priced gas in the U.S. to drive there. So online sales and price matching is your buddy.

There are certain head choices that will last you a long time. Aquarian comes to mind for longevity and good value.
 
We moved to France in January and I made sure to buy my new cymbals in GB before I left.

All drum equipment is considerably more expensive in France so I may be ordering any new stuff on the web from Britain. Much as I like to support local shops the price difference is just too great on drums and cymbals, I am prepared to bite the bullet on heads and sticks.
 
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