Speculating Financially in Drums

Rattlin' Bones

Gold Member
We've had an odd two years 2020 and 2021. Inventories and stock got low in 2020, but sales also seemed to slow down. And what was in stock in early 2020 could be had for bargain prices. I negotiated a large discount on a DW Performance 3 piece kit last February. That same kit is now selling for $600 more than the list price in 2020 - a $600 increase on a kit that listed for $1,600 last year. I bought it 12 months ago for virtually 50% of what it sells for now. Most of DW Performance and Collector's have done the same thing. DW FF has increased by what looks like 40%. Same with most of their Design kits. Gretsch Renown also looks like a 30%-40% increase in last 12 months. C&C Player Date kits were around $1,500 early last year and 2019. Many are close to $3,000 now. On top end, that Craviotto 3 piece I bought 6 years ago for $3,600 is selling for over $10,000 now.

But some kits have not appreciated that much in the last 12-18 months. I see a Mod wrap kit for $2,000. That seems to be the minimum price point now for CM - $2,000. But there are a LOT of CM's around that price point. A price increase but not as large a % as other brands. Gretsch Brooklyn hasn't seemed to appreciate as much as other models - they're now around same price as CM's. Canopus Yaiba seem to be really bargains - the groove kits with 4 or 5 pieces are popping up from retailers in the $1,700 -$1,800 range. Three piece Bops in $1,800 range (at least under $1,900). Those prices seem to be same or less than prior years -I see a 4 piece for $1,699 and a 5 piece with snare for $1,750.

If I were to purchase some kits for speculating purposes and put them away unopened for a few years, seems to me buying a few Canopus Yaiba kits and a few Ludwig CM kits and Gretsch Brooklyns might be good investments; maybe they are due for a huge price increase and we just have not seen it yet.
 
There's no guarantee that yiou will be able to enjoy the full price increase, because you'd essentially be selling the kits as used and with no (or maybe a limited remaining) warranty. Plus, kits are a large investment on your part, and take up space.

That's not to say that some gear doesn't possess good investment value. Cymbals for example have consistently gone up in price at both retail and the secondary markets. I'm not saying to buy new cymbals, I suggest used ones if you can get a good price. I've stopped buying used cymbals because the prices have gone up. But, that's a good thing! I've been hoarding cymbals for decades at lowish prices, and now I'm seeing the potential for significant profit when it's time to sell!

Cymbals also take up very little storage space. You can nest 100-150 pies in the same space as one kick drum. :)
 
There's no guarantee that yiou will be able to enjoy the full price increase, because you'd essentially be selling the kits as used and with no (or maybe a limited remaining) warranty. Plus, kits are a large investment on your part, and take up space.

That's not to say that some gear doesn't possess good investment value. Cymbals for example have consistently gone up in price at both retail and the secondary markets. I'm not saying to buy new cymbals, I suggest used ones if you can get a good price. I've stopped buying used cymbals because the prices have gone up. But, that's a good thing! I've been hoarding cymbals for decades at lowish prices, and now I'm seeing the potential for significant profit when it's time to sell!

Cymbals also take up very little storage space. You can nest 100-150 pies in the same space as one kick drum. :)
They would be NOS kits still in boxes unused unboxed. So if, say Canopus raises prices on Yaiba kits sometime in next 24 months and they are selling for $3,000 (which seems likely given what's happening with other brands), then the $1,699 investment in 2022 could net a $1,000 profit selling kit for $2,699, and still be less than the $3k retail at that future time.

Cymbals have always been good investments, but I don't see the steep upward curve over short period of time we're seeing now on drum kits. I'm looking at a 24 month timeline to buy and sell.

What I don't like that's going on with some retailers now are their "pre-sales". Essentially, they're out of stock but taking your money for a kit that may be in stock in 6-12 months. It's not like you're ordering a custom kit. Essentially you're funding their re-investment in their inventory.
 
I'd rather put that money on the Jags to win the Super Bowl than risk it on MI "investments." Way too volatile and can turn on a dime.
 
An actual financial speculator would read this thread title and die laughing
You mean like the super-smart savvy investors in Theranos? Junk bonds? Anything can become investable. Heck one could buy millions of dollars worth of certain kits that may trend up in value at higher rate than other kits, put them in storage, and sell shares.

"Actual financial speculators" actually bought into Elizabeth Holmes and her Theranos black turtleneck-deep voice blood hoodoo.
 
I wouldn't buy kits to invest but certain limited edition snares can get crazy. Those are expensive to begin with because they're for the collectors market. Even with markup after taxes other expenses you might make a couple bucks on a giant pain in the ass.
 
Gold. I would buy gold. Check that, I would HOARD gold.

I'd rather put that money on the Jags to win the Super Bowl than risk it on MI "investments." Way too volatile and can turn on a dime.
Sorry...the Rams in the Superbowl 😃.
Everybody forgets that Tom Brady is not done winning Superbowls.

No I dont like the Bucks or really football anymore. But Tom is not done yet.
 
If one were to do this, they'd buy specific kits at wholesale and speculate that retail prices of those kits would increase at an accelerated rate compared to inflation, S&P, Dow, bonds, etc. Would not be every kit out there. Right now candidates would be Gretsch Brooklyn, Canopus Yaiba Gretsch Renown, Ludwig CM, DW Performance. Per asp some others. To make it worthwhile large-scale the investment would be $$$ millions. For me, maybe buying one of each at retail and holding on to them unboxed so NOS when I sell. Those that have potential to increase in 24 months by 50% or more. A $10,000 investment in the kits mentioned above targeted to yield a $5,000 profit in 24 months.
 
Lumber got scarce didn’t it? Wonder if that’s driving the price hike. I bought enough drum heads to last me a while because I have my own theories about the financial armageddon we’re heading toward.
 
I'd rather put that money on the Jags to win the Super Bowl than risk it on MI "investments." Way too volatile and can turn on a dime.
Except that the investment in a game is a one shot, win or lose deal, and a NOS drum kit will never be worthless... worse case scenario is the eventual recession causes a slight decrease in value of the kit before they're sold...but then that would be the least of your worries.
 
You mean like the super-smart savvy investors in Theranos? Junk bonds? Anything can become investable. Heck one could buy millions of dollars worth of certain kits that may trend up in value at higher rate than other kits, put them in storage, and sell shares.

"Actual financial speculators" actually bought into Elizabeth Holmes and her Theranos black turtleneck-deep voice blood hoodoo.

hell...imaginary money is all of the sudden investable
 
Except that the investment in a game is a one shot, win or lose deal, and a NOS drum kit will never be worthless... worse case scenario is the eventual recession causes a slight decrease in value of the kit before they're sold...but then that would be the least of your worries.
But if you spend the same amount of money on the drums and do nothing with them, you are still out the money until you sell them. The waiting game is just as risky. Drums could be destroyed or stolen. Something might happen to you before selling.

All of it is a gamble.
 
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