To eBay or not to eBay that is the question.

Over50drumguy

Silver Member
I’ve ordered from reverb, Sweetwater and bought from Craigslist locally but never used eBay . I’ve found a snare drum Fromm percussion king llc in Michigan on their eBay store .
Ive seen in multiple threads people saying they don’t use or don’t like eBay . Percussion king is a reputable seller and I’m aware of their return policies , it’s a new tama drum , and they’re an authorized tama seller/dealer and have good reviews and reputation. So I’m wondering what the problem is as I’ve never bought from eBay .
 
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If you’re worried about EBay, call the shop directly. Talk to someone and buy what you want. I’m a fan of picking up the phone and in person dealing when possible. It’s easier to discuss things and leaves less room for error.
 
I dont like eBay because you cant inspect anything. I have bought new consumables (other interests, not drumming) from eBay. That's it though. I wouldnt buy a new instrument sight unseen from eBay. Too many new instruments still end up having issues. Just my own personal agenda.
 
I buy only from Sweetwater now. I don't care about the possibility of saving money elsewhere. Their customer service is superb, and I'm on excellent terms with my sales guy, who has never attempted to upsell under any circumstances. He gets me what I need as quickly as possible, and if a problem arises, I'm confident he'll resolve it without making excuses or ignoring the issue. Such certainty is worth a higher price tag to me. When it comes to something as important as drums, cymbals, and related hardware, I don't take risks.
 
I’ve ordered from reverb, Sweetwater and bought from Craigslist locally but never used eBay . I’ve found a snare drum Fromm percussion king llc in Michigan on their eBay store .
Ive seen in multiple threads people saying they don’t use or don’t like eBay . Percussion king is a reputable seller and I’m aware of their return policies , it’s a new tama drum , and they’re an authorized tama seller/dealer and have good reviews and reputation. So I’m wondering what the problem is as I’ve never bought from eBay .
I have almost no reservations about buying from Ebay. As long as the pictures are detailed and I know what I'm getting, I'm not worried that I'll somehow get screwed by them. I've never had a problem.

To me it's not much different than buying from Reverb. Buying from reputable drum companies is preferred, but I've also bought stuff from individuals without issue. (on both Ebay and Reverb)
 
I buy only from Sweetwater now. I don't care about the possibility of saving money elsewhere. Their customer service is superb, and I'm on excellent terms with my sales guy, who has never attempted to upsell under any circumstances. He gets me what I need as quickly as possible, and if a problem arises, I'm confident he'll resolve it without making excuses or ignoring the issue. Such certainty is worth a higher price tag to me. When it comes to something as important as drums, cymbals, and related hardware, I don't take risks.

I feel the same when dealing with company’s or platform I’m unfamiliar with . I’m a pretty cautious person . The problem with using more familiar gear avenues is , they don’t have the drum . The snare is a new but old stock tama bb that’s discontinued.due to wood specie restrictions. I’ve been dragging my feet on getting one since March and they only become more scarce and price continues to rise when they do come up .
Lots of people use eBay , but I’ve seen people here say they don’t or won’t . Are you saying you think eBay is risky for drum gear ? . Like I say , I’ve got zero real world experience with using it , although I know many who use it successfully, albeit none for drum gear as they’re not drummers
 
I have almost no reservations about buying from Ebay. As long as the pictures are detailed and I know what I'm getting, I'm not worried that I'll somehow get screwed by them. I've never had a problem.

To me it's not much different than buying from Reverb. Buying from reputable drum companies is preferred, but I've also bought stuff from individuals without issue. (on both Ebay and Reverb)

Thanks . Good to know . This is a NIB snare drum . So hopefully no issues .
 
Are you saying you think eBay is risky for drum gear ?

Not necessarily. I have nothing disparaging to say about eBay or any other platform. When I state that "I don't take risks," I mean that I like knowing exactly whom I dealing with before purchasing items as expensive as drums and cymbals. When a company and its staff have earned my trust, I tend to stick with that enterprise whenever possible. That's just my preferred means of conducting business.

In your case, you're going after a hard-to-find drum. Obtaining it from an unknown source might be your only option. That's perfectly understandable. eBay isn't a fly-by-night outfit. You should be just fine.
 
I dont like eBay because you cant inspect anything. I have bought new consumables (other interests, not drumming) from eBay. That's it though. I wouldnt buy a new instrument sight unseen from eBay. Too many new instruments still end up having issues. Just my own personal agenda.
Hi MIP I get what your saying, for myself, that's the enigma as well as the downside to online buying used/vintage gear.
You get to see some rare cool stuff millions of miles away that you have a chance to acquire.

Whether it's on eBay, CL, Reverb, you just sometimes have to ask a lot of questions if the condition is not up to par visually.
From this exercise, I can gauge/feel responsiveness, transparency and candor which the rest is up to me to discern.
When those types of situations arise, then I become limited in my scope of review so I generally will shy away from them and move forward.

New gear you have not as much to worry, about just make sure gear is warrantied either by store or manufacture; and that's enough piece of mind.
 
I feel the same when dealing with company’s or platform I’m unfamiliar with . I’m a pretty cautious person . The problem with using more familiar gear avenues is , they don’t have the drum . The snare is a new but old stock tama bb that’s discontinued.due to wood specie restrictions. I’ve been dragging my feet on getting one since March and they only become more scarce and price continues to rise when they do come up .
Lots of people use eBay , but I’ve seen people here say they don’t or won’t . Are you saying you think eBay is risky for drum gear ? . Like I say , I’ve got zero real world experience with using it , although I know many who use it successfully, albeit none for drum gear as they’re not drummers
If you've already made your mind up that you want that particular drum, get it now. The longer you wait, the harder it'll be to find one. Just bite the bullet and get it!

I've wanted an add-on 22x18" Renown bass drum for my kit, and as soon as I have the money which will be soon, I'm getting it without hesitation. They won't be around forever.
 
Cool reading good things about reverb which is a relief. Not that long ago befor I snagged the renowns on ebay I wanted a premier elite kit on reverb. I started reading reviews about reverb and I'm reading not one good thing which scared me. I mean tons of BAD reviews. Maybe I can go back again?
 
Well I’ll be damned ! Picked it up just in time . Price went back up to its original price which was 40 bucks higher . They had 5 of them new ( 2 left) . No idea how they came to have 5 new ones as I’ve seen only 2 or 3 pop up anywhere in the past year . Regret not getting one of those 2-3 at 75 bucks cheaper than I paid , but oh well .
 
Cool reading good things about reverb which is a relief. Not that long ago befor I snagged the renowns on ebay I wanted a premier elite kit on reverb. I started reading reviews about reverb and I'm reading not one good thing which scared me. I mean tons of BAD reviews. Maybe I can go back again?
I guess it’s like a lot of things where sometimes there’s a problem . I figured ordering on eBay was the same . Knowing the seller and even calling them on the phone with the used market is key. I bought used from reverb twice both times from reputable drum shops and everything went smoothly.
 
Well life’s to short ! And it’s a brand new item . So I can always return if need be . Thanks for the responses all. Went ahead and ordered one ....( kit matching) 6.5 x14 Tama Starclassic bb in molten brown burst ???!

View attachment 99554View attachment 99555View attachment 99557
That's a beautiful drum.

Hi MIP I get what your saying, for myself, that's the enigma as well as the downside to online buying used/vintage gear.
You get to see some rare cool stuff millions of miles away that you have a chance to acquire.
If I ever decide to add to my vintage Wood-Fiberglass kit it will have to be eBay. Not only are they almost 40 years old, they have the pre-pipe arm hardware. Cant just get that anymore. Exceptions always seem to arise.
 
Sounds like you are aware of seller and buyer rating. I’ve brought a lot of new and vintage gear from eBay.

Just as long as your good with condition, prices, you’ve done your research, and comfortable with rating, no reason not to.

First off, to the OP, I've bought from Perc.king llc. I don't remember what it was, but I know it went fine.

I've been on eBay for 20 years almost. If you're buying, ANYONE with under 99% feedback, I go and study their feedback. Sometimes it's just one negative feedback. Other times, the seller averages 6 a month/20 in a year (neg feedback), and I just won't buy from them. Picture quality and how many they include is important. If they mention a scratch or imperfection but don't post the pic, I message and ask why, or if they'll take a pic.

And the other great thing about ebay is, nearly all the really reputable stores sell there as well. Sweetwater, DCP, etc. I buy on ebay, I don't have to visit 5 sites to find what I need. Plus, you can just message someone or make an offer. I do that almost every time I buy vintage. Prices are ALWAYS jacked on vintage.

You just have to be careful. Early on, I dealt with a few scam type situations. But everything was always taken care of. I've never lost my butt, because someone ripped me off. Careful is the key word.

Here's an example of NOT CAREFUL. I REALLY wanted a new Gretsch kit. This was in November, probably black Friday-ish. I kept waiting to see a deal, a deal. . .some sort of deal. This seller posts a 4 piece Gretsch Catalina with a 20" bass, $499. NEW ?????? Wow. I instantly thought what IS WRONG HERE? Their feedback was 98%. He had negatives saying he sent broken items, etc. No way I'm doing this. But, I left it in my watch list. A couple weeks ago, I get an offer from the guy, $419. He knocked $80 off an already very good deal that was horribly suspicious. But, I could NOT, Not do it. I bought it. This is a Friday. Monday morning I wake up and see a message from the guy. Oh crap. He was getting it prepared for shipment and the 12" and snare were missing. I knew it. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. I got my money back quickly. But I truly shouldn't have taken the chance. He never found the 2 drums as far as I could tell. I'm assuming he already knew that, and tried to get me to bite on another deal. I did not.

Sorry for the length. I'm so bored right now.
 
First off, to the OP, I've bought from Perc.king llc. I don't remember what it was, but I know it went fine.

I've been on eBay for 20 years almost. If you're buying, ANYONE with under 99% feedback, I go and study their feedback. Sometimes it's just one negative feedback. Other times, the seller averages 6 a month/20 in a year (neg feedback), and I just won't buy from them. Picture quality and how many they include is important. If they mention a scratch or imperfection but don't post the pic, I message and ask why, or if they'll take a pic.

And the other great thing about ebay is, nearly all the really reputable stores sell there as well. Sweetwater, DCP, etc. I buy on ebay, I don't have to visit 5 sites to find what I need. Plus, you can just message someone or make an offer. I do that almost every time I buy vintage. Prices are ALWAYS jacked on vintage.

You just have to be careful. Early on, I dealt with a few scam type situations. But everything was always taken care of. I've never lost my butt, because someone ripped me off. Careful is the key word.

Here's an example of NOT CAREFUL. I REALLY wanted a new Gretsch kit. This was in November, probably black Friday-ish. I kept waiting to see a deal, a deal. . .some sort of deal. This seller posts a 4 piece Gretsch Catalina with a 20" bass, $499. NEW ?????? Wow. I instantly thought what IS WRONG HERE? Their feedback was 98%. He had negatives saying he sent broken items, etc. No way I'm doing this. But, I left it in my watch list. A couple weeks ago, I get an offer from the guy, $419. He knocked $80 off an already very good deal that was horribly suspicious. But, I could NOT, Not do it. I bought it. This is a Friday. Monday morning I wake up and see a message from the guy. Oh crap. He was getting it prepared for shipment and the 12" and snare were missing. I knew it. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. I got my money back quickly. But I truly shouldn't have taken the chance. He never found the 2 drums as far as I could tell. I'm assuming he already knew that, and tried to get me to bite on another deal. I did not.

Sorry for the length. I'm so bored right now.

Yup . Not too worried at all . Percussion king is a fairly know seller with 100% rating and it’s a new item . I just never did any business through eBay so was unsure due to not being familiar . Figured I’d just ask here. I ordered the drum a couple posts back ??
 
If seller has hundreds of positive ratings and is 99% positive (most good sellers are 100%) then there is little risk. If seller offers a return policy then even safer. If you have used Reverb, then what would be hesitation with eBay?
 
No different than Reverb. And that's not true for "eBay" - it's 100% dependent on seller and their return policy. Has nothing to do with eBay as an entity.

I dont like eBay because you cant inspect anything. I have bought new consumables (other interests, not drumming) from eBay. That's it though. I wouldnt buy a new instrument sight unseen from eBay. Too many new instruments still end up having issues. Just my own personal agenda.
 
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