What Snare Drums Have Collectible Value

[kenshireen]

I am beginning to collect snares that will hold their value and maybe even go up.
I would like some recommendations as to what I should be going after.

Also, is it best to store snares on their side of flat.
I have around 10 already

[opus138]

Perhaps the stock market would be of better use for investment purposes?

[Fat Sam]

It's probably best to have good knowledge in what you're collecting before you start doing it. 'What snare drums are collectible?' is a pretty hard question to answer.

[opus138]

Find me a snare drum that over time bests the CPI .

[steadypocket]

Which drums are "collectible" will largely depend on your tastes, and the numbers of a particular model that were made. If you're looking to drums as an investment, don't do it. Drums rarely increase in value. Collect drums because you love the sound, the look, or the craftsmanship.

[Big King]

Sure bet = Invest in gold, silver and guns. All of which hold their value much better than wood.

PS. Start scanning your change for pre 1965 nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars. Pre 1965 coinage in the US was over 90% silver. These coins are worth more than their face value.

[drummaman1]

Which drums are "collectible" will largely depend on your tastes, and the numbers of a particular model that were made. If you're looking to drums as an investment, don't do it. Drums rarely increase in value. Collect drums because you love the sound, the look, or the craftsmanship.

This.

I tried to do similar years ago, but with Paiste cymbals. I was scouring ebay and ads looking for rarities and out-of-production models like the Signature 21" and 22" full rides, 15" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 22" Rough Ride, 22" Thin and Heavy Chinas, Formula 602 blue label cymbals, and Sound Creation cymbals from the late '70s - early 80's. The problem was and is that actually playing them decreases their value, and I didn't want to keep cymbals for the sake of keeping them. And when I sold them, I made barely any profit on them. It's a real labor of love to have collectible drum things.

[drummaman1]

If you insist, then here are some snares I've heard, seen, and read about that are collectible, in no real order:

1. Rogers Dynasonic WOOD - Very rare and will set you back around $2500 on average
2. Ludwig "Super Ludwig" = Supraphonic Chrome over Brass - '61-'63 BEFORE they went Ludalloy. COB Supras can get up there, from $1500 up depending on condition. Ludalloy drums are plentiful in supply and still made, so you need to find COB. There are ways to tell this, too long to get into here.
3. Tama Bell Brass - with die casts, but with bell brass diecast hoops is the winner. Prices vary depending on era: 80's era fetches more depending on condition, 90's and 00's a little less. Educated guesstimating.
4. Sonor Signature Bronze HLD590 - a perfect example of the '80s drums and culture in every way. I've had the pleasure of playing this drum ONCE. Loved it but I wasn't much of a player when I did get to play it. Don't know if it would be any better for me now, either, so... The 4x14 Piccolo snare is also sought after, but not as much as this behemoth of a snare drum is.
5. Slingerland Radio King - 1 ply steam bent maple. A much coveted, much duplicated, snare drum and snare sound.
6. Ludwig - Black Beauty from the 20's preferably, those era drums are highly collectible.


That's six that I can rattle off right quick. There are some others, like the Yamaha SD-493, the Premier Heavy Rock Nine, the Ludwig Acrolite...but these drums are collected not because they might be worth anything. Anyway, hope this helps.

[MGRushFan]

I agree with most people here. Snare drums are not a worthwhile vehicle for investment for a few reasons.

1) With the advent of the internet, your chances of finding an undervalued gem is close to zero. Even the most ignorant among us can go on ebay and find out what their drum is worth. This is why Pawn shops stopped being fun to go to about 5 to 10 years ago.

2) With the economy in the ****ter, no one is buying anymore. This problem is not going to get better. The heyday of buying low and selling high ended in the late 90's to about 2006....at least with drums.

3) The market is so small that by the time you're wanting to sell, most of the people you are trying to sell to will either be dead or close to it. And the youth of today will just not care about that "great drum from the 50's" because let's face it, they're really not all that great. The value of a lot of those was so high because the baby boomer generation, with a lot of disposable income, was trying to relive their youth.

I could think of a million other reasons, but those should get you started.

[FreDrummer]

I agree with most people here. Snare drums are not a worthwhile vehicle for investment for a few reasons.

1) With the advent of the internet, your chances of finding an undervalued gem is close to zero. Even the most ignorant among us can go on ebay and find out what their drum is worth. This is why Pawn shops stopped being fun to go to about 5 to 10 years ago.

2) With the economy in the ****ter, no one is buying anymore. This problem is not going to get better. The heyday of buying low and selling high ended in the late 90's to about 2006....at least with drums.

3) The market is so small that by the time you're wanting to sell, most of the people you are trying to sell to will either be dead or close to it. And the youth of today will just not care about that "great drum from the 50's" because let's face it, they're really not all that great. The value of a lot of those was so high because the baby boomer generation, with a lot of disposable income, was trying to relive their youth.

I could think of a million other reasons, but those should get you started.

Ha! One could copy/paste your words, with only minor editing, into most guitar forums, as well, to answer the "collectibility of [fill in name of musical instrument]" questions.

[MGRushFan]

Thanks. I try to be as real as possible, Buying drums for investment purposes only makes sense if you buy low and sell high. Those days are long, long, long, long, long over. I mean, why buy a Sonor HLD580 for $4500 or whatever ridiculous price they are selling for now, if you're only gonna get the same (actually, most likely NOT going to get the same) when you sell?

I remember in the 90's, right at the beginning of the internet craze, people would literally scour the country in vans, take out ads in local papers and even sometimes literally bullhorn in the streets looking for old snares, les pauls, strats etc. There were many suckers then that sold some stuff that later sold for a lot of money. But now with the advent of ebay, and shows like Pawn Stars, even the crustiest backwater hick knows not to sell before consulting ebay sold listings.

To make a long story short, buy drums to play, not to collect as an investment. At least not if you don't want to lose your shirt.

[TalonTsi90]

Confucius say, it is not snare that is valuable, it is buyer who want it and is willing to pay your price.

Drums unlike cars arent 'rare' like you would think. Show me a 1970 Plymouth Superbird with a 440 six pack and ill show you a nice collectible. Show me that car in the Hemi flavor and ill show you a car that cost about $5000 new and can command a selling price well over $120k for original unrestored condition.

[MGRushFan]

Sure bet = Invest in gold, silver and guns. All of which hold their value much better than wood.

PS. Start scanning your change for pre 1965 nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars. Pre 1965 coinage in the US was over 90% silver. These coins are worth more than their face value.

this is actually pretty sound advice, given the state of the real economy and the political systems we are living under. One thing I've been noticing the last few years is that I seem to be getting a lot of pre 64 quarters and nickels when I get change at any given store. This tells me two things;
1) People are raiding their piggy banks because they're desperate for cash, despite the "green shoot" bs spouted by the dems and repubs.
2) this might be the last commodity where people actually don't know what they have. I often tell people to look for pre 64 quarters, and i'd say 99.9 percent look at me with weird smiles like I'm nuts. Well, facts are facts, those coins are 90% silver, which is probably a better investment than gold in the long run.

[scooterdavis]

this is actually pretty sound advice, given the state of the real economy and the political systems we are living under. One thing I've been noticing the last few years is that I seem to be getting a lot of pre 64 quarters and nickels when I get change at any given store. This tells me two things; 1) People are raiding their piggy banks because they're desperate for cash, despite the "green shoot" bs spouted by the dems and repubs. 2) this might be the last commodity where people actually don't know what they have. I often tell people to look for pre 64 quarters, and i'd say 99.9 percent look at me with weird smiles like I'm nuts. Well, facts are facts, those coins are 90% silver, which is probably a better investment than gold in the long run.

Great post there rush and I agree with you as well King, especially about the guns. If the **** really hits the fan, guns and ammo will really be valuable; gold and silver, not so much. As for scouring rolls of quarters for silver; people have been doing that for a LONG time, thus greatly decreasing the likelihood of getting any silver.

[Slow95Cobra]

I'm with everyone else. Drums are only worth what the next guy is willing to pay. To much out there to pinpoint what needs to be collected. Stick the the other things for sound investments.

I'm personally not going to waste money on a drum I can't stand the sound of, and won't use... For the slim chance I'll make a dollar from it years from now