This is an interesting endeavor. Considering the variables of establishing vintage drum value ... what criterion are you using for setting those paramaters? eBay has lost most all credibility as a resource. Drum resellers are definitely NOT the resource, as that would skew the numbers to setup artificial bubbles in the market ... fox in charge of the hens, so to speak.

So, where are these numbers created? Who makes the decision as to the final value of a particular kit in a wrap?

It honestly doesn't seem possible to accomplish this with any sort of solid ethical foundation.

If, by stating it's open source, you are allowing all to agree on prices and value ... yeouch. That will be interesting, for sure ... and will make for some lively discussions.

I would love to be a part of this. It sounds like a hoot. Thank you for continuing to work so hard for the vintage drum community at large. You are a wonderful asset.

This is a great idea! I'm fairly new to the vintage drum market but I've been doing power research on all my brands of interest.

What I've learned is that the vintage drum experts/owners (aka... you guys) have been setting the market value based on:

- Originality

- Condition

- Cleanliness

- Rarity

This system is very similar on how vintage motorcycles and cars are valued.

All of these attributes can be rated on a 1-5 scale with a discription stating the reason for the grade. That should be enough info to collaboritively come up with values.

It's a start. :)

RogerSling, good job !

To the OP, This is a new age for Blue Books. Are you going to listen to the advice & appraisals of stores, websites, & ebay gougers who have high overhead, & a tendency to push the limits of value, or are you going to make an effort to follow trends of completed listings & real sales? I already find ebay completed sales as one of the best, most realistic guages of the market.

There are already some excellent reference websites for prices, (of other musical instruments), that follow the highs, lows, condition & sales date.

Best of luck w/ your project for drums.

Novice here and most likely asking a novice question.

Is there a reason why the manufactures (still in business) of any given "vintage" drum cannot give their input as to the value of the drums that they once manufactured, for history sake?

Please excuse my naiveté.

Horrible idea! It's a better idea for the market to set values not "books".

Well, the internet's a Blue Book of sorts if you know how to use it and where to look. Me, I check ebay (lots despise it; but it has its merits, too), Steve Maxwell's shop, Jollity's, CL at times to see what individuals are tagging their goodies for. And then there's this little world of VDF that sets many down the right path of vintage drumdom.

I think the main issue is that the vintage drum market's an ever-shifting island that surprises even the experts now and then. Even the many variables that come into play for a particular piece often play with the value in an algorithmic manner that's interesting, but about as accurate as playing pin the tail on the donkey after swimming in a pool of Guinness.

Part of what makes this entire vintage drum world fascinating is that everyone who wants can lay his 2 cents down with the satisfaction of passing on expertise on whatever ? another poses. & someone's gonna be making a dime on this endeavor, and I don't think anyone will be rewarded for his or her "expertise". It's not difficult to extrapolate where Mr. Lawrance is hoping this goes, but little cynical me believes it'll be just like NSMD that extracts far more than it offers, and in the process makes what now is a fascinating occupation something else altogether.

The thing smells regulatory, market-cornering, to me. But what do I know -

Chris

well in the car market they use the Kelly Blue Book and the N.A.D.A. Book. musical instruments are no different we have it also in the Guitar ,Amp market vintage guitar magazine has a current price guide in every Issue. George I think it's a great thing. good luck!

Like I wrote, I could be very wrong. vintagemore : you have a very good point. I have a few guitar BB's sitting here ... so what am I crying about? Curious to see where this things goes.

chris

As someone posted above.. Forget about using resellers (i.e. Steve Maxwell's is the last place I'd use as a guide to prices).

Don't get me wrong: Steve is a great guy and his shops are awesome. But he's paying NYC and suburban Chicago rents on those places, and the prices on most of his stuff reflects that.

Anyway, I applaud the ambition of this, and will help in any way that I can.