The inside of only one shell was painted black?

Haha no! How about - 100% all original, no scuffs or marks anywhere, 100% exactly "as pictured in catalog" [if desired]...and then slightly lesser perfection than that, by degrees, depending on the collector.

But if someone has 27 awesome player's kits, what then? Maybe "collector's" isn't the best word for the job, not precise enough. Mind you, everyone has an idea what the term means...

I think that's settled then...

Mitch

Agreed with DownTownFarmer`s comments-it`s all in the "eye of the beholder" as in any other collectables field.Collector`s grade to me is a set that is unmolested in every regard and has been passed down through those 50`s yrs. of time to very caring hands.Museum quality on the other hand is they`ve rarely seen the light of day and kept cased for all that half century.I`d rather have the collectors grade as they`ve been semi-babied but used in a caring way...

Wayne

I say, who the heck cares, play the darn things and quit looking at them.DOH

that's pretty much what i was saying. I would rather have a 7.5 out of 10 players grade set 50+ years old anyday

Well, collecting anything is an investment. In the case of drum sets, the collected thing can also be used, was meant for using, so you get some folks bemoaning the fact the collected kits are out-of-play. But the collection is not forever, and the kits in it will likely some day be back in play, barring museum pieces. So I think it's all good - the collectors are keeping the kits mint for a future generation.

Personally, I almost always like the before pics in a resto thread better than the after pics. I love the look of a beat up old war-horse. Lol people pay good money for "relic'd" guitars...

But investment suggests acquiring the best, pristine examples of a given collected thing, thus "collector's grade" basically refers to a kit in the best possible condition.

These are my thoughts on the subject lol.

Mitch

When I see a "collectors" grade kit, I see a kit that was probably not played much and was sitting in someone's attic or basement it's entire life. One thing I like about vintage kits is wondering where they had been and who might have played them, so for that reason, I like a kit with a little wear to it, gives it character.

Great thread. I always laugh when I see such terms used to describe any item from the past or present. Curators, collectors, hobbiest, Aunt Bee are all looking for the missing item. When found it sells to the highest bidder.

Matters not how the item was described.

Creighton

I'm a coin collector and to me collecting means having an example of say, every type of silver dollar ever minted in the US, if it's drums; it would mean owning every model of snare drum Ludwig made between 1925 and 1950, or every finish of drum sets from the 60's. To me a 'collection' is not necessarily the most perfect and pristine examples, but the 'best examples' from a given line of drums, or manufacturer that is all assembled in one place/collection. Collector grade doesn't necessarily mean perfect, or pristine. That's the definition of a museum piece... perfect.

I am not a 'collector' of drums, I don't have any complete collections of any one company or their offering. I'm a player and I have a lot of drums sets, but I play them. I don't buy them to 'complete a set of this, or that' as they appeared in some catalog. I buy them strictly to play them. To me, that is the difference between a collector (Mike Curotto, BunE, Jolo, etc. who have complete sets of this, or that drum,) and 'a player with a lot of drums'... like me.

John

I agree with you John, but I suppose if I had the resources like Ben E. Carlos has, I'd be a collector as well.Keep on Pl