DW drums being "Overpriced"

[dirtysticks]

Why do people seem to think that DW drums are way more expensive than other high end brands and are "overpriced?" DW Collectors kits seem to be priced on par with Pearl Reference, Sonor Vintage Series, Yamaha Absolute Hybrid, C & C Drums, Sakae Drums, Gretsch USA Custom, Ludwig Legacy, Sonor Prolite, Yamaha Phoenix, Tama Star, Sonor SQ2, Pearl Masterworks and Tama Starclassic maple. Craviotto drums, Brady Drums & a few others cost more!... And they're all worth the price of admission in my opinion! Are people just comparing high end drums to midlevel kits and not comparing apples to apples?

[Markadiddle]

I think you're right about people not comparing "apples to apples" as you put it. Now, this is just my observation and opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.

For example, I see people usually hitting up GC a lot. When people walk in to a GC, they see a lot of drumkits and shell packs that are beginner to mid level kits and look at the price. Then, over in the corner, there it is, a DW collectors kit set up in all it's glory. Then they look at the price tag. Instant sticker shock.

[weezy]

I'm not entirely sure where that notion comes from. They're American made from top quality materials and built to order. They're not going to be cheap. That said, I've played 2 collectors kits (one maple, one cherry) in the past few months and I'd put my Saturns up against either one of them in terms of build quality, finish quality, and sound quality. So, to my ears, a kit that sells for less than $1500 is on par with a kit that costs upwards of $3000. I guess it's kind of a diminishing returns thing.

[markthechuck]

i've had loads of kits, The DW no where compared to the Masterworks or pearl Reference i had imo, Quality of the DW spurs were just awful, my Masters MPL is a better kit than the DW i had.

i got caught up in the "Have to own a DW kit" Probably the biggest waste of money i've spent.

each to there own though.

cheers

[markthechuck]

I'm not entirely sure where that notion comes from. They're American made from top quality materials and built to order. They're not going to be cheap. That said, I've played 2 collectors kits (one maple, one cherry) in the past few months and I'd put my Saturns up against either one of them in terms of build quality, finish quality, and sound quality. So, to my ears, a kit that sells for less than $1500 is on par with a kit that costs upwards of $3000. I guess it's kind of a diminishing returns thing.

+1, my Saturn's we're amazing quality.

[Pearl MCX Man]

got caught up in the "Have to own a DW kit" Probably the biggest waste of money i've spent.

each to there own though.

I didn't and that is why I kept my MCX.

[Cdeleone]

You can make that argument with any product you purchase. Made in America will almost always be more expensive, but then again you're contributing to an American company, which provides jobs and stimulates the economy. You can buy anything on the cheap if it's made overseas.
Same goes for a Fender Strat. The American made will always cost more than a Made in Mexico. I think the MIM's are just fine guitars, but someone will always want an American made. DW's are great drums but like anything, people will have their own opinions. I refuse to buy a car made in America because I prefer German cars. They're more expensive but that's what I like.
Higher quality.
Obviously, we all know drummers who suck and need to have a DW because people will think they are good just based on their equipment. I for one, play mostly on my PDP Maple...which to me, is just as good as any other drum kit out there. To others, maybe not so much.

[Ricardo]

I tell my beginning drummer friends what they need to know............the bigger drum companies all make quality shells and they all make crap shells too.

I appreciate DW and their Collectors Series for what they are.............the standards...........the quality control..............the innovation of grains and plies being considered in composition.

However, their product is not so superior to others available out there that it becomes the obvious choice to make.................I do not consider DW collectors to be overpriced..............but they are, on occasion, overpraised.

All of those shells mentioned by Sticks in the OP are wonderful products.........and there are others.

However, conversely, while Exports and Stage Customs might provide acceptable tonal qualities, they are nowhere near pro-line drum quality and should not be used to make those comparisons.

[crispycritters]

When buyers look at DW they only see higher prices as their more affordable models are labelled PDP, perhaps this is why many people (myself included) feel they are overpriced. Most manufacturers have a full range from affordable plain wrapped, 'hardwood' shelled starter fare to the flagship high end models with the same brand name - DW only build high end or high intermediate models and PDP supply the starter to intermediate sets - I believe that this is to mentally separate the two brands and preserve DWs high end only image (I find it amusing that they brand PDPs as PDP by DW. Deliberately keeping the two separate, and hinting that PDP is really DW, is an interesting exercise in 'double-think') Maybe if the PDP name had been dropped and they had been rebadged as DW not as many people would feel that DW are overpriced as they could view a complete range and directly compare prices to other manufacturers model for model.

Moot point for me really as my wallet will only stretch to Tama Starclassic models, Pearl MCX/BCX or Mapex Saturns - not necessarily a bad thing as quite honestly I can't hear or see any improvement to justify the DW £1,000 per drum prices for their shell packs (in the UK) but I have the same feelings about the £3K+ shell packs from every manufacturer.

I think the earlier 'law of diminishing returns' comment summed it up.

[SpazApproved]

It's just a name... look at cars... BMW and Mercedes... yet not even Hyudai sells a $50k luxury car. Just how the world works. DW has always just made TOP notch and only top notch. Pearl and others make high end but we just always see more mid and low end products

[isaacvining]

I loved and miss my DW's. For the people who want DW's but think they're overpriced, that's what the used market is for. Got my 4-piece DW's kit for $1400 almost brand new!

[crispycritters]

It's just a name... look at cars... BMW and Mercedes... yet not even Hyudai sells a $50k luxury car. Just how the world works. DW has always just made TOP notch and only top notch. Pearl and others make high end but we just always see more mid and low end products

True - but over the years both BMW and Mercedes have made some real lemons...... Perhaps you were lucky enough not to get them in the US.

[MDK]

It is all in personal taste and preference. IMO shells with re-rings just sound fuller and better whether they are Ludwig Legacies, DW collectors, or Sakae Trilogy's. But that is just my personal opinion.

I have owned many kits as well and while I loved my Saturns for me to say they are on par sound wise with any of the above mentioned kits would be a huge stretch. The sound is completely different. You may like the sound of the Saturns better but they are not the same soundwise. Now quality and hardware yes I agree Saturns are the best bang for the buck.

Even though my playing ability will never be all that good I would love to own a set of collectors in the future as I have heard and played on many and always walk away smiling but I would not rule out legacies, trilogy's or any other re-ringed kit.

I do think the DW's are a little more price wise than most major manuf. but you also get more IMO, legacies have about 7 colors to choose from and a few sizes. DW options are just about limitless in colors, shell make up, hardware color, wood type etc etc and no one other than a complete custom outfit can touch that.

[Markadiddle]

However, their product is not so superior to others available out there that it becomes the obvious choice to make.................I do not consider DW collectors to be overpriced..............but they are, on occasion, overpraised.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[dirtysticks]

What I've noticed is that some people just dislike them and that they will grab hold of anything (valid or not) that supports their dislike for the company. They are competitively priced with many other high end kits and they are worth it for what you get IMHO. If you think that a masters kit is more in your price range, then compare the masters with the Performance or Design kit and not a Collectors. Perspective determines the mindset. Does a DW Collectors cost more than, say a Pearl Masterworks? Maybe so, but they are still right on par with Sonor SQ2, Craviotto, Tama Star, Guru and more. So to me, I can't say they just "cost more" because they are more than a Masterworks kit.

[MrB]

I dislike DW for a variety of reasons, but I do have a supporting argument for each. In my opinion, DW built their reputation in the late 1980s through early 1990s, and at the time the drum market looked quite different.

For instance, there were far fewer companies around. Really, it was just Ludwig, Gretsch, Pearl, Tama, Yamaha, and Slingerland, at least in my neck of the woods. Once in a while you'd find a guy that built his kit from Keller shells. Very rarely you'd find a Noble & Cooley, Ayotte, or Fibes kit.

DW had a few very valid points in their favor- they offered more than just eight or so finishes, a variety of sizes (more than the mass-market drums), and their hardware was very much a selling point. They were one of the earliest, to my knowledge, to offer a suspension system that did not drill into the shell. Gauger mounts were around then, sure, but they were an aftermarket item. They were the first, again, I think, to offer a two-legged hihat stand. The Techlock tilters were different from the tooth-and-gear system that everyone else was selling, which was more adjustable. Again, this is before the days of the ball-and-socket system coming to cymbal mounts.

DW hardware was also heavier than just about anyone else's. If you happen to come across an old Yamaha stand with the red stripe on the sticker, that's what the competition was. DW stuff was like anchors and there were memory locks all over the place. I haven't even mentioned bass drum pedals. The 5000 and 9000 were top of the line when they were introduced. (As an aside, I personally detest DW cymbal stands. The black handle on the tilter to me does nothing but get snagged on the bag and other gear inside the bag. I've never had issues with a fine tooth-and-gear system and a small wingnut.)

Further, DW also added that "custom" experience by John Good (Goode?) signing the inside of the shells. You had the assurance that quality control mattered. They also remain, if I'm not mistaken, the only company that matches the shells by fundamental pitch.

So that's all well and fine. It's also 20 to 30 years ago. In today's market, the other companies to me have either caught up to or exceeded what DW does well. There's a hundred Keller shell operations out there, and they offer all sorts of different lug styles and finishes, and a much more intimate customer service experience.

Most manufacturers have some sort of mounting system that suspends the drum from the rim or lugs and not the shell. A lot of companies have hardware that equals or exceeds that of DW. Off the top of my head, I think the DW pedals were exceeded by Axis, especially the X when they came out in the early 1990s.

Previous posters are right, DW isn't as egregiously overpriced as some other operations- I can tell you from personal experience that Ayotte quoted me a three piece shell pack at about $3,000 in the early 2000s for nothing too intricate or offbeat.

However, I will say that over the last fifteen years or so, DW's competition has raised their quality and selection. I went shopping for a maple kit four years ago and felt that Ludwig Classic Maples, with a few tweaks, were a much more cost-effective option Made in the USA.

DW you are not only paying for the drums, you are paying for the artist endorsements and the cost of doing business in California. Ludwig is doing business in North Carolina.

My primary experience with DW comes from setting up and tearing down my teacher's Collectors' kit for a few years for the curious. I now own a Whitney Nesting kit.

[lukesplat12]

I think that a large portion of the overpriced opinion when it comes to dw is perhaps made by people who want an affordable kit and dw doesn't make one, they have a separate company do it for them. I think it just establishes a mentality that is backed by other factors. (Edit - exactly as you pointed out Crispy, somehow thought I was building to something different when I wrote this)

Still, IMHO, if I have a couple thousand dollars to spend on a totl kit, a dw might be one of my last choices. As MrB said, they built their reputation off their 80s and 90s drums. To me they sound plastic, they sound like 80s music, I hate 80s music. But, if you like them that's your opinion and I am not going to debate. It seems like the answer to almost every question about drum/cymbal/head/stick/etc. choice is to choose what you love, no matter how cheap or overpriced or overpraised or outdated it is.

[N2Bluz]

I would struggle spending over $1500 on ANY drum kit....regardless of the brand. It just doesn't make sense for someone like me. I suppose if I had excess money, or was at a much higher level of musicianship. However, I understand why others would.

[drummerMD]

I don't like DW's hardware. the only think I like is the tom mount design.( DW & PDP).

[xweasel]

Yes, DW are terribly overpriced, at least where I'm from. Drums are expensive enough here as they are, DW probably being the most expensive. Unless I were a millionaire, I would never spend $8K+ on a 5-piece kit. Been playing for more than ten years and I'm still perfectly happy with my 5-piece Pearl Export.

[MDK]

I would struggle spending over $1500 on ANY drum kit....regardless of the brand. It just doesn't make sense for someone like me. I suppose if I had excess money, or was at a much higher level of musicianship. However, I understand why others would.

Don't let the opinions of others sway your decision. If the sound of a certain kit makes you happy and want to play more than your level of musicianship should not even matter. Now if it's just financial than I totally understand but if your fortunate enough to afford a kit that makes you happy than go for it.

If I applied that to all my hobbies I would be playing golf with walmart clubs, riding a 500cc motorcycle, and playing a TKO drum kit, with tama cymbals.

[mwhuskey]

I didn't realize there were other drums besides DW until I read this thread! Haha

I have my fourth DW kit on its way, so I have to say I'm a fan. Why change if you're happy with something.

[ludleg]

I'm not entirely sure where that notion comes from. They're American made from top quality materials and built to order. They're not going to be cheap. That said, I've played 2 collectors kits (one maple, one cherry) in the past few months and I'd put my Saturns up against either one of them in terms of build quality, finish quality, and sound quality. So, to my ears, a kit that sells for less than $1500 is on par with a kit that costs upwards of $3000. I guess it's kind of a diminishing returns thing.

+1 I think the big change in drums in the fairly recent past has been the emergence of a plethora of professional quality mid-priced drums. That has been a game changer because with the right heads & tuning, mid mid-priced kits can sound as good as the top of the line.

All the major drum companies have invested heavily into mid-price alternatives to remain competitive. But there will always be a market for the high end stuff and that usually comes down to, IMO, to being as much about looks and myth as it is sound. If you love a certain brand for some reason, you're naturally gonna love the best they can offer and, if you can afford it, you will be tempted to buy those.

A good example of this is when I bought my Ludwig kit. That was a dream of mine sice I was eight years old. When I could finally afford one (last year), I wanted the Legacies - nothing else. I wanted that Ludwig shell that Ringo used! A set of Classic Maples would no doubt have sounded fantastic as well but I was willing to shell out the extra money for the Legacies because that was my bucket list dream. So was it worth it? For me, yes, it was. But, I have no illusions that there are kits out there they sound incredible, for much less money. Case in point - the C&C kit I bought was a grand less than the Legacies - and the sound, IMO, is every bit as pleasing. They are a bit different of course, but the C&C is certainly no less professional in terms of sound and build quality than the Ludwigs - again, of course, IMHO.

I think the drum companies clearly understand this type of thing and keep the prices of their flagship drums significantly higher than their mid-priced kits - to retain that distinction between the two and to appeal to those consumers who want, what they believe is, the 'best of the best" - even though the extra money they spend is in many cases not buying a better sounding drum than some lower priced alternatives.

[inthpktplayer]

While I think that they are nice drums, I don't think there is a lot of value there. Buy DW and I think you over spend. You can get drums of equal quality and sound (sometimes better sound IMHO) for less $$$.

I'd stack my Saturns up against DW top of the line kit anytime. Just my take. Everyone has reasons to buy what they buy.

[jgziegler]

I have to say this has been a very informative thread, as I am going to be buying my own kit in December, the points made about the mid-range kits have confirmed what I was already thinking.

Also nice that people can express their opinions without others getting upset

I will say, 1,500 max for a kit (new I assume) is not a crazy amount of money, even if it's just a shell set. Also, the DW 5000 is a great pedal, and in terms of hardware, I have to say all this super heavy double braced stuff- regardless of the maker, is a quite a bit of overkill IMO.