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Thread: Drum costs, America vs Europe

  1. #1

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    Default Drum costs, America vs Europe

    I always wondered, just out of interest, are drum kits cheaper in America than the UK and Europe? Perhaps it is vise versa. I swear iv seen some kits for exactly the same price but dollars instead of pounds. I think some things are cheaper in America, some Europe some the same depending on posting etc. As kits are more commonly made in America i would predict they would cost less due to transporting costs.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Drum costs, America vs Europe

    The American dollar is weak compared to the Euro so...that would make drums more expensive in Europe...I think.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    The American dollar is weak compared to the Euro so...that would make drums more expensive in Europe...I think.
    I wonder if the dollar is weak enough to justify purchasing drums from the US, if you're in Europe, with the shipping costs and all. I know on ebay many people can access different countries ebay and that a currency converter is displayed.
    Begin the day with a friendly voice, a companion unobtrusive. - Rush

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    I think that you could buy drums here cheaper on ebay, the problem with it is so many vendors are getting taken by foreign purchasers that a lot of them won't ship over seas any more because they are afraid of getting taken. I would be leery of foreign buyers I wasn't familiar with becausse you have absolutly no recourse should the deal go south. I would trust selling to someone on this forum from another country, but not an ebay buyer over seas.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Drum costs, America vs Europe

    Quote Originally Posted by silverdragonsound View Post
    I wonder if the dollar is weak enough to justify purchasing drums from the US, if you're in Europe, with the shipping costs and all. I know on ebay many people can access different countries ebay and that a currency converter is displayed.
    You wonder, correctly. At least for me.
    I bought a Trick pedal from the US and overall it was £200 shipped. I've seen singles for over £300 on the internet from the UK.
    jimbolimbo99 Mapex Mafia

    Mapex M Birch
    Sabian AA and Paragons
    Zildjian A's
    Meinl Generation X
    Dream Lion
    Trick Pro-1V


    My band

    My Kit

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Drum costs, America vs Europe

    My kit (Mapex Saturn 4 drum shell pack & tom holders) is around the £799 area online. At todays rate's thats about $1600... I do know cymbals are cheaper in the U.S - A Paiste 2002 ride would have been about £75 cheaper in the states if I remember correctly. If you are taking about straight retail, as allways the UK is bloody expensive!
    Dustin Lee Burgess
    Northfleet, England
    mapex mafia & paiste posse


  7. #7

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    Default Re: Drum costs, America vs Europe

    It can save a lot of money. I know that because I imported a Ludwig Legacy Classic set from the US, into the Netherlands. Here it would have cost me around 1000 euro more, all costs considered... ok I got a good deal in the US so maybe normally the difference would be smaller for this set that's 4200 USD (I got it for 3700), but still.... I saved a lot of money. Here in the Netherlands the stores want EUR 4950 for the same shell set. It's about 1.45 USD to a EUR, so you do the math...

    I did have to pay more for customs and shipping than I thought I would have had to. You'd be wise to factor in about 150 eur extra for the handling on your side of the bargain (offloading from the plane, customs brokerage fee, extra thick toilet paper for UPS guy wiping his *** fee, they will get it out of you one way or another. I asked for a list of things the seller was paying for and things that I have to pay for... you'd be amazed how many things there are.) The shop shipped the set to the airport, and I was a little surprised to have UPS wanting me to cough up 30 for transporting the kit here instead of the seller having already paid for that like their website suggested. However, that's only a small amount compared to the total of the abovementioned costs.

    This is all on top of import duties and sales tax of the country of origin. (3.2% and 19% respectively, here). Beware that you have to calculate (total amount + shipping) * 1.032 * 1.19, so it does add up. Do not miscalculate that part...

    I'm writing about this in the past sense, but I actually expect the kit to arrive today/tomorrow. It's sitting in the UPS depot in Amsterdam, I believe.
    Last edited by Roenie; 10-06-2008 at 11:47 PM.

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