Wow, I do hope this applies, at least in some way, to other BOP kits, equally as rare. That said, I too think the asking price for such a rare kit is not unreasonable.

While I respect O and Kona, I do have to disagree. This kit is in excellent condition and the Thermogloss are hit and miss. But I've not seen a 60s Ludwig kit worth nine grand yet. It's a Ludwig. They just don't command those numbers. I realize as investors you want the market to move in a positive direction, but this just isn't so. Top dollar for a 60s Ludwig does not approach these numbers. There have been several near perfect Ludwig kits sold this past year that bear this out. Top dollar did not exceed a couple of grand. This kit is not worth the handful of extra thousands. No way shape or form. That's not to say that there isn't one sad little rich man going through therapy at the loss of his jazz Thermo lost in a fire that killed his entire family stumbling on to this auction and pulling the trigger. But, this kit ain't worth the auction price to any sane buyer.

I agree. You could walk into Maxwell's and get a similar kit in collectors grade for much less. Maxwell isn't exactly cheap. But he's not a rip off artist either.

You can't blame this guy for wanting over 8 grand. Maybe someone will even buy it. But with cash in your pocket and a little networking, you could get a similar kit for a lot less, which would be a lot more fair.

It's an absolutely beautiful set of drums for sure. If money was no object, they'd be living with me (even though I'm a Slingerland guy).

I honestly have no problem with anyone disagreeing about the value. These things are ambiguous and impossible to gauge in any kind of standardized way.

#1. It's an American-made Ludwig made in 1967 (the year of "The Summer of Love") so the historical value will always be there.

#2. It's an original, complete Jazzette (arguably Ludwig's most collectibly-valuable configuration)

#3. It's in near-perfect condition.

#4. It's complete with the original hardware package.

#5. You will never find another one this nice again.

Gretsch bop kits (that are less complete) sell for $8K all day long on the East coast....and they likely don't sound as good (to me). They are all drums. If someone has determined that Gretsch bop kit can be valued that high, then it's never going to be out of the question that Ludwig kit could do the same. Jazzettes are MUCH, MUCH rarer than any Gretsch bop kit, too. So, regardless of what opinions people might give about the sound (which is always subjective), the fact is that the Jazzette is rarer -and it's almost unheard of to find one in this condition.

Hey, if it doesn't sell for $8K, then no one (including me) will be surprised. But if it does, then I'm going to be smiling.

The fact is that nobody can say for sure what something like this is worth because yo can't make generalizations for such rare and unique items. There simply are not 50 (random number off the top of my head) Jazzettes floating around out there in this kind of condition. In fact, there are not 50 Jazzettes out there at all!...not from 1967, anyway. If you added up every Jazzette ever sold in all the years Ludwig offered them, then you still might not come up with 50 of them.

All I know is that I would have JUMPED at that drum set a few years ago when I was feverish with collecting...Now, not so much....

It's definitely worth the money if you've got the money. If you don't then it shouldn't make any difference to you. Lots of kids have their noses pressed to the glass, looking in at the cool toys, but only the rich kids actually get the cool toys. I see cars all the time that "aren't worth it" as far as how much they cost...but people buy them all the same. With drum sets, maybe it's a bit more specialized, but given enough time, someone is out there who will have no problem popping for $8K.

I totally agree with O-Lugs and his comments. The kit if it is rare as he says is worth the money. I personally don't think 8k for a set that there may be 50 of is unreasonable at all, I would think it would be worth far more. I don't care for the look of the kit to much, not a natural wood person (I know shoot me now) but to people it looks good and its extremely rare so worth it all the way.

Same sound be said about cars, I am wanting to get my hands on a 70 Chevelle SS with the LS6 package, the rarest of them all. I could get a ls5 or ls4 for much much cheaper and its still a muscle car, its fast and will turn heads. Having the rare one is different though, the feeling of owning something that looks that good, while being so rare. It is something that I wouldn't trade to have a similar feeling with something cheaper.

I cant agree. The asking price of 8K would need to be based on other sales of the same kit elsewhere. I have Never, ever seen a Ludwig set sell for 8 grand.................has anyone?

My other personal thing is that when I Look at that set, i think the natural finish is nice, But it just doesnt do much for me............for me to pony up 8K, it would need to have the coolest wrap ever.......and not just a natural finish.

Ludwigs are, lets be realistic, the workingmans drums.

wow that's the 100+k car what a ride to quest for id have to say i like it too much

tuxedo black with white stripes whoops wrong forum sorry guys got out of context here

but yes rare or not im not found of wood finishes they look

unwrapped not saying if the opportunity came along to add another gem to my collection i would love it for investment's but after seeing the price on some of theses drums the Ringo jazz fest for 5k,) feebay) this vintage drum vendor has listed a early b+o badge holly wood in obp wrap for 10 g maybe 20 k he says because of how rare it is whats he talking about steak? so i guess sentiment on drums intrinsic value verse real money is up to seller and buyer maybe this will blow way up as a lot of modern drummers are going back to ludwig vintage or to the legacy kits they are suppose to be made the same but not aged give them 50 years, well in the mean time buy up those kits boys and girls if this keeps up they will be worth there weight one day in what though i don't have the foggiest......

Ludwig historically, IS the working man's brand of drums...I definitely agree.

And, historically Volkswagens are the people's car.

And, in general terms, Ludwig drums could be considered as common as Volkswagens.

BUT....

There are extremely rare and valuable Volkswagens that fall outside of the general realm, too. I can't think of a specific example right now....maybe some year of Karman Ghia(?)....Anyway, you get where I'm going, right? - common-yet-rare

If scratchy Gretsch bop kits can sell for $8K all day long, then it wouldn't surprise me to see THIS particular Jazzette go for an equal amount. I never understood the whole Gretsch thing, anyway, really. They are a guitar company, in my mind. But I digress....

I totally agree with most of what you have shared here. But ...

By this logic, the Slingerland Jet kits should also pull in 8 grand. Leedy New Jazz should pull in more than that because they most assuredly sold less in the 60s. Premier '58 kits from the 60s with the optional 18 bass should net oodles as they are even more rare. They are all rare bop kits with a sweet 18 bass and the 12,14 tom match.

Gretsch is not Slingerland, nor is it Leedy, nor Premier, or Ludwig. Those markets are very distinct and very different.

This Ludwig kit is not worth 8 or 9 grand. It's not worth 6 grand. It is worth over 2 grand, though. Quite a bit more.

I do have the money. But, I know better than to invest in a fools gamble. And this is a fools gamble at that price.

Steve Maxwell recently sold a Top Hat and Cane kit for $26K. Well, he took a crap load of Camco kits from the buyer and whatever cash the buyer had to kick in. But the whole transaction easily amounted to well over $20K. Ten plus years ago, a TH&C kit was reportedly sold to a buyer in Japan for $35K

I am the biggest Ludwig fan in the world, I love nat maple thermogloss... But that Jazzette kit is way, way overpriced. But, to paraphrase PT Barnum, there's a sucker born every minute.

Buzz