Good point jaghog.I`m sure professional collectors and pickers have some kind of grading system in place,but as you said,there is no clear cut system for the drum guys". But to have a system like the other collecting fields have, would certainly be a bonus to the world of drum collecting.Agreed...no such thing as a 10.

Wayne

I think 10 is just a more natural number to use to designate those kits that show the absolute very least signs of aging. The rarest of the rare. "All things considered" being part of the scale from bottom to top...

Another wrinkle is, certain wood finishes might actually look better with age...to certain people...like me :0

Mitch

There are vintage drums to be marked as 10.

N.O.S.

Generally it's good idea to make a kind of "official" grading with selection what issues make each grade.

I am not saying a nos drum is not up on scale, but no matter how perfect its stored, most pigments do break down, natural degrading its a process that colorist have been battling for years its unavoidable, it is not just uv or climate, its the natural break down and disintegration of the pigments the colors shift and actually change hues, so there is no perfect as the day it was made drum out here as in vintage, new is another story, as a colorist that's been my battle in historic restoration, its really earthen pigments that are mined, and as such, slowly revert back to the ore that they were mined from some of the weakest pigments are blue, green, yellows , and some of the stronger ones are browns, reds (not all) the issue with white and black, are its clear coat's they fade and yellows them out from usually uv and the natural yellowing of the nitrous cellulose lacquer used (side bar they usually can be sanded out and re-cleared to remove most of the yellowing and all whites lean to one of the 3 primary colors), anyway so there you are .... no 10's 9.5's would be nos ....

I like the idea of a consistent grading system as a guide for all. In my mind, a brand-new drum, factory boxed and wrapped with unbroken tape would be a 10. A NOS drum in this shape would qualify as a 10 in my mind, unless the wrap showed fade as Gary suggested. I've not had the experience of comparing an unopened, uncirculated NOS drum with brand new to determine if any deterioration occurred.

Hugh

Splitting components {wrap, hardware, bearing edges} is the best way to begin noting condition.

MINT = as issued w/ zero flaws of any kind (as if purchased new back in the day);

MUSEUM = MINT but = something quantifiably more : say, rare wraps, certain iconic drummers equipment, etc;

SHOWROOM or COLLECTOR GRADE = is not necessarily MINT, but is close enough for a cigar & most collectors will pay whatever it takes to snag it.

EVERYTHING ELSE (accordingly described)

When selling clear photos should without a doubt accompany a decent attempt at penning the overall assessment of condition. Without these it's a matter of taking a seller's word that such & such is X quality ... which is not how I like to do business.

Any of the above should not to be expected from the neophyte or any seller who considers a drumstick something to be requested on holidays. This is when specific questions & answers should flow to and fro.

In town nothing ever comes up on CL so my only venue for buying is ebay. Over the summer I've bought a few "MINT," "SHOWROOM" pieces that were not either of these. When sellers use these words they are either wholly ignorant when it comes to the proper use of the English language &/or a little bit wicked and they know what they're doing.

EVEN IF certain of the above descriptor words are employed it's ALWAYS a good idea to confirm by asking specific questions. If offense is taken take that as a gift as it's usually a signal that something's not quite right with item X &/or the seller. Any seller worth his salt will take the time to reassure without getting testy about your questions ... especially when a premium has been placed on item X. {&, no, this is not directed in any way at VDF member.}

This saves both seller & buyer the hassle of misunderstanding one another.

Chris

Hobbs: like your stab at it. Would especially like to see pics of that Rogers Dyna after detailing done.

Hugh

picture are the key to define quality, poor pics lack definition, and some pics do not lend credence to the drum, but some people words are good enough for me as in some experts here, some so called pros are only going on to gather inventory buy low to sell high as in most here do myself included, but I agree presentation is everything, but also know most deals are accurately describe from a sellers knowledge of what he or she has and may be has a limited knowledge of collector drums ,I don't blame some high end sellers here to doubt the merchandise and I too have been burnt by the so called word of a amateur but lets face it most of us geezers here were around when some of the drums we covet, were brand new, and now we see there aging and know the difference while others of a younger gen don't quite understand whats up and do not know the difference or don't care, selling mediocre goods are pretty much whats out here and very few drums are of very high collector quality, I personally don't no ever will sell a drum with out a fair and rigorous grade, going from my experience, I know whats up with 50's/60's Ludwig (some earlier stuff too) when I sell something I accurately grade the item as to flaws in and out of drum, but who makes any one here a grading expert I think only a very few of us here would qualify ...

I think shipping degrades drums faster than anything.

I've bought a lot of 10s online that show up on my porch as 7s.