Buying a drum kit on eBay

So you want to buy a drum kit? Well you've come to the right place. There are heaps for sale, ranging from rubbish, to rare and magnificent instruments. The same things apply as when buying anything. check feedback, ask questions and CHECK POSTAGE, as drums are expensive to ship.Also check prices at your nearest music store. Some buyers are paying more on eBay, than they would shopping personally, especially for accessories ie stools, stands, pedals etc(a $35 stool $30 postage is not a bargain)If you are just looking for a kit to bash,be patient, wait for the right kit and the right location, then bid. I'm sure they won't run out of drum kits on eBay!If you are buying for the kid that really, really wants to play the drums, there aremany quality second-hand kits which are good value. Make sure it comes with everything you need, like stool, pedals, stands etc, or you could add hundreds of dollars to your "bargain" kit to make it playable. New starter kits with cheap cymbals can be bought for under $300, but remember their resale value will be lower. A basic5 piece kit is fine, so when the kiddy loses interest after 3 weeks (thank God, you will say) you can re-sell and re-coup some money. If they love playing drums and continue with it, you can upgrade later. If you are a drummer looking for yoursecond kit and are after something a bit better, there are always good kits to be had. As always check the seller's feedback, especially from buyers. Be careful of packaged drumswith a catalogue photo, from those with zero feedback, even though it might look like a good deal. You can sometimes get very good value if the seller includes a cymbal set, saving you time and money. The most important thing to do is DO YOUR RESEARCH and ASK QUESTIONS.It helps to know the kit you wantexactly, to avoidconfusion. Maybe go to your local music store and play the drums there, so you know what the kit you want looks and sounds like. Anything you can do to increase your knowledge of what you want to buy, will assist you in making an informed choice. Always better to ask too many questions than not enough.All in all eBay offers an opportunity to buy drums that you may never see elsewhere, so do your homework, decide on a budget and start bidding.CAVEAT EMPTOR!