DW Accessories-Serious Price Increases-All heads too......................

vyacheslav

Senior Member
Greetings,

I've noticed that all of the accessories DW offers (L-rods, strainers, clutches etc.) have gone WAY up in price.

I really like the DW M.A.G. Strainer. Drum Factory Direct used to sell it for $29.99 ($10 cheaper than GC, but GC always price matched). I went to grab another one today and now the price on Drum Factory Direct is $44.99! That's a 50% increase! As much as like that strainer, $45 is half the price of a decent used snare...........no thanks.

I also like the DW Claw Hook Clamp for bass drums. I use them to mount splash cymbals on the old school L-arms. Those were $19.99 for the longest time. They are now $24.99. While that doesn't seem like much, its a 25% increase. Same with the L-rods and clutches. Increases of at least 25%.

I know the China Embargo deal could be affecting prices on other accessories, but I thought all the "real DW" stuff (not PDP) was all made in the USA??

Between this and the price increases in heads (over 50% in the last 10 years--all made in the USA), it's getting tougher on the wallet.
 
From what I’ve read and heard, the accessories are made in China, the drum shells in Oxnard California. There was a back order on some of the parts I ordered a couple of months ago, due to a delay in shipping from China. This is what DW told the store I deal with.
 
Much of the time, anything steel or aluminium is either made in China, or had the steel/aluminium sourced from China.

We have a couple places in the US (US Steel) but they generally do large stuff like construction vehicle parts, rebar, etc.
 
It is all made in china/taiwan by one factory called Reliant if I remember correctly. They also make this for Gibraltar and many others.

So the embargo certainly works. But for who?

And with all the regulations, material/craftsmen cost and such. Would the price of the parts, when being made in the US really go down?
 
It's a shame that drums get wrapped up in trade politics.

If only a drum tsar could strike a sweetheart deal with the USA and China like Tim Cook did for Apple. If your company is powerful enough, you can get out of any tariff or embargo you want.

As it was discussed in another thread, politics could be the reason Turkish cymbals are so expensive. Their labor and production costs are probably super cheap like China, but they end up costing as much as high-end Zildjians. It's gotta be politics.
 
It's a shame that drums get wrapped up in trade politics.

If only a drum tsar could strike a sweetheart deal with the USA and China like Tim Cook did for Apple. If your company is powerful enough, you can get out of any tariff or embargo you want.

As it was discussed in another thread, politics could be the reason Turkish cymbals are so expensive. Their labor and production costs are probably super cheap like China, but they end up costing as much as high-end Zildjians. It's gotta be politics.
I’ll reluctantly take on the role of drum czar. I’ll be back from China in a few weeks with drum specific trade deals like you wouldn’t believe.

Wish me luck!
 
Or...Why sell for less, when someone will gladly pay more?

This is absolutely correct. They make a product to fill a specific slot. If they sell too cheap, they are undervaluing themselves, and possibly drawing concern and hesitation to buy from consumers. "Why are they so cheap? Their product must be inferior." This type of thinking is amplified exponentially in today's social media environment. The same goes if their prices are too high.

It's no different than politicians complaining about wages at some big box stores. Sure, the workers are underpaid. Yet the stores are always filled with workers. Why? Because people would rather make some money than no money, and the stores know this.

You wanna change the pricing of something you think cost too much? The only way to do that is if everyone stopped buying it. Same with underpaid workers. The only way to increase wages would be to have everyone stop working there. Short of these two things, we are only revenue in the game of economics. Companies know how to play the game, Joe/Jane Consumer do not.
 
Price increase?

I just purchased a new 5 piece cherry collectors kit in natural satin- 16x20 kick WITH mount, 13x15 floor, 9x12 rack, 8x10 rack, AND the double tom holder for bass mount. Kit came in about 4.5 weeks. I ordered these as components and not a standard/stock kit. The drums are stunning and sound terrific with those smooth white heads (which I never thought I would again 30 years ago).

I bought this kit from Alto Music in New York where I found the price to be SEVERAL hundred dollars cheaper than the large retailers.. I recommend you call them because they will work out any specific configuration and finish. The folks who work there are excellent.
 
But they won't. That's the problem. I won't pay that for a USA made model either though, so there's that.
You many not, but perceived value is more than half of the attraction. Some things are just ridiculous, but it's the way it is. It costs only pennies more to manufacture and ship a 3000 series stand/pedal vs. a 5000 series. It t costs way less to manufacture Turkish cymbals, and likely on par with Chinese (Wuhan) cymbals. Shipping being equal, if the turkish cymbals were close to the same price as Wuhan, there would be no buzz about them. They just aren't that "sexy" or exquisite at that point.

A friend of mine is a contractor and builds some very nice custom homes. His customers will go to Italy or France to order doors and windows for 10x the price they could e built here. When they arrive, they warp and distort, due to the dry and hot Arizona climate. They could have the exact same built locally with the same "imported" wood, but won't, because while they would get them sooner, would look and function better, there's no bragging rights in locally made custom doors.
 
You many not, but perceived value is more than half of the attraction. Some things are just ridiculous, but it's the way it is. It costs only pennies more to manufacture and ship a 3000 series stand/pedal vs. a 5000 series. It t costs way less to manufacture Turkish cymbals, and likely on par with Chinese (Wuhan) cymbals. Shipping being equal, if the turkish cymbals were close to the same price as Wuhan, there would be no buzz about them. They just aren't that "sexy" or exquisite at that point.

A friend of mine is a contractor and builds some very nice custom homes. His customers will go to Italy or France to order doors and windows for 10x the price they could e built here. When they arrive, they warp and distort, due to the dry and hot Arizona climate. They could have the exact same built locally with the same "imported" wood, but won't, because while they would get them sooner, would look and function better, there's no bragging rights in locally made custom doors.

Oh, I absolutely get it, and I agree with you in that regard. My point is that I personally won't buy for something simply because it is American and costs more. (No will I pay more if it is made in Germany, Italy, etc..) I'm looking for something that meets my needs, is priced in a manner I believe is reasonable, and is reliable. Where it is made/wether it has bragging rights/etc... never enters into the equation for me.

I do like Istanbul Agop (Turkish) cymbals, but not because of their price, but rather specifically because of their sound. I have looked at some Dream cymbals (China) several times, and I may buy some at some point. The only reason why I have not is because I haven't found what I was looking for at a time when the funds would allow a purchase. Wuhan are all over the place in terms of consistency, so that's a no go for me. I bought a set of Paistes, which I liked but I just found them too expensive for the sound I was getting. I found I could capture that sound with other brands for less money. Maybe that's unusual, but it works for me.
 
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