Part exchange

If you have drum gear you no longer need, we can buy it outright or take it in part exchange against anything you are buying from us. We consider functional drum gear of all kinds, from a single cymbal to a full kit. A quote is always free and carries no obligation. Let us know if there is something you have your eye on when you get in touch.

How it works

1. Email [email protected] with a list of what you have and some clear photos.
2. We will get back to you with a guide price as soon as we can. As we receive a high volume of enquiries, this can sometimes take a couple of days.
3. Bring your gear in during opening hours. If you are further away, you can post it to us or arrange collection instead.
4. Once we have seen the gear in person, we confirm the final price and either pay you for it or put its value towards your purchase.

What we take

We consider most functional, drum-related gear: acoustic drums, cymbals, hardware and stands, electronic kits, pedals, stools, cases and percussion. That can be one item or a full garage clear-out. If you are not sure whether something qualifies, send it over and we will let you know. We do not specialise in vintage gear, but we know our way around it and will always consider anything interesting.

Getting the most accurate quote

The clearer your photos, the more accurate our guide price can be. We need to see damage and wear to price properly, so please show any blemishes rather than trying to hide them. Include the measurements of your drums and cymbals, clear all-round views of each item and photos of any cases. For cases, we check for holes, rips and missing zip tags. The notes below show what we look for on each type of gear.

What we look for on each type of gear

Drum kits

With a full kit or shell pack, the main dealbreakers are cracked shells, cracked bass drum hoops, missing or cracked lugs, and extreme rust or oxidation. We also look for wear that affects the price rather than rules a kit out: general scratches and signs of age, rust and pitting on the metalwork, missing tension rods, and cracking or peeling wraps and finishes. Broken or worn heads are no problem, as they are a straightforward replacement for us, so do not worry about the heads when you send your photos.

Snares

Along with the shell condition, snare drums have a few moving parts we will want to see. Please include clear photos of the throw-off, butt plate and snare wires, as these are the parts most likely to show wear or a fault.

Cymbals

Cracks are the one thing we cannot work around on a cymbal, so we look carefully around the bell, bow, edge and centre hole. We also check for distortion around the centre hole and flea bites, which are small chips or nicks along the edge. Warping, oxidation and patina all factor into the price too. None of those last few are necessarily dealbreakers, but clear photos of the edge and bell help us assess them properly.

Hardware

For hardware in general, we are mainly looking at rust and pitting, but some pieces have specific parts worth showing us. On bass drum pedals, that is the spring, cam and beater. On hi-hat stands, it is the clutch. On cymbal stands, it is the felts and wing nuts. Most of these parts are inexpensive for us to replace, but they tell us how a piece has been looked after and feed into the price.

Electronic kits

We are always happy to look at electronic kits, but there is one important point: we cannot buy electronic gear without testing it first. That means bringing it into the store and giving us time to set it up and check every pad through headphones. Please allow a little extra time when you visit, as this is not something we can rush or assess from photos alone.

How our pricing works

The guide price we give from photos is there to make sure your trip is worthwhile, so you have a fair idea of what to expect before you set off. The final figure can change if you bring the gear in a long time after we first spoke, if its condition does not match the photos, or if we find something in person that you would not reasonably have known to look for. That is why we confirm the final price with the gear in front of us. For the same reason, we cannot give prices or estimates over the phone.

What we can offer also depends on our current stock. If we are already well stocked in a particular type of gear, that can affect both how much we can take on and what we are able to pay, so it is always worth checking with us.

We will always be fair and reasonable, but please bear in mind that we are a buy-and-sell business, so an offer will not match a private sale. In return, selling to us is quick and simple: no listing, no waiting around and no dealing with buyers yourself. It also helps us keep a large second-hand selection available, which works out nicely if you are trading up while you are here.

Sending your gear in

If you are within travelling distance, you are welcome to bring your gear in during opening hours. If you are further afield, you can post it to Graham Russell Drums, Unit 5 Axis Park, Newgate Lane, Fareham, PO14 1FD, or arrange collection instead. In either case, please put your name and address inside the parcel so we can match everything up quickly when it arrives. If you would like to compare postage options first, the courier comparison site below may help.

Collection is considered on a case-by-case basis and is not available for every enquiry. Where we can collect, we make a charge towards fuel and staff time; this varies according to the collection location and the amount of gear involved. We will always confirm the charge with you before arranging collection.

Frequently Asked Questions