http://cgi.ebay.com/Pearl-FFX-14-X-12-Ma...1QQcmdZViewItem

I'm considering buying this but i want to know from the best(everyone on DLO) if its a good deal.

NOTE:PLEASE don't try to take this snare from me, i've been looking for weeks and this is the best thing i've found.

Looks pretty good to me I would put a bid on it if I liked Pearl drums. I would check on the seller's reviews to see if there are negative ones on things he's sold and what not, but 80 bucks its pretty cheap for a drum and harness if that's as high as it goes. I'm not sure if it's mentioned on the page but see how old it is.

I already emailed him on that subject. Thanks for the advice!

apparently the drum is 10 years old but in perfect condition(i mean no parts need to be replaced)

From what i see the drum is at least 10 years old. I can tell by the strainer brackets. The drum is a great deal. it is perfect for a practice snare. one thing about Pearl's snares is with care they can last 10 15 years no problem.

things to look for and ask: more pictures of the bottom. you want to make sure there is no damage to the bearing edge or shell.

have him take a picture with the strainer off. demonstrate it works.

outside of that i'd say go for it.

Looks like a good drum. We won't know if it'll be a good deal until the bidding starts going up.

One thing I like to see: Mylar on the bottom. Since older Pearl FFX's don't have a reinforcing ring for the bottom head, Kevlar heads tended to warp or compress the shell over time.

so is mylar on the bottom bad?

No, it's not bad at all. If the drum has always had a Mylar bottom head, you can be pretty sure that the shell hasn't been warped or "caved in" by an over-torqued Kevlar head.

Kevlar bottoms aren't necessarily bad, either. Having a Kevlar bottom just means there's a somewhat higher chance that the bottom bearing edge won't be perfectly in round.

Mylar on the bottom is what you want to see... kevlar heads are what will warp the shell.

Okay then, ill wait to the end and bid...My dad has the funds =].

Now on another note, i looked up a black max head for it, and its 40$, that's kinda high. Where could i get a cheaper one or a slightly used one for about 20$ or less

A new head's going to run you $40-45. Cash in your saved pennies or whatever.

If you want to find a cheaper head, you've got two options I can think of off the top of my head: discontinued heads or Mylar. Steve Weiss has Pearl Finalist "Tendura style" heads for $19.95. I've never heard or played 'em so can't say anything about their sound or feel. Woodwind & Brasswind has Remo FaLam natural (yellow) heads for $22.76. Decent Mylar heads like the Remo Powerstroke 77 are also in the $20 range, but they're more expensive than Kevlar in the long run because you'll have to replace heads more frequently. (If you're looking at a Black Max, Mylar probably isn't the sound you want, anyway.)

IMO, you really don't want to spend good money on a used head. When tensioned, a head conforms to the drum and the tension applied to it. If tuning tension wasn't evenly applied or the original drum wasn't perfectly round, you may have a hard time balancing the head after you re-mount it. Also, most used heads were taken off the drum for a reason. They're probably pretty close (or even past) the end of their useful life.

I personally would never get a used head. Brand new or bust! It's hard to find a place that sells marching heads at a discounted price. I would say just shop around Columbus has them for 45 i know. See if maybe your band director can order an extra head for you during the school year. I know at my old high school the Band director got a discount for all of our drum stuff at Columbus Percussion because it was for a school. See if he can throw in a spare head for you or what not.

wow thanks for the advice, I'll try that =]

Yup, save your money if your looking for a kevlar head

40-50$ for a kevlar head is'nt that bad in the long run, replace a kevlar head every 3 years? (depending on how often you play) or replace a mylar head every year, sometimes even shorter?

Don't count on much of an educational discount on drum heads. Shops like Steve Weiss & Columbus Percussion already have competitive pricing when it comes to small ticket items like heads. If you really turn the screws on the vendor, you might be able to save a buck or two.

If you can get your band director to order your head with a school order (assuming he's willing to sort out the purchasing paperwork with the district or the boosters and completely ignore the sales tax exemption if you buy in-state), your biggest savings might come from not having to pay shipping.

Wow, that would be very little playing.

And listen to the crowd about buying- just get the new head, the $40 is worth it.

Ok then, I'll get a black max too, should i get a new bottom head for it too?
And also, do you think its a good deal if i get it for about 200?

$200 would be a good deal, but it looks like it's going to sell for more than that. It's already near $160 ($195 with shipping) and there are still three days to go.

If you do get it, I'd suggest springing for a bottom head while you're at it just to be sure you've got one you can tune & balance. It's only ten bucks or so for a Mylar head, so why not? (And if you want a Kevlar bottom head, you'd need to buy one anyway since that's not what the drum currently has on it.)

If you miss out on this drum, don't worry. The selection on eBay seems to be a little thin at the moment -- there are plenty of drums listed right now, but not a whole lot of bargains. If you keep your eyes open, you can spot a deal every once in a while.

your right, it looks like it'll go around 300, that's too high.

so do you think that drum for around 165-200 would be good?

The drum Skydog mentioned has been on ebay twice now with no takers. The guy is asking way too much for a second generation ffx in 2008.

A used ffx, sfz, or dfx under 200 is a good deal, anything over that it better have a harness, case, stand.

And consider the 400+ for a new one. At that price, they better include some chops.

so ill try to get him down to 165-180 without shipping, think thats good?...nevermind. i just found a new ffx, but its 13 by 11. does that make a difference in sound?