Gear conditions and what they mean
This is the DrumSellers listing guide for condition. When listing, use lots of photos taken in bright light that show all wear and tear, even if very minor. Be over descriptive in writing out about the scratches and other imperfections. Leave no question in your buyers' minds. And remember, all used drums and cymbals have some sort of wear on them, they are not new or mint.
Mint
Mint condition items are un-used, un-played, completely blemish-free and have not been modified in any way. If there are any blemishes and/or modifications, the item needs to be listed as a condition less than mint. In my experience bout 50% of items listed online described as mint, are NOT mint and obviously used with some wear. Anything that is “pre-owned” is rarely mint. I caution you against using the word mint in your listing. I have pulled some listings here on DrumSellers for trying to claim a used item is mint or like new.
Excellent
When an item has been used, but is fully functional and only has typical minor cosmetic defects from use, this can be considered excellent. Surface level tarnish, dirt, marks and scratches on heads, drum shells, cymbal surfaces, hardware surfaces, etc are acceptable under the excellent heading. Rust and oxidation is not acceptable.
Very Good
Very Good describes items with more cosmetic imperfections than Excellent, but are still in great condition overall. There may be some scratches, finish dings or rash, but nothing that affects the playability or function of the gear.
Good
Good condition includes items that are in fine working order, but have significant to severe cosmetic imperfections. A bass drum pedal with scratches and dents on its chassis, a drum with some cracks in the finish or an old snare drum with some corrosion on the lugs would all be classified as Good. Items with dents, cracks or corrosion qualify as Good as long as they are still playable and fully functional.
Fair
Fair condition items have various imperfections that impact the function of the item. Fair items aren’t broken, but have some minor functional issues. Examples of items in Fair condition are a snare throw off that works but the lever is hard to use, sticky tension rods or lug nuts, or a playable cymbal that is keyholed, or has dings and flea bites on the edge, cracks in a shell or bearing edge, heads that are too used and need replacing.
Poor
Poor condition items have clear functional problems that will generally require repair. Examples of items in Poor condition broken heads, broken or stripped wing nuts and screws, parts that are missing, cracks in the cymbals.
Non Functioning
Non Functioning condition items include instruments and other gear that simply do not work. There are still plenty of buyers out there who are in the market for parts, project drums and other ‘fixer-upper’ items, just be sure all of the specific issues are disclosed and addressed in the listing.
Other Condition Considerations
Condition and the factors that determine it are contingent on the type of gear you're talking about. Age is a major consideration here. A 25 year old or a 70-year-old snare drum can't be held to the same standard as one that was made this year. It's important to keep in mind that it's all relative, and if you're in between two conditions, we recommend using the lower one to be safe.
If there's any uncertainty, you can always take more pictures and write more detailed descriptions to cover your bases.
Retailer Conditions
Brand New
Products listed by authorized dealers that are unopened, new in box and are covered under the manufacturer’s original limited warranty.
B-Stock
Items that were opened and returned, have a cosmetic imperfection or were used as demo units in a shop. Many B-Stock items come with a limited manufacturer’s warranty and ship direct from a brand or distributor who sells on Reverb.