The Most Expensive Drum Sets In The World

Some legendary musicians played the most expensive drum sets in the world. One of the most well-known drummers in human history played the most expensive drum set ever sold. The band he played in was the most represented act in Rolling Stone's list of “500 Greatest Songs of All Time“.

It's been a long time since the Beatles formed their English rock band—62 years in fact—and became one of the most influential bands in popular music history.

The average cost of a drum set is between $300-$1000. but these drum kits are faaaaaaaaar from average. These drum sets are collectibles, iconic features in music history, and of a quality that's much higher than your average drum set.   

Here's a list of the most expensive drum sets in the world:

The most expensive drum set in the world is Ringo Starr's Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl Drum Kit. Ringo Starr expected the drum set, auctioned off in 2015, to go between $300,000 to $500,000. Instead, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay blew every other bid out of the water and bought the drum set for $2.1 million.

The iconic Beatles drop-T logo is front and center. The bass drum had the band's name painted on it after Beatles manager Brian Epstein asked to have it done before their first live performance.

Ivor Arbiter, the owner of Drum City (where Ringo Starr bought the drum set), scrawled the logo on a piece of paper and a local artist painted it onto the drum kit.

An auction sold the Black Pearl Kit on December 3, 2015. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the most expensive drum kit ever sold at auction. 

The price for this drum set isn't surprising. Beatles memorabilia almost always fetches high-dollar bids from collectors. For example, an autographed version of Paul McCartney's Hofner violin bass guitar sold at auction for $204,800 and is one of the most expensive bass guitars in the world.

A John Lennon-owned Steinway & Sons Piano also sold for $2.3 Million and ranked 5th on the list of most expensive pianos in the world. 

Musa is a drum manufacturer that claims to have made the most expensive drum set ever (see below), but it only ranks second on our list. It's the most expensive drum that isn't bolstered by its cultural relevancy, though.

The designers used 50-year-old balsamic vinegar barrels to create this unique drum set. The kit even features a unique aroma if you get close enough to smell it. Engravings line the drum bands, and some are significant to drum history, while others offer an aesthetic charm.

To round out its custom design, the drum includes lugs designed to look like skulls—Buddy Rich's skull, to be exact. Despite the steep price tag and custom design, this drum set does have one major flaw. Gene Krupa's name is etched on one of the floor tom's bands, but it was misspelled as “Gene Krupra.”

This 5-timpani set is possibly the most expensive drum set of its kind. Each timpani bowl is a single piece of copper, hammered by hand and spun to its unique shape. It is a premier timpani set that produces superb sound, reliable tuning, and accurate pitch.

Made by Bergerault, a French company founded in 1932, this timpani set is a premium option for professional performers. Its five timpani come in 20-, 23-, 26-, 29-, and 32-inch diameters.

This Ludwig Timpani set features the same diameters as the Bergerault set above and is also made of hammered copper. 

Ludwig timpani has a unique rolled-lip design that allows them to hang suspended inside the ring. This suspension technique creates a fuller, richer sound. This timpani set comes with inbuilt pull rods so the timpani can be moved safely. It also comes with a standard pedal-action tuner.

This set, like the Bergerault above, is most well-suited for a professional timpanist. That said, if you're a timpani enthusiast or a collector, buying this set will give you a premium instrument at a somewhat smaller price.

This is the first expensive drum set that makes our list that isn't an iconic cultural piece or a timpani set.

This beautiful drum set is made of maple and a sparkly teal FinishPly finish. It is a 10-piece set that comes with two bass drums and multiple toms and snares. 

While DW is known for creating top-dollar collector sets, it's unclear why this particular set is so expensive. Even considering the price tag, it would make a striking addition to any collector's music room.  

Here's another beautiful drum set in the DW Collector's Series. This 7-piece set includes two-floor toms and three tom-toms. Made with cherry-wood shells and spruce cores, the drums in this set may not be hewn from the most expensive wood in the world, but they produce a truly unique and resonant sound that any drummer will love.  

This unique 13-piece maple drum set belonged to Roy Mayorga and was played on tour with the band Stone Sour. Though it has seen significant use and shows some minor signs of wear and tear, the set is still in great shape and produces top-notch sounds.  

The set includes a gong drum, two kick drums, a snare, six toms, and three octobans. For heavy metal fans, it makes a fantastic collector's item. Or, for those who want a premium drum to play, this set can still produce quality sounds to satisfy any musician.

This sleek black-and-red electronic drum set is a limited-edition V-drum offering. It comes with several high-tech features, including a MAATS AIRlift rack, tom suspension mounts, and digital snare pads. In contrast to the modern features, a customized kick-drum head pays respect to acoustic drum history and adds to the set's classy appearance.

This set is made by Roland Corporation, a Japanese company in business since 1972. Roland is the king of V-drums and a leader in producing electronic drum sets. For professional drummers in need of this modern type of drum, this Roland set is the best of the best.  

This 6-piece Roland drum set boasts similar technological features as the limited edition Nocturne listed above. Its offerings, though slightly more basic than the Nocturn, are still quite impressive. They include TD-50 sound modeling, a USB audio output system, and a built-in metronome. 

Though it's an electric set, this drum set is built to have the more natural feel and sound of an acoustic set.  

This Tama drum set, part of a flagship line, is classy in every sense of the word. Made of mahogany, each drum in this set is finished with a quilted Sapele and customized lacquer for a brilliant shine and classic appearance. The inside of each drum is hand-painted with oil to keep the wood looking new. 

As far as performance, this acoustic set can compete with the best of them. Each contact point with the drum hoops is fitted with rubber to prevent vibrations from transferring to stands and other equipment pieces. This gives the set a natural, deep, and resonant sound. 

 

They are not the Most Expensive Drums in the World, but they are Still Pretty Nice…

 

The Sonor Newport Beech drum set is a limited-edition beauty crafted by hand in Germany. There are only 50 drums of this kind in the world. This 5-piece set has cross-laminated beech wood shells that produce excellent tones and resonance. It boasts almost unlimited tuning ranges, and the unique mounting system prevents vibrations from traveling where they shouldn't.

With a classic look, perfect sound, and durable, long-lasting construction, this is a beautiful drum set for collectors and musicians alike.

This 6-piece Mapex drum set is revolutionary in the way it was designed. While many drum kits prioritize appearance over sound, Mapex takes the opposite approach with its Design Lab line, building everything around the desire to produce a perfect sound. It seems like the obvious approach, right?

The kit comes with two rack toms, two-floor toms, a bass drum, and an auxiliary bass. The mahogany and maple shells are designed with different specifications depending on the individual drum: depths, bearing edges, and plies are fully customized to the size of the drum. This produces one of the highest-quality sounding drums you can find.

This shiny, double-bass set by Pearl Music is made of chrome plating and 4-ply maple shells. Handcrafted and custom-made, these kits are assembled in the USA and are some of the highest-quality sets available.  

If you want to buy a premium, fully customized drum set and have it in your music room within a few weeks, this drum set is the only way to go. Pearl offers lots of customization options, promises to complete each kit within fourteen business days, and backs each drum set with a lifetime guarantee.

This custom-made Yamaha drum set is perfect for any recording session. The set includes a bass drum, floor tom, and two rack toms. 6-ply birch shells come with customizable finish options. The drums in this set have enhanced lower-frequency tones, more incredible sustain and resonance, and improved dynamic range due to minimum shell-to-mount contact.

This drum set is easy to tune and easy to play, making it an excellent premium choice for any drummer.

This Ludwig drum set is a replica of the set used by John Bonham in the Led Zeppelin documentary The Song Remains the Same. It includes a bass drum, snare, tom, and two-floor toms. 

This kit includes classic features such as vintage legs, spurs, lugs, and brackets; sparkling gold inlays; and matching bass drum hoops. It has a rich and powerful sound unmatched by most replicas and sound quality as good as any collector's drum set.

This is a great kit for any Led Zeppelin fan or serious drummer.

Conclusion

And there you have it — a list of some of the most expensive drum sets in the world. From Ringo Starr's old kit to the timpani sets to classic collector's and electronic sets, the kits in this list represent a pretty diverse range of drum kit types. 

Some are limited-edition collector's items, while famous owners owned others. Some kits are classic designs, replicas, or high-tech electronics. Regardless of the type of drum you want to learn about, we've got it covered in this list. And if high-end guitars are more your speed, the most expensive bass guitars might be of interest, too.

While most of us will never be able to afford these high-dollar drum sets, it's interesting to learn about them and find out what collectors or famous musicians are willing to pay for them.  

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