Used drum kits in Australia typically sell for A$230 to A$1,150 (about $160 to $810). Drum kits sell on shell pack completeness and what hardware is included, so count every stand and say plainly whether cymbals come with it.
What drum kits are worth in Australia
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | A$1,150 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | A$977 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | A$747 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | A$517 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | A$287 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.
What lifts the price
- Shells with no cracks or bearing edge damage
- Cymbals included, which often carry much of the value
What pulls it down
- Cracked cymbals, which are effectively finished
- Damaged bearing edges that prevent proper tuning
Selling a drum kit in Australia
Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.
Australia’s second-hand market is strongly local and strongly seasonal, with most activity concentrated in the eastern capitals and buyers who expect to collect.
WishThrift has not opened Australia for trading yet, so this page is a guide rather than a live marketplace — the category becomes browsable here the moment the first Australian sellers list.
Australia is a pre-launch market, so it is worth saying what a seller here should expect when it does open. Distance dominates everything: interstate parcels cost several times a metro delivery, and bulky items effectively only sell within a city. Most trade concentrates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and buyers in those cities expect to collect rather than wait. Seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere, so listings that follow UK or US timing arrive exactly half a year out of step — warm weather items want September, not March, and winter gear moves from around May.
Working out what yours is worth
- Lay out every shell, stand, pedal and cymbal and photograph together
- Inspect the bearing edges by removing a head
Getting it ready
- Check every lug, tension rod and the bearing edges, and note whether the heads are usable.
- Say clearly whether cymbals are included, since they are often most of the value.
Photograph
- The kit fully set up, from the front
- All hardware laid out together
- The bearing edges and lugs, plus any wrap damage or crack
Put in the description
- Brand, series and the size of every shell
- Every piece of hardware included, listed individually
- Whether cymbals are included, and which
Brand, configuration and contents: “Pearl Export 5 Piece Drum Kit with Hardware, No Cymbals”. Saying whether cymbals are included belongs in the title, because it changes the price enormously and is the first thing asked.
Lifts in September and before Christmas. Complete kits with hardware sell far faster than shell packs.
It costs nothing to list
There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the A$1,150 a buyer pays is the A$1,150 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.
Where in Australia
Australia is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of Australia with their own page for drum kits.
- Selling a drum kit in Sydney
- Selling a drum kit in Melbourne
- Selling a drum kit in Brisbane
- Selling a drum kit in Perth
- Selling a drum kit in Adelaide
- Selling a drum kit in Gold Coast
- Selling a drum kit in Canberra
Common questions
Where can I sell a drum kit in Australia?
List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.
Are cymbals included?
Say so in the title and the description. Cymbals are frequently worth as much as the shells and it is the first question every time.
Are cracked cymbals worth anything?
Very little as instruments, though some buyers repurpose them. Disclose any crack clearly — they are easy to miss in photos.
Should I sell cymbals separately?
Good cymbals often raise more sold separately, since they hold value better than entry-level shells.
More: how to sell a drum kit, what drum kits are worth, or Music & Instruments across Australia.