~ Los Angeles era CAMCO bop kit registration ~

[Osahead2]

Hello everybody,

I need your help. I'm hoping to document (register) L.A. Camco bop kits this year.

So far, I'm having a pretty hard time getting beyond the six (6) known kits that I know about. Hopefully over time more of these beautiful kits will surface and be counted.

So if you happen to know somebody that owns one please PM me or have them respond to this thread.

The only qualifying requirements to be included into this registry is; the bop kit MUST be made of all Keller shells from the L.A. era (no Oaklawn kits) AND the bass drum MUST be a real factory made 18" bass drum... that's it. All restored and original L.A. bop kits are welcomed so kits do not need to be mint to be counted.

Sorry no 20/12/14 L.A. kits at this time only 18/12/14 L.A.kits...

Again, I have listed a few bop kits below that, I know of... and just in a short period, I see a few different versions of the L.A. bop kit which is pretty cool... and the theory that parts of the L.A. era was a custom order era could defiantly be the case just seeing the six kits, I listed. You gotta love the gold hardware!

1). Walnut Finish 18/12/14 bop kit with matching 5x14 Aristocrat snare red ink serial #1043 (Osahead)
2). Reddish Brown 18/12/14 bop kit with W&A rail mount w/no tone controls no serial # (Osahead)
3). Natural Maple 18/12/14 bop kit no serial # (Osahead)
4). Moss Green finish 18/12/14 bop kit (AirborneSFC)
5). Black Lacquer 18/12/14 bop kit with matching 5x14 Aristocrat snare with all gold hardware (MikeJtone)
6). Dark Walnut finish 18/13/14 bop kit with gold hardware (harvdm) So far the only original owner kit!

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

 

[Osahead2]

Here's a L.A. Camco catalog for reference.

View attachment Camco70sLA(1).pdf

 

[rondrums51]

Here's a L.A. Camco catalog for reference.

Camco70sLA(1).pdf

Very cool.

 

[Osahead2]

Please post your L.A. Camco bop kit...
Walnut 18/12/14 bop kit w/Aristocrat snare red ink serial #1043 (Osahead)
Reddish 18/12/14 bop kit with W&A rail mount no serial # (Osahead)
Natural Maple 18/12/14 bop kit no serial # (Osahead)

 

[atomicmorganic]

Sorry. Only have Oaklawn.

 

[Osahead2]

Yea sorry no Camco Oaklawn bop kits...

I noticed this thread is unfortunately not getting any major traction in this particular area and that's probably due to the rarity of these L.A. era Camco bop kits?

You can't report on something if more of these kits doesn't exist... right?

But, I'm almost certain their must have been more than six L.A. Camco bop kits made between 1973 to 1977... just how many remains a mystery.

Well, I do see one more L.A. bop kit but it is the one illustrated in the L.A. Camco catalog that, I attached so IMO that officially makes SEVEN (7) L.A. bop kits now... anymore kits?

 

[antipodes]

I had the remainder of an LA bop kit I found here in Australia - bought from a guy in Adelaide (for next to nothing) but a real road warrior of a kit.

No snare and no 12" rack.

A very beaten up 18" bass drum (minus front rim and t-rods) and an equally beaten up 14" floor minus correct legs was all that remained.

The 18" stayed here in Australia, sold to Mark Sutton in Canberra, the 14" floor went to the US.

I seriously considered hanging out for an LA 12" but lack of space prevented that. That was about three years ago and I still don't think I've seen a single LA 12" maple finish tom come up on ebay since so probably the right decision.

 

[Osahead2]

Well folks this entry officially brings the count up to eight and a true survivor, I must say... thanks antipodes for sharing!

 

[chikncity]

Be honest, isn't this just an exercise for you to show off how "rare" your drums are?

 

[Osahead2]

Be honest, isn't this just an exercise for you to show off how "rare" your drums are?

Hmm rare yes, I guess so... but that's not my main point here with this.

I want other Camco fans to finally get answers and others who really don't know a lot about the L.A. Camco era to gain a appreciation and understanding about the significance of this particular size configuration & timeline that IMO has almost been overlooked in Camco history especially when a L.A. bop kit goes toe to toe up against the Illinois & Kansas bop kits that we know are in larger survivor numbers.

From about 1973 to 1977 music changed... rock and disco music was on the rise and traditional jazz music was slowly dying away which in drum talk means... most drum companies were making drum sets during this timeline that were either huge double bass 24" drum kits or concert tom kits and unfortunately traditional size bop kits that were never large in numbers to begin with anyway were slowly drying away... for example; Tony Williams started off with small drums and drum sets but started using larger size drums and drum sets during this time... even the Ludwig Drum Company noticed a need to change so the jazzette kit went from 12x18/12/14 to a 14x20/12/14 during this time as well.

So to us die-heart jazz guys this really means a lot to us to find answers that surround these beautiful sounding kits from this Camco period.

So my questions is; Somebody had to order these L.A. kits but who? And how many were made/sold? How many kits remain today? Of these kits which color is the hardiest color to find? These are my questions and why I'm searching for answers. So again, I need your help...

Please note: nothing was ever mentioned by me about current value but maybe that will be established later.

 

[1966bmx]

Be honest, isn't this just an exercise for you to show off how "rare" your drums are?

Even if it were who cares ? I don't see the problem with that and if you know what it is then why even open the thread ? Or to take the time to post on it ?

 

[chikncity]

Definition of the use of a question mark elude you?

 

[Osahead2]

Definition of the use of a question mark elude you?

Oh no worries... just help me find answers.

 

[Prufrock]

Is this kit that was owned by T. Bruce Wittet in your tally?

Edit: turns out it is a 20in BD, so no go for your research, but still a cool kit! Sure looked small when I first eyeballed it...

 

[Osahead2]

Is this kit that was owned by T. Bruce Willet in your tally?

Edit: turns out it is a 20in BD, so no go for your research, but still a cool kit! Sure looked small when I first eyeballed it...

Wow man that bass drum sure looks like a tiny 18" bass drum to me too... are you sure it's a 20? And are you even sure it's a Keller shell Camco drum?

 

[Prufrock]

Is this kit that was owned by T. Bruce Willet in your tally?

Edit: turns out it is a 20in BD, so no go for your research, but still a cool kit! Sure looked small when I first eyeballed it...

Wow man that bass drum sure looks like a tiny 18" bass drum to me too... are you sure it's a 20? And are you even sure it's a Keller shell Camco drum?

I don't recall seeing drums from periods other than L.A. that had gold hardware. Someone else might recognize this particular kit, and let us know exactly what we are looking at. Wittet has a discussion of 20 versus 18in bass drums, and describes an L.A. Camco 20in drum with gold hardware.

Edit: Okay, I found Wittet's commentary that was posted with the picture of him paying the kit:
"This bass drum, as I gaze at the Camco LA vintage walnut 20×14″ kick with gold lugs, is beyond cool. The drummer, weighing in at 40-some pounds in excess of present day specs, does not merit “cool” but nobody is looking at the drummer; it’s the drums that grab attention. Unfortunately, while the toms were amazing, the bass drum was a pain; no matter what I did with it, I couldn’t get it to where I wanted it. No question, however, it’s the finest looking drumset I’ve ever sold."

 

[fishaa]

I believe Jeff Ballard owns one of those, but you won't be hearing from him.

 

[Osahead2]

Is this kit that was owned by T. Bruce Willet in your tally?

Edit: turns out it is a 20in BD, so no go for your research, but still a cool kit! Sure looked small when I first eyeballed it...

Wow man that bass drum sure looks like a tiny 18" bass drum to me too... are you sure it's a 20? And are you even sure it's a Keller shell Camco drum?

I don't recall seeing drums from periods other than L.A. that had gold hardware. Someone else might recognize this particular kit, and let us know exactly what we are looking at. Wittet has a discussion of 20 versus 18in bass drums, and describes an L.A. Camco 20in drum with gold hardware.

Edit: Okay, I found Wittet's commentary that was posted with the picture of him paying the kit:
"This bass drum, as I gaze at the Camco LA vintage walnut 20×14″ kick with gold lugs, is beyond cool. The drummer, weighing in at 40-some pounds in excess of present day specs, does not merit “cool” but nobody is looking at the drummer; it’s the drums that grab attention. Unfortunately, while the toms were amazing, the bass drum was a pain; no matter what I did with it, I couldn’t get it to where I wanted it. No question, however, it’s the finest looking drumset I’ve ever sold."

Wow nonetheless that is a really super cool looking kit with those gold lugs and I do know so far at least two (2) LA Camco bop kits with gold lugs do exist (counted above)... one black lacquer and one in walnut and although it's not a full drum set, I own a 5x14 COB LA Camco snare drum with gold lugs. Thanks for posting.

 

[Osahead2]

I believe Jeff Ballard owns one of those, but you won't be hearing from him.

I'm sorry who is Jeff Ballard?

 

[Osahead2]

I just searched on Jeff Ballard and he wrote...

"I've been using the same Camco maple-shell drums for the last 20 years or so".

The Oaklawns are from the early '60s. Depending on the music or the size of the bands, I choose from:

- Bass Drums 18 x 14 and 20 x 14 (Oaklawn, Illinois)
- Toms 10 x 9, 12 x 8, 14 x 14, 16 x 16
(all Oaklawn, Illinios except for the 10 tom which is a DW]

Snares:
-14 x 5 Camco (Chanute, Kansas)
-14 x 5 Johnny Craviotto Lake Superior made from a single ply of bird's-eye maple.
-14 x 7 Noble & Cooley single ply

The drum heads are all Fyberskyns though sometimes with the Craviotto I'll use a calf skin head.
---------------------------

*Jeff sounds like a really cool jazz drummer but no L.A. Camco bop kit*