Orange County Drums- Drum History podcast

[flatwins]

I recently listened to Bart’s latest Drum History podcast covering Orange County Drums. As always Bart does a great job getting the guest(s) together to discuss the history of a drum company or various innovation.

For me it was somewhat of a new topic since I must admit that I never gave OCDP much of a second glance. I was more interested in the classic companies I guess and considered OCDP to be too new-fangled for my tastes. I wasn’t aware that they sold to Guitar Center in the late 2000s so that was interesting to learn. I rarely see the company discussed and hardly ever see any of the kits or snares come up for sale.

Anyone have any OCDP gear? What can you tell us about them?

 

[DanRH]

I recently listened to Bart’s latest Drum History podcast covering Orange County Drums. As always Bart does a great job getting the guest(s) together to discuss the history of a drum company or various innovation.

For me it was somewhat of a new topic since I must admit that I never gave OCDP much of a second glance. I was more interested in the classic companies I guess and considered OCDP to be too new-fangled for my tastes. I wasn’t aware that they sold to Guitar Center in the late 2000s so that was interesting to learn. I rarely see the company discussed and hardly ever see any of the kits or snares come up for sale.

Anyone have any OCDP gear? What can you tell us about them?

Listened to it. Yeah, I guess I was too old to pay any attention to OCDP. I was surprised Bart didn’t dig deeper into the make up of the shells. Did they make their own? Still a very informative podcast. Bart does great work.

 

[flatwins]

Listened to it. Yeah, I guess I was too old to pay any attention to OCDP. I was surprised Bart didn’t dig deeper into the make up of the shells. Did they make their own? Still a very informative podcast. Bart does great work.

As far as I could tell they were using ready made shell tubes and finishing from there. I’m assuming Keller?

 

[Vistalite Black]

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[mydadisjr]

I was just mildly interested in DDrum a while back, had a 13" maple snare that was pretty good, then I bought (they were REALLY cheap... yard sale cheap) a used set. Some of the cheapest crap I have ever owned.

OCDP always reminded me of DDrum... just another "cobbled together from generic Taiwanese parts" boring drum line with some gimmicky ideas... like this:

 

[mydadisjr]

Even more gimmicky... the TB "really big chrome" front bass hoop concept...

 

[flatwins]

Even more gimmicky... the TB "really big chrome" front bass hoop concept...

View attachment 576370

I never quite understood those really deep reso hoops.

 

[esooy]

Before they were bought by GC, they made SUPER expensive kits and snares. Kids ate them up. They were the SJC before SJC. Jeremy Berman, who owns Q Drum Co., worked at OCDP but I'm not sure if he was an owner. Sad story, Jeremy has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer and has stopped taking orders. OOooof.

Years ago we were across the aisle from OCDP at NAMM, and they had a bong snare. I think it was officially a hookah snare, but no - it was a bong snare.

OCDP most certainly got shells from Keller. Through the years and even today, there are so many drum companies that don't explicitly say they make their own shells, but they infer they make them. I hate that. You don't have to say where you get your shells, but don't infer you make them yourself for "mojo" purposes. Keller makes good shells. You can't get the variety at small quantities like you can with Nordic, but there's nothing wrong with their shells and I've never understood the down-the-nose looking. Drumheads have at least as much affect on a drum as a shell, and I don't see makers trying to pawn off that they make their own drumheads.

The TLDR: Here's the (I'm pretty sure) complete list of US manufacturers that make their own plywood shells in their own factory. Solid shells and stave shells are excluded because they are mostly small mfgs and most drums made today are with ply shells.
1. DW
2. Ludwig
3. uhhhhh. that's it.

Area 51 - this I cannot verify with first hand knowledge
- Noble Cooley

 

[mydadisjr]

In all fairness to OCDP, I now realize that most of the OCDP stuff I have seen has been the cheap crap GUITAR CENTER era drums (2011 onward).

Their original list of endorsers//players is actually fairly impressive:

Travis Barker of blink-182
Adrian Young of No Doubt
Alex Dontre of Psychostick
John Otto of Limp Bizkit
Erik Sandin of NOFX
Jaron Pearlman, touring drummer for the Indigo Girls
Abe Cunningham of Deftones
Joey Jordison, formerly of Slipknot
Ray Luzier of Korn
Chad Sexton of 311
Atom Willard of Against Me!, and formerly of Angels & Airwaves
Ilan Rubin of Angels & Airwaves, and current touring drummer of Nine Inch Nails

 

[DanRH]

I think Taylor Hawkins played them before Foo’s but not sure. They mentioned him several times in the podcast.

 

[Vistalite Black]

In all fairness to OCDP, I now realize that most of the OCDP stuff I have seen has been the cheap crap GUITAR CENTER era drums (2011 onward).

Their original list of endorsers//players is actually fairly impressive:

Travis Barker of blink-182
Adrian Young of No Doubt
Alex Dontre of Psychostick
John Otto of Limp Bizkit
Erik Sandin of NOFX
Jaron Pearlman, touring drummer for the Indigo Girls
Abe Cunningham of Deftones
Joey Jordison, formerly of Slipknot
Ray Luzier of Korn
Chad Sexton of 311
Atom Willard of Against Me!, and formerly of Angels & Airwaves
Ilan Rubin of Angels & Airwaves, and current touring drummer of Nine Inch Nails

For all the DFOers thrown for a loop by this list, there are mostly bands that became popular in the early 2000s when many youthful people became tired of classic rock.

 

[Neilrush88]

In the Late 90' and early 2000, OCDP was big with the boom the Nu-metal and Pop-punk.

 

[RBagg454]

I recently listened to Bart’s latest Drum History podcast covering Orange County Drums. As always Bart does a great job getting the guest(s) together to discuss the history of a drum company or various innovation.

For me it was somewhat of a new topic since I must admit that I never gave OCDP much of a second glance. I was more interested in the classic companies I guess and considered OCDP to be too new-fangled for my tastes. I wasn’t aware that they sold to Guitar Center in the late 2000s so that was interesting to learn. I rarely see the company discussed and hardly ever see any of the kits or snares come up for sale.

Anyone have any OCDP gear? What can you tell us about them?

I have a snare and love it. Has become my daily player...