Great story. Thanks for sharing. Do you still have them?

Yepper. I recently told my wife that I'll only part with that kit when I'm taken out in a box made from similar materials. :) Of course, she would never ask me to give them up, so the issue is moot. I'm lucky to have found such a patient woman.

I've lost a couple of pieces along the way, though--the bass pedal disappeared at a gig, and I lost one of the cowbells at a recording session.

Sadly, my friend wasn't able to keep the Leedy kit--we were in university back then, and money was tight. He lovingly restored them with the goal of selling them to cover his tuition. It's a shame; he's a brilliant drummer and he deserves a great kit.

II'd really love to see pictures. I love kits with history behind them.

I bought my '79 Tama birch superstars a few years ago, for between £250-£300. Included were 2x22" bass 16, 14, 13 toms, 14 Imperialstar snare with double adjustable throw off, two pedals, cymbals, hardware and a set of roto toms. I sold the snare, rotos, pedals, a couple of cymbals, and one of the bass drums, and pretty much made my money back. I've since learned that my kit is a rare sunburst finish, and not widely released in the states. Wish I hadn't sold the bass drum! Thing is, I know the guy I sold it to and made him an offer to buy it back. Thing is, he loves it and won't part! He did agree to sell it though, should anything happen to the one I have left - don't know where I'd find another!

Also, the guy I bought the kit off didn't buy em from new. The guy HE bought 'em off swore Billy Cobham had em before HIM! Sounds unlikey, but he was a Tama player for a long time, and may have just needed a kit in UK for a clinic or tour or whatever.

Still, a nice story attached to the kit!

Really great story! It's a shame it isn't a complete set.

Thanks for the interest! As every parent knows, it's great to show off your babies. :) I've posted a couple of pics to the viewing gallery. They're not great photos (and you're stuck looking at me in the pictures), but strangely I don't have many good photos of my drums. I'll have to rectify that.

Latest deal a few months ago on CL. Guy had an ad for "truckload of drums", took me a few days to get together and meet. The drum set he had set up was orange and no tags, except for the floor tom. Ludwig pre-serial. The cymbals look like they had been hit with a torch, all in all, here's the list after I went in his basement to get the rest.

Gretsch RB bass drum and tom, no badges, but the real deal, Ludwig floor tom orange sparkle, 2 Slingerland 20 x 18 floor concert toms. Rogers blue onyx Tower snare, Super10 snare shell, Trixon bass drum, dw tom stand, torched Paiste Rude cymbals, one good one, a 15 inch hi hat. 3 imports snares from the 60-70's, misc. import toms, old hardward galore, old Evans oil filled heads. Needlessly to say, I did fill up my truck with all the drums, final price $200.00. Btw, the had it listed for $100.00, but he said he upped the price because of all the calls he had gotten. Just got lucky on being able to meet him, I lived in the same city, very close.

Wow, those are a lot of drums.I'm sure you were dying.

Back in the mid 80's I went over to a co-workers home to pick him up for work (we worked at Sizzler). While I was waiting I saw his 2 yr old kid rolling around a big wood sphere and commented "that sure looks like a bass drum". He replied, "yea, that is part of my grandpa's old drum kit". I asked him if there was more and he said yea, got it in the back room but I really don't have room for this stuff. I asked if he wanted to sell, he said "how about $20". I ended up with a 4 piece WFL kit with most of the hardware and still had calf skin heads. It needed a lot of cleaning, but it was a great deal.

I also found a really cool Slingerland snare in its original case (think it is around 1950?) at a goodwill for $7. It is really heavy... I'm not a drum expert so I don't know all the details (I haven't been playing for at least 15 yrs but still have my kits)...

Got my 1967 Rogers Red Onyx Londoner for 300. It's one of the few kits that I've actually looked for...actively. I like to just let the kits arrive when they may. This one was a hunt. Still looking for a Powertone Red Onyx snare from around 67 or 68.