I currently have my one Leedy set that is my forever drum set. If I had to sell off all of my drums except for one set, my keeper would be this 1963 Shelly Manne outfit in the same Black Diamond Pearl that was unique to Slingerland and Leedy. The sizes are 9x13, 16x16, 14x20, and matching Shelly Manne 5x14 snare drum. I also have another Shelly Manne snare drum that, due to the Pink Glass Glitter factory wrap and polished brass oval badge, must be from 1958 or 1959. I've posted pictures of this set many times. So, I'll refrain from doing it again. I also have a set made up of Leedy orphans from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. These orphand are rewrapped in White 3-D Moire. I'm thinking of re-doing them in a simulated two-tone Duco wrap. I have owned a few other Leedy drum sets, and would not rule out acquiring more if the right opportunities arose. As Dan pointed out, they are not all that plentiful. In the Rock n Roll era, they never were all that plentiful.

I've got one that I'm fixing up right now and will probably end up selling because I don't have space.

Silver sparkle from the late 50s, lovely kit (with some minor issues.)

Scarcer than Camco around here. And they made both 80 miles away.

I'm from Northwest Indiana city which is actually a southern suburb of Chicago. None of the music stores I frequented sold any Leedy drums. Only one little store sold Camco. This was in the period of 1958 through 1968. After that, I didn't hang out at music stores until I became a manufacturer's rep in 1978. By that time both of those brands were pretty much finished.

When Alice Cooper came through town, back in the really early 70's, his drummer (Neil Smith I think) had a chrome set of Slingerlands with all kinds of toms....but I swear his tom holders had the Leedy logo on them...and they looked just like Ludwig's double tom holders, too! Weird, huh?

I also would tend to agree that all Leedy drums, whether original Leedy or SlingerLeedy, seem to be getting more rare! That's why I'm hanging on to my 1965 Frank Capp snare drum, wrapped in original Green Satin Flame.

-Mark

The pink glass glitter is a beauty. And, by the way, please upload a picture of the BDP. I'd like to see it again even if you've shown it before.

I've had just one Leedy in red satin flame with the Shelly Manne matching snare from the mid-60's. Seldom do I regret a sale, but that kit was special and I'd like to still have it. Oh well.

Same in NE. I saw one blue sparkle set at the Boston Drum Center several years ago, and right now the Wood and Weather shop has one in natural finish. The combination of the rounded-over edges on the shells and brass hoops provide a very nice sound. It's basically the Slingerland sound. But the lugs are so classic looking that it gives those sets a distinctive appearance that I really like.

I don't recall Leedys being sold in any local shop. One shop that was focused to the jazz players and jazz instruction had Gretsch line. Another that was more focused to big bands and rock had the Ludwigs and Slingerlands. That was it.