So many variables. Camco were made in three locations - Oaklawn,

Chanute and LA. Oaklawn are generally the collectors' faves with LA getting a bunch of new fans. Chanute probably the least fave but they're all great drums. The really old Oaklawns had cast COB hoops which are quite distinctive but these were also phased out later in the Oaklawn period. Same goes for the rail consolette tom holder (not a precise science but if it is an original consolette mounting there then the hoops should probably also be the high beautiful COB hoops).

Tough to tell from the pic but the snare looks like a Tuxedo lugged Oaklawn - suggests the others (with the turret lugs) are also Oaklawn but check.

Also looks like it might have had its original wrap stripped and then been lacquered.

Easy to tell on Oaklawns - a wrap would have white-painted innnards, a lacquer (could be clear but they also did solid colours) would be clear inside.

In great condition, a small size 12, 14, 20 (with matching snare - which this one doesn't have) can fetch upwards of USD 2500 even hitting USD 3500 - 4000, even in today's ropey market. A slightly altered but otherwise pristine-looking kit in BDP fetched USD 2200 on ebay the other day and did not meet reserve.

LAs and Chanutes probably two thirds of this - dependent on condition, of course. There are a handful on ebay right now - do a quick scan of those.

Even in slightly beat-up condition reckon on 400 - 500USD per drum. Bigger sizes slightly less though not by much.

Also check out the snare mechanism - the complicated ones were tricky and often do not work properly - fixable but still a pain. Legs on the floor tom should have Gretsch style graduation hoops on the upper part. Straight will suggest pre-1966 (or even a bit later).

The upside is these were really obscure drums and many people have no idea what they've got.

But if they're in even half-decent condition for non-outrageous money, get them......never heard of someone being disappointed.

Cheers,

David

On closer inspection, they've definitely been stripped and look in ropey condition - so a player's kit. Halve everything I said before but could shine up nicely if you re-wrap them. Am guessing the hoop with the inlay may be original so you can see what they were originally. A sparkle is always nice, I think.

Also see if the original internal dampers are there - if not, they cost an arm and a leg to replace (as does just about everything Camco).

Hi, Great find, hope you get them. I own a set of 73 Camco's. I just posted a pix of them in the gallery. Mine were a mess, missing rims, hoops, lugs, etc... I got them well over twenty years ago, before they got popular. Due to that I was able to find gobs of parts without having to re-mortgage the house. The other fellow was right, parts are VERY expensive now. My wish is that I should have bought the mufflers when I had the chance. I turned down fifty bucks for a box of about twenty of them. Bad decision. On the up side, these are some of the BEST sounding drums I've ever played. They stay in tune, have loads of 'sweet spots' and are truly great drums. The downside for them are the hardware, iffy at best... Mine has the original tree, but I've never really used it. The one your looking at has the consolette. I'm not sure how they hold up, never having had one. Also, you can never tell just whose parts were going to be used on them from the factory. The first time I saw a Camco kit, in the very early 70's, it had a mix of Rogers and Camco hardware. It was brand new from the factory. They just came that way. Also, I'm convinced mine are one of the many kits that never got badges. After a bit of research, I found many Camco's came out of the factory without badges. If you can afford them, get 'em. They really are great drums.

I saw these. Pretty good price.

Thanks for all of the advise, which certainly came in handy when I checked 'em out last night. They appear to be early Camcos - rail consolette, straight FT legs, COB hoops. The kit is a 12-16-20 configuration. Sadly, they are in rough shape, to say the least.

As previously suggested, these drums have been re-finished. Snare drum is a mid-60s Slingy, also re-finished.

Chrome is badly pitted/rusted/corroded. Half of the BD claws and t-rods are non-original. One of the BD hoops is cracked. No badges - probably removed when drums were re-finished.

The shells are structurally sound, but it would take a lot of time, effort, and money to get these to the point of being presentable. What a bummer.

What a drag......if they were dead cheap, it might almost be worth getting them and doing it. If you don't mind me asking, how much was being asked?

$700. Considering the cost of parts required to make presentable again, this would be an expensive restoration!