LA Camco transition badge. I'm hanging onto these until all the DW players today realize this kit and your kit are the progenitors to DW thus being truly rare vintage drums that stand out in drum history. By the time Camco set up in LA it was more of a custom shop awaiting its departure to Japan. Notice this kit has "Japanese" ft leg mounts. The shells are six-ply maple, made in PA with no re-rings. The lugs retain the Camco style but have already been altered by Tama. DW retained this patent lug design for themselves.

kellyj

Sweet! Look awesome!

Coated Emperors , way too heavy , dead & unmusical. They have one good feature, ... industrial strength.

yeah I tend to go to thiner heads with years...

I out a Diplomat reso on my Acrolite and love it!

Ambassadors and Diplomats are the ticket for 3-ply shells. I first tried an Emperor on the 6-ply Maple Camco's but it was dull and life-less. With the switch to thinner heads the toms sang! It could be the age of the shell and the character of the maple. It seems Birch is more suited to the heavier Emperor.

OK.

And did you try the Vintage A's?

I have one on the acrolite and like it.

but on toms?

Very good analogy. LA Camco used Keller shells just like Rogers except Camco used a 6 ply shell and Rogers used a 5 ply and then later an 8 ply shell. The Camco shells however are greatly undersized even by todays standards. The bearing edge is also unique as the edge is actually the center of the shell instead of closer to the edge.

Oaklawn & Chanute era Camco used 3,4 & 6 ply Jasper shells and sound far more like Gretsch drums.

thanks.

those Keller 6 ply shells were thin isn't it?

Those sure look like birch shells to me. From my take on Hoshino made Camco the shells were birch but if they had re-rings they were left over Keller maple shells that were in the PA warehouse. The lugs on your drums are also made in Japan and were such a close knockoff to the original Camco lug I'm sure DW threatened a lawsuit hence the reason for their short run.

Early DW drums used the same Keller shells as LA Camco, the same lugs, bass drum spurs, strainers, etc. with very little changes in the beginning.

An early DW kit is the true transition from LA Camco to DW. Your kit was really the beginning of Tama and the end of the Camco name on drums.

That being said, I'm not really a fan of LA Camco or DW, I prefer the Jasper shell drums of George Way, Oaklawn Camco and Chanute Camco.

Yes, very thin when comparing to the other eras of Camco.