Camco like everything else has taken a beating. Being a buyer at current levels makes far more sense than being a seller. During the pre credit crisis all the excess liquidity that was going around had bidding wars going on over everything Camco sold on ebay. I wouldn't say some of the prices I've paid but compared to then there are screaming buys now. I know of one guy who couldn't get out of a mint George Way kit for the $3K he was probably willing to accept. That's half to a third of what it would have taken to pry one of those lose in 2007-08.

If you have good stuff and you want to get out of it, you have to be very patient and find the good buyers. Most of what I've heard placed recently has been off of eBay.

If you want a kit, set a budget for yourself and work it when they come around. They are better than Gretsch and as good as Rogers and as good as any of the top of the line new stuff you'll see today.

I recently had a conversation with a well known vintage drum dealer concerning the value of an Oaklawn Camco set versus a round badge Gretsch in similar sizes and condition. The dealer said he could get 2-3 times the money for the Gretsch primarily due to international buyers.

baby crawl2

I think thats what I got for my natural maple Oaklawn kit,same sizes as yours,around 3-4 years ago.

One of my biggest drum regrets was not picking up the blond Camco jazz kit at the 2001 Chicago Drum Show. It sat for both days and no one bit. Finally someone at my local shop bought it for about $500. He brought it back to St. Louis and flipped it on ebay if I'm not mistaken. The only drawback was it didn't have front bass drum lugs. He switched all the Camco hardware with brass plated DW hardware (including installing front bass drum lugs). This was before the Camco boom, methinks.

Funny you should mention European buyers and Gretsch. I was in France early this month and I went to jazz club Duc des Lombard. It was an open jam and one of the players started talking to me because I was wearing a Rogers tee shirt. He had a very rigid discussion on what were the best brands for the straight ahead genre. In this order without a hint of hesitation 1) Round badge gretsch (a set where the heads fit), 2) 1940s Slingerland, 3) Rogers and only then at 4) Camco.

He wouldn't say why. That's just how it is. He was a very aggressive player. Anyhow the European comment ties with my experience.

I never got into Camco to make a profit. It was all about tone to me. IMO nothing comes close to the tone of a George Way or Camco kit and they are number one on my list, the only list that matters to me!

I have the same list.

You stole Dolfan's list?

Funny Post

LOL! Naw, just have drum preference in same order.

I guess we could have that Chevy/ Ford argument here.

I didn't know that Camcos were not as well thought of in Europe.

Of course value changes and trends,I remember when a Radio King in any condition brought more than a Leedy Broadway,even though the Broadway was

a better built drum,in a lot of peoples opinion,but they certainly are valuable now.

It seems like 60's era Camcos really started to bring the money late 90's early 2000's.I really liked the 2 sets I have seen and played,but was surprised when I found out they were bringing as much as a RB Gretsch,not because they did not sound good or were not well built,but because they had very few high profile rock endorsers,and I don't remember them being synonymous with any famous Jazz drummers,they were not widely distributed across the U.S. and I would think the only brand they outsold would be Leedy,or possibly Kent.

Anyone have any ideas how they came to be so valuable and highly sought after?