It depends on who you talk to!

IMO the first Camco catalog came out in 1962. The one in 1961 is the 3rd George Way catalog. When Camco took over in late 1961 they simply put a Camco sticker over the George Way name and address. So I never considered that one an actual Camco catalog although technically it is.

There was one in 1965 - is it that one?

What I'm trying to pin down (for the benefit of our friend trying to date his kit) is roughly when people think the triangle mount base came in, which we all know is tricky, not least because they were re-cycling those drawing/photo things they used through at least a couple of catalogues.

Those re-cycled 1960's Camco catalogs are indeed quite something but very sad if you look at it. I remember as a kid when those catalogs were the only channel to get info and dream away by browsing through them. Even the 1970's "Kustom" catalog is still showing some of the George Way drums, with black cloud badge and all,...

I could be mistaken but in the 65' catalog I only see that odd double "tom-tom holder" advertised with triangle foot. The 67' catalog seems to show the triangle tom holder for the first time on an actual drum set.

For sure they existed before.

It would be great to sum up when the main characteristics are believed to be introduced. I'm sure Dolfan or the other connoisseurs have a rough idea.

- Triangle tom mount

- Curved Bass drum spurs.

- Curved floor tom legs.

- Floor tom brackets positioning.

- Second generation COB hoop.

- Third generation steel hoop.

- Oaklawn USA badge.

- Oval Oaklawn badge.

- Chanute badge.

- LA badge.

- 4-ply Jasper shell.

- 6-ply Jasper shell.

- 6-ply Keller shell.

I'm sure there is more,....

I'm not sure where you are getting your dates from as there are no dates on the catalogs except for the 1961 George Way and the 1975 Camco catalogs. The Kustom Camco catalog has a code on the back marked 12-171 so we might be able to consider that one '71.

I call the first full Camco catalog 1962 because I bought a 1959 George Way drum set from the original owner. He bought the kit used in 1961 at the request of his drum teacher as she knew George Way and also sold his kits in her store. In 1962 he met George Way and George Way gave him 2 catalogs. One was a GHW and the other was Camco so that's how I determined it was 1962.

Camco took over in August of 1961. I know they put the sticker over George Way's name and address. Now I am assuming they ran with that throughout the rest of 1961. I've seen it listed elsewhere as 1962 and since I have proof it didn't come out any later, 1962 sounds good to me. But there is that chance they got it out by December of 1961.

If you are referring to the dates that were on the Camcodrummer.com website those were determined by who knows how! I called Mike and asked him about those dates. He doesn't know how those were determined.

Hi Steve, here's where I got the dates from hoping they're correct.

http://www.drumarchive.com/Camco/

Hi Stef,

I think they got those dates from the Camcodrummer website when it was up and running. The very first date is wrong. George Way didn't start building drums until 1957 so that first catalog listed is either '58 or '59 not 1950.

Except for the one listed as 1962 I wouldn't consider those dates accurate except for the general ones, for example 1960's, 1970's,etc.

Also not all the catalogs are present. The first George Way catalog has a yellow cover and contains no drum sets. The one listed as 1950 is actually the second GW catalog and the first to show drum kits. Since GW didn't start making kits until late '58 or early '59 it makes sense that that catalog is more than likely '58 or '59.

The other catalog missing is the first Camco catalog to feature a swatch page. The kit came out between the ones listed as '65 & '67. It's my favorite catalog and the first one to feature the post with triangle mount. It is displayed ever so nicely on page 3 on the kit listed as The Nick Ceroli Outfit.