Welcome to the forum, You have a Ludwig snare drum the finish on the set is called Black Diamond Pearl! but your drums are either Camco's or George Ways, wow they look cool! the bass drum t-handles look George Way do you know the sizes? Here this link will help you Immensely. http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/camco_drumsets.html

Camcos ??

Check out this link to the Camco catalogs in the Drum Guide.

Link...........

(Looks like I was typing while VTM2000 was posting.......LOL )

Oh my gosh! As soon as I saw the name Geo. Way, the light bulb went on. That's what they were. I am pretty sure he bought them at a place called "The Drum Shop" located in Detroit at the time. I was about 12 or 13 years old when I learned to play drums on that set. When I look at those old pictures and remember those drums, I think it was one of the coolest looking set of drums ever made. The round lugs are unique. Hardly any other drum manufacturer used that design. Yet, DW, probably one of the best quality drum makers today, uses that same design. Interesting.

Because they're related.

A drum builder named George Way and an accessories company named Camco teamed up in the '50s. A few years later, John Rochon of Camco gained control of the whole operation and started producing drums under the Camco name. Down the road, when Camco went belly-up, Hoshino Gakki (Tama) acquired the Camco name, but a startup maker in California named Drum Workshop acquired Camco's tooling. Not surprisingly, early DW products were a lot like the Camco items that those tools were originally set up to build. The round lugs are one similarity. DW's bass pedal designs owe a lot to Camco as well. I've got a DW 5000 pedal and an old Camco pedal that are almost identical mechanically.

The George Way name, although not widely known, is held in high esteem. The brand was recently re-introduced up by Ronn Dunnett, a custom drum builder:

http://www.waydrums.com

Which badges are on your drums George way or camco they will say either or the other. also the history that was given on George way is not correct in the previous post Please go to the history tab on this camco link I've given you this is the correct George way history, here is a camco website great factory pics, http://www.camcodrummer.com/wayfacphotos.htm also George way worked with almost every major US Drum Company he is as big of a deal as Ug Leedy. Bud Slingerland. Or the Ludwig Brothers historically to us collectors and drum historians, he was an Inventor, salesman, designer his sales techniques are still used today, as how to display and setup a drum trade show, and display of merchandise read the text in the link it will give you all you need to know about GW and Camco history

Wow, what cool shot's of your Dad, great set of drums also!

sebes:

First of all, WELCOME to the forum!

I knew that if I was patient and waited long enough I'd find the "missing kit" that goes with my George Way Casino Model Black Diamond Pearl snare drum.

Just kidding, of course! GREAT looking (and I'm sure "sounding") kit.

THANKS for sharing the pics and the story behind the kit. I found it quite interesting having been born and raised in Detroit.

BTW...........Your dad looks pretty passionate behind those "tubs"!Keep on Pl