Jim Gordon has Passed On...

Congratulations @atlantadrumguy, you have a very desirable and cool drumset. I too have an Oaklawn (location of the original Camco factory) set in sizes 24/16/13/12 (in Jim’s natural walnut finish), but mine are actually one of Jim’s sets!

When Jim was incarcerated he left the set in a storage facility on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City (not far from his house on the north side of the Hollywood Hills). In the early-90’s a new owner of the property found the drumset in a locker, and listed it in The Recyler, a Los Angeles buy/sell weekly paper. I drove over to the building (I lived 5 minutes away) and laid $875 in the owners hands. One unusual detail about the set is that the 24" bass drum has no internal reinforcing ring, the only Oaklawn-era Camco set I’ve seen that way.

I also have another Oaklawn set in the same sizes (I own, collect, and play only 24" bass drums), but in Natural maple finish. They’re not from Jim’s collection.

@bdp24 

Great story as always. That's a great piece of memorabilia.

@roxy54: If the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall Of Fame ever does a Derek & The Dominos display, I’d loan them the set. I didn’t manage to see Jim play live, but his playing in the videos I’ve seen is just phenomenal. When I recorded with Emitt Rhodes in his studio he told me Jim was the best musician he ever worked with.

@bdp24

Amazing story and what a kit! I read some articles with Jim and in one of his interviews, he alluded to using a 24 and a 22. So I’m guessing that he actually owned multiple Camco sets with both a 24 and a 22. I’m a big fan of his playing and I consider him one of the great drummers. I came to learn about his playing a little later on, and I was sort of on the lookout for something like it when mine showed up.  I rarely see the 24” Oaklawns appear. So you have some rare kits. Seems to be easier to find 24s of the LA era. 

My “Jim” style Camco is perfect for the Delaney and Bonnie or Derrick and the Dominoes vibe. I’m not a recording guy, just a hobbyist who enjoys playing and gigs here and there. But it would be amazing in the studio I’m certain. 
 

I have a collection of other American vintage kits as well. Just stuff I’ve found over time, and had the chance to play nearly all of them on a gig at one time or another. I can’t figure out how to post pics here, otherwise I’d show some. 60s Ludwigs, Gretsch, Rogers blue onyx 20,12,14 (the 14s are raw as hen’s teeth). 
 

One of the Ludwigs is a 60s silver sparkle super classic (all original), and have the extra 16” tom for the Mitch Mitchell thing.