OLD COCKTAIL DRUM??

[ZACKER]

ANYONE HERE EVER HEAR OF THE COMBO DRUM CO. FROM CAMDEN NJ??
I RECENTLY GOT AHOLD OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE A COCKTAIL KIK/TOM WITH THREE LEGS AND IT DONT LOOK TO HAVE EVER HAD A BOTOM HEAD.IM STUMPED.I HAVE PICS I CAN SEND IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IT FOR ME.
THANKS
-ZACKER-

[zacker]

hey guys there is actually a pic of my drum in the photo section here... its the 21st. pic , the white marine pearl one ,it looks like its standing in the middle of the road. its exactly the same drum i have too, to a t!! someone must know about it. who posted that pic??
-zacker-

[Guest]

still no replies yet?? wow! I though someone would know where this baby is from, ive posted to a whole bunch of sites and cant find anything out about this drum.
-zacker-

[John Mettam]

hey Zacker,

I believe that the drum is a Vespe. I don't have the info in front of me but I believe that Vespes were built in Camden, NJ. So my guess is at some point the company switched names but kept the product line. I believe the picture you mean is this one:



Anyone out there know more about Vespe drums?

John

[Guest]

YES JOHN IT IS A VESPE, CAMDEN NJ. LOL I HAVE POSTED THIS (E-MAILED) TO ALMOST EVRY VINTAGE SITE OUT HERE AND CANT FIND ANY INFO ON THIS. ITS FUNNY, THE PIC YOU HAVE THERE IS OF MY DRUM (IM ALMOST POSITIVE) AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT AT ALL! SOMEONE MUST HAVE SEEN/HEARD OF VESPE BEFORE. I HAVE NEVER TILL I GOT THIS DRUM. IT LOOKS TO ME AS IF IT WERE AN ADD ON TOM FOR A COCKTAIL KIT. THERE IS NO BOTTOM HEAD SO FORGET A KICK PEDAL PLUS THERE ARE NO HOLES IN THE SHELL FOR ANYTHING TO HAVE BEEN MOUNTED TO IT...I TOOK OFF THE TOP HEAD AND THERE WASNT ANY TYPE OF BEARING EDGE TO SPEAK OF. i DONT WANNA DO ANYTHING TO THIS DRUM TILL I CAN GET SOME INFO ON IT, EVEN THEN ID JUST CUT AN EDGE, RE WRAP IT WITH THE SAME WHITE MARINE PEARL WRAP AND RE CHROME THE HOOP AND HARDWARE...BUT NOT IF ITS JUST A DOG, YA KNOW??
-ZACKER-

[dave randall]

On a sales trip to Philly today I met a drummer that knew Vespe. In his ofice is a huge picture of Mr Vespe standing with Ricki Recardo behind two of his cocktail drums. Next time I'm in town I'll make a copy of it,,,,Dave Randall

[Jaycw]

Funny thing you put that picture up, because last night on the jazz channel on tv there was a guy playing that drum. It was an old swing group and he was kind of like the front man. There was also a drumset so it was pretty much just used for accents. Still a cool drum.

[Kurt Saldutti]

If it's the same Vespe family I knew in High school then yes the boys all where drummers and made a name for themselves back in the 60s 70s and beyond. Very talented!! I remember Joey and Bill from Collingswood NJ. Bill seemed to always play Rodgers. I had some modifications done to an old Gretsch set at the Vespe drum shop in Camden back in the early 70s.

[Amnesiac]

Hi guys!

I've found a snare drum shell made by Vespe Custom Drum Company, but there are no lugs and no throw off....it's only the shell...someone of you know something of Vespe Drums?

[Amnesiac]

.......on the inside of the shell there are this numbers:

1141 - it probably refers to November 1941

[Guest]

If it's the same Vespe family I knew in High school then yes the boys all where drummers and made a name for themselves back in the 60s 70s and beyond. Very talented!! I remember Joey and Bill from Collingswood NJ. Bill seemed to always play Rodgers. I had some modifications done to an old Gretsch set at the Vespe drum shop in Camden back in the early 70s.

[AJ]

The Vespe drums were made in Camden New Jersey. Pete Vespe had many patents on drum inventions from the 40s thru the 60s. Pete was a drummer who played in the big band days and was an teacher as well.
I remember the shop on Spruce Street in Camden, there was an old italian bakery across from his shop. Pete made custom drums and cut large bass drums down to 22 or 20 inch from large ones.
Pete sold off most of the inventory of his business to Sam Diamico Music in Philadelphia Pa when he retired. Sam still has some of the stock to this day.
Pete passed away some years ago, he was a great guy to know.
He has 2 nephews who play and were always concidered monster players, Joe who last I knew was in Vegas and Bill who last I knew was in Atlantic City.

Vespe Drums are collectable for sure