Welcome to ocdpkits.com
We're a fan site for custom shop original Orange County Drums from 1995 to 2011

History

BAM Magazine, August 1997 Gear & Information — Written by Greg Gaylord

In the early 1980’s, West Coast Drum purchased the remainder of Ludwig’s cymbals, which were being made by UFIP. The cymbals arrived in massive containers weighing several hundred pounds each. John Machado was hired to help manage and repair the bulk shipment, and before long he found himself fixing their drum-building equipment full-time—ultimately staying with West Coast Drum for nine years.

Around the same time, an eager youngster named Daniel Jensen joined the team. According to John, Daniel’s constant question—“When are we going to open our own drum shop?”—finally became a reality when Orange County Drum & Percussion was born.

O.C.D.P. began as a retail drum store offering lessons, repairs, and custom drum building. Although the retail side eventually gave way, their custom-shop work became their staple. Today, Orange County Drum & Percussion is a California-based custom drum company with ten full-time employees. Between John and Daniel, they boast over 25 years of drum-crafting experience—exactly the expertise you want when creating your ideal kit.

The individual drummer is at the heart of O.C.D.P. There are no assembly lines—only personalized service. They’ll build virtually any drum configuration you can imagine, with hundreds of colors and finishes (acrylic urethanes, wraps, high-pressure laminates, exotic woods, animal prints, you name it). Their “anything goes” attitude extends to hardware too—die-cast lugs, vintage-style brass tube lugs, whatever you want, they’ll make it happen.

The Snare Drums

Perhaps the most distinctive O.C.D.P. product is their vented snare drum. Created by Daniel, these snares have earned a reputation for exceptional loudness and sensitivity. Built on 100% maple Keller shells, you can even specify extra plies or reinforcement hoops if you want more thickness. Don’t like large vents? They’ll happily drill a dozen thumb-size holes instead.

On average, their vents measure between 2¼″ and 4″ in diameter, with four to six vents per drum. This venting dries out the shell’s tone, reduces unwanted resonance, and boosts overall volume. Combined with a precision-cut (completely level) snare bed, these drums deliver maximum sensitivity without any buzzing.

The Bottom Line

When people hear “custom drums,” they expect high prices. I asked John about cost and he told me O.C.D.P. remains “cheaper than the top-line” brands. A typical wrapped five-piece kit lists between $3,500 and $4,000 (so sells for under $3,000)—a bargain compared to other major manufacturers.

Their roster of endorsers speaks volumes: Adrian Young (No Doubt), Chad Sexton (311), Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), and more. If these pros trust and pay for O.C.D.P. drums, you know they’re top quality in both sound and performance.