Orange County Drum and Percussion

Orange County Drum and Percussion, commonly abbreviated as OCDP, is an American drum and percussion brand associated with Orange County, California. The company developed from a retail drum shop into a custom drum manufacturer, building instruments for professional drummers and other players seeking individualized specifications and visual designs. Its identity was shaped by custom work rather than by a broad mass-market product portfolio: instruments could be ordered or commissioned with distinctive shell configurations, hardware choices, and elaborate paint or graphic finishes. OCDP became particularly visible during the 1990s through relationships with prominent drummers. Its custom work was associated with Chad Sexton of 311, Travis Barker of blink-182, and Adrian Young of No Doubt. These associations helped establish the brand within alternative rock, punk, and related performance communities. Barker was connected with an OCDP custom shell pack, while Young also became a part-owner of the company. Such artist relationships were important to the brand's reputation because they demonstrated the practical use of its instruments on professional stages and recordings while also reinforcing OCDP's highly personalized design culture. The company's custom drums used shells supplied by other manufacturers, including Keller, rather than relying exclusively on internally produced shell fabrication. OCDP's differentiation therefore centered on configuration, finishing, assembly, customization, and artist-oriented design. Exotic paintwork and unusual visual treatments became recurring elements of its public identity, distinguishing its instruments from more conservative traditional drum finishes. In 2011, Guitar Center acquired ownership of OCDP. Following that change, the brand moved beyond its earlier custom-shop profile and became associated with ready-made drum kit sets sold through the Guitar Center retail network. This represented a significant change in distribution and product strategy: the brand could reach a wider retail audience through packaged kits while retaining the name recognition developed through its custom instruments and professional-drumming connections. OCDP occupies a specialist position in the drum market, combining a California custom-shop heritage with retail distribution under Guitar Center ownership. Publicly documented information about its founding date, present manufacturing arrangements, executive leadership, international operations, and current standalone website is limited. Its best-documented historical arc is the transition from a local retail drum shop to an artist-linked custom manufacturer, followed by Guitar Center ownership and the sale of ready-made drum kits.

Orange County Drum and Percussion began as a retail drum shop in Orange County, California. Its early identity was connected to the local drum market, but the business later expanded into custom manufacturing. Rather than operating solely as a conventional catalog producer, OCDP developed instruments around individual player requirements, allowing customers and professional artists to specify drum configurations and finishes. The brand gained wider recognition during the 1990s, when it built custom drums for several influential drummers. Its documented artist associations include Chad Sexton of 311, Travis Barker of blink-182, and Adrian Young of No Doubt. These relationships linked OCDP with alternative rock, punk, and adjacent music scenes. The association with Barker included a custom shell pack, while Young became a part-owner of the company. Artist involvement gave the brand visibility and supported its image as a builder of personalized professional instruments. OCDP's production approach used shells made by outside suppliers, including Keller. The company focused on turning those shells into finished, customized instruments through selection of specifications, construction, finishing, and visual design. Exotic paint and highly individualized finishes were among the characteristics that separated OCDP's instruments from standard factory drum lines. The brand consequently became known as much for the appearance and individuality of its drums as for their function as performance instruments. In 2011, Guitar Center acquired the company. Ownership by the large musical-instrument retail chain changed the commercial context in which OCDP operated. The brand subsequently sold ready-made drum kit sets, giving it a more accessible retail offering in addition to the custom-shop heritage that had established its reputation. The change illustrates a movement from a primarily custom and artist-driven identity toward a combination of custom-brand recognition and standardized retail products. Available reference material provides limited information about the company's exact founding year, early personnel, current manufacturing facilities, executive team, and present distribution footprint. The documented history nevertheless supports a clear account of OCDP as a California drum brand that evolved from retailing into custom instrument production, built visibility through professional drummer relationships, and later entered Guitar Center's retail portfolio.

• 2011

  Guitar Center ownership

  [1]Orange County Drum and Percussionen.wikipedia.org

  Guitar Center acquired ownership of OCDP, after which the brand sold ready-made drum kit sets through the retailer's distribution network.

• 1990

  Builds visibility through custom artist drums

  [1]Orange County Drum and Percussionen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1990s, the company became associated with custom instruments made for notable drummers including Chad Sexton, Travis Barker, and Adrian Young.

• Begins as a retail drum shop

  [1]Orange County Drum and Percussionen.wikipedia.org

  OCDP originated as a drum retail business in Orange County, California, before expanding into custom drum building.

A specialist drum brand combining custom, artist-oriented instrument building with distinctive finishes and retail-ready drum kits.

• Drum kits

  Custom drum kits

  OCDP's best-known offering was its custom drum work. These kits were built around individualized player requirements, including shell configurations, hardware selections, and visual treatments. The brand's custom-shop identity was reinforced by its work for professional drummers and by its use of elaborate or exotic finishes. The available reference material does not establish a single standard specification or complete model range.

• Drum kits · 2011

  Ready-made drum kit sets

  After Guitar Center acquired OCDP in 2011, the brand became associated with ready-made drum kit sets. These packaged products extended the brand beyond one-off custom builds and made OCDP instruments available through a larger musical-instrument retail channel. Specific model names, specifications, and current availability are not established in the supplied references.

• Drum components

  Custom shell packs

  OCDP produced custom shell-pack configurations for professional players, including a documented association with Travis Barker. Shell packs allowed the brand to emphasize customized drum dimensions, arrangements, and finishes without necessarily representing a complete hardware package. The reference material does not provide a full catalog or standardized specifications.

• Snare drums

  Snare drums

  Snare drums formed part of OCDP's custom-oriented product area. As with its broader drum work, the brand's approach emphasized individualized construction and finish choices. No sufficiently detailed model, material, or production information is provided in the available references.

• 2011

  Transition into Guitar Center ownershipM&A

  Background

  OCDP had developed from a retail shop into a custom drum manufacturer known for professional-drumming relationships and distinctive finishes.

  Action taken

  Guitar Center acquired ownership of the brand and subsequently offered ready-made OCDP drum kit sets through its retail business.

  Aftermath

  The ownership change expanded OCDP's retail orientation while preserving the recognition associated with its earlier custom-shop and artist-linked history.

  Source

1. 1Orange County Drum and Percussionen.wikipedia.org