Yep:

http://www.buddyrichdrumcompany.com/

How good are they?

Typical. Nothing unusual. Standard shells with some hardware attached. Very very pricey. I would rather have a Slingy Buddy Rich than one of those. If you've played them, you will understand. They don't sound like a vintage kit. Looks aren't all that it takes.

IMO, they were a way for the family to make income on the Buddy Rich name....

Keller shells with a DW finish with repro RK lugs......eh, cookie cutter sounding drums that are supposed to look vintage, but aren't. Hmmmm

thats too bad. I came across the BR drum site a few nights ago and got really excited, then thought, shoot I can get 2 or 3 vintage BR kits for the price of one repro. I did think the finish looked nice though.

I actually own one of these kits. Had mine for over 2 years. I play 40's / 50's music and have owned vintage kits in the past, but I wanted a new kit that could withstand frequent gigs, look the part and still have that vintage sound:

The history of these:

From what I know, originally Cathy Rich was working with DW to develop a line of "Buddy Rich" edition kits. Though a limited run was made, things didn't work out and she struck out on her own to start her own company and continue developing the kits.

These initial sets (like mine and the one featured in the auction) were built overseas in China, however, the hardware still utilized DW components (you can see the DW logos and emblems on much of the hardware.) All the drums are 100% maple in varying plies.

The GOOD:

I LOVE the sound of these. My kit originally shipped with no-name ultra-cheapy heads (the bass drum even had a BR shield emblem head on BOTH sides...what the--?). I've got to say, they didn't sound too good with those on, even when properly tuned. I quickly scrapped all of those and put Remo Vintage A's on all the batters and clear Ambassadors on the resonance sides. What a difference! Sharp attack, warm resonance, nice response. But I wanted to go even more old school so after about a year I scrapped all of those and now have Fiberskyns on all the drums, top and bottoms. NOW they really shine—and they can still cut through a horn section, no problem.

The hardware is the best I've ever had - solid, beautiful and high-quality. Oh, and I LOVE the repro beavertail lugs. Gorgeous.

The BAD:

The snare. Might be my ears, but no matter how I tune it or what style of batter head I've used, I just can't get it to sound the way I like. I'm accustomed to playing 6.5x14's and deeper, so it may just be the fact that it's a 5X14, but I'm not digging it. And somehow, unlike the toms, bass drum and hardware, it just seems cheap in quality.

The UGLY:

The finish. I'm crazy about white marine pearl. It's my all time favorite finish and every kit I've owned is in some form of WMP. To me, the finish on this kit (though quality and durable - no bubbles, unsightly seams, etc) is a bit "stripey" for my tastes. It almost reminds me of a Ludwig 70's WMP finish vs the kind of WMP you'd expect from a 40s-50's Radio King set, which the kit tries to emulate in every other way. It's still beautiful and looks retro (so I guess not really "ugly"), but I think it's a weird juxtaposition with the beaver tail lugs. Just my opinion.

The company today:

The overseas kits like mine are dead. Cathy soon partnered with SJC Custom drums (who in my opinion are amazing guys, btw) and severed ties with China. All the drums are now made in the US by them. Still using the same basic setup, beavertail lugs, etc, but they offer a choice of finishes (the kind I'd like to have, btw) as well as some other drum options as well. I'm sure the quality has been ramped up dramatically, but I haven't experienced one first-hand to compare and contrast. Ironically, before Cathy made the switch, I had SJC make me a 7x14 snare with beavertail lugs and match the same WMP finish to my Buddy Rich kit — it's been my favorite drum of all time.

Price:

I paid $650 for my kit when they were on the market. I think the ebay auction is REALLY pricey and I'm not sure about the "collector's item" status listed there. Wouldn't actual BR-style Slingerlands, Rogers and Ludwigs be considered "collector's items" WAY more than repro ones recently made in China?

Either way, I'm really happy with my kit and am glad I made my purchase. I think with SJC now at the helm, the quality and variety will only continue to grow. For a guy like me who wanted a new set of "poor man's Radio Kings," my kit was worth every penny. Now if only I had a repro towel to put on that second floor tom...