[COLOR="DarkRed"]Hi. If the shells are the 3-ply with reinforcing rings, then those shells were Ludwig Standard shells. They are made up of exactly the same specification as Classic shells.

So, yes, if you hand-sanded it, you would reach maple interior ply. One could deduce that somehow the interior ply grade was inferior on these...but I have yet to uncover that. The plys seem as good as Classic shells. May have just been a "flavor of the month" sorta thing. Early 70's a lotta mfrs were painting their shell interiors. But the wood under there is good.

If the shells are the thicker ones with rounded edges and no re-rings...those were the later b/w badge Rocker shells, produced in asia. Not bad shells, either, but 3-ply maple with a very thick middle ply...making them as thick as a 6 ply shell, Likewise, if you sand off the grey, you will reach an interior ply of maple.

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Thanks as always Jaye for your insight and tips.

Much appreciated.

Ha ! -- what did you think you might hit, other than wood...? -- Just had to throw that li'l jab, man !

Strip the hardware off and try a little bit of Red Devil (with gloves on), and save yourself the task of all that hand sanding. You'll still have to do some to prep it for lacquering afterward. But it'll be worth the toil.

Like Jaye said, man, those shells were fine.