A stencil is exactly what it sounds like: many copies of the sam e design using similar or familiar hardware, and then "branding" them using the name chosen by the American Distributor. And this is where the Americans came into play with the names, as O'bop points out. Many of these old kits are identical copies of Slingerland hardware becuase as has been stated in other places, and below, the perception today is that Bud Slingerland was notoriously tight with money, hence the abscence of badges on many shells up until the 60s, when it became very difficult to the uninformed to tell the difference in a real Slingerland and a MIJ knockoff of the same kit. It's like, take my son's Majestics or better yet my recent finished project. Toi the untrained eye, they are very nice looking drums, and look like the American counterpart so much in size and parts that it could be easy to miss the fact they are not the real deal. Especially my kit, as they are very good stencils, with no badge. Before I layed the veneer on, and after the first round of prep work was began, they looked like a nice set of 3 ply Sling/Lud/Gretsch shells with WMP wrap. The hardware looked like it was the same, the hoops, every detail, top quality, to the untrained eye. The only way to find out was either to look at the badge, or look at the parts, of which only a very few have any indication of true origin. Made In Japan is stamped boldly on the cymbal arm mouting bracket. Other than that, to the untrained, they are Slingerland 22-16-13 and snare. The boys are similar to a blue spakle Ludwig Downbeat, or Hollywood, in the lovely sounding, sweet looking 20-12-14 configuration.
