Started the restoration process on my 14x22 bass. Opened it up and removed the crumpled up newspaper I put in there (May 9, 1973, fun reading those ads). Looking around the interior I saw this, on the ride cymbal "L" arm mounting bracket.
[IMG]http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu224/FTG3/P1010165.jpg[/IMG]
It's companion looks like:
[IMG]http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu224/FTG3/P1010164.jpg[/IMG]
The "L" arm support looks like: (I know, it looks worse than it really is, but should clean up nicely)
[IMG]http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu224/FTG3/P1010166.jpg[/IMG]
It did clean up fairly nice:
[IMG]http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu224/FTG3/P1010169.jpg[/IMG]
Now bear in mind I've had these drums since 1964, and know positively they were never disassembled or modified in any way. They were not new when I got them. One previous owner I believe, and I never saw anything on this set that would make me think it was ever worked on.
Both Slingerland and WFL were in Chicago at that time. Could it have been a case that WFL ran out of washers? "Hey Fred, listen I need a favor, have any 15/16" washers we can borrow?"
Of course, it is just as possible that somewhere in this drums distant past, somebody DID disassemble it and mix parts. But I just can't shake the feeling that....no.