Here's a pic of the interior of the floor tom, which looks to be a 3 ply Gretsch with added rering. I looked for RGB signature inside the shells but can't find any. Also, I thought that the Gretsch ft mounts/legs were a replacement for spring-loaded WFL's, but do not appear so. All this is leading me to Walberg & Auge. What do think, Leedybdp?

And here's the interior of the kick. I thought I saw rerings last night, but no, seems to be a straight-up Gretsch shell, but with what could be the remnants of an Auburn Walberg & Auge badge around the grommet. Notice it's drilled for four spurs.

Now that I've seen all these photos it looks more and more like W&A! The re-rings are identical to the ones in my W&A kit. W&A was using Jasper shells that it acquired from Gretsch at the time. They used all kinds of hardware on the shells, Rogers, their own designs and apparently Ludwig as well. These mystery drums are looking more and more like W&A creations. If so, you have some seriously good drums on your hands. W&A didn't mess around. Every drum they produced was a gem and a top quality build. Those aged shells are going to sound killer with the right head combination.

Andy - If that bass drum has big, fat, round edges and is either 3 or 6 ply, you have an aged Jasper shell likely from the 50's that is going to make one awesome sounding bass drum. That one is a keeper. Same as finding a 50's Gretsch Brooklyn factory bass drum. You know how much those go for right?

John

Thanks so much John! I figured that the re-rings would be part of the answer, but could only find pics of black interiors with rings like mine.

I've been a little stressed out since I got these home. I pretty well sacrificed any food money I had & was hoping to flip those "WFLs"...Now I'm hoping to keep them, survive the rest of the month & (hopefully) find a semi-matching 12" or 13", though I now doubt that finding a W & A will be an easy task, even less so with WFL nickel-plated lugs. My 12" black Big R will have to do for now.

Yes the kick is 3 ply with big, round-over edges. It sounds huge & warm for a 20-incher! I threw a new Amb and a NOS Meazzi head on the floor and she sounds very nice as well. I haven't played Gretsch since the mid 90's and am not up on prices. How much does a 50's Gretsch Brooklyn factory bass drum go for? I'm guessing a boatload...

Anyway, thanks for the help! I'm now much less stressed out & much more excited. Send my love to Big Blue!!

10 lugs on a 20" bass drum? My '50 W&A bass drum is a Gretsch shell, 3 ply with no re-rings. It is a 22" with 8 Slingerland lugs.

These drums sound fantastic! Just finished playing/tuning them. I think the FT rims are brass. I will check that with a magnet tomorrow. It sounds more open than Gretsch RBs I've played, probably because of the rims. The kick has got serious bite. I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and keep these. My 12" Rogers Big R tom sounds/looks just fine on there for now. Who knows if/when I will be able to find a Gretsch shell with Classic lugs or an undrilled Gretsch shell that I can put lugs on.

Mike, does your '50 W&A bass drum have black paint on the interiors?

No, my bass drum has a natural wood interior. The floor tom had the black interior. I wish that I could have kept that drum, in fact.