Hi all,

I know the general thinking is that the corners started to get cut on the blue and olive badges in 1979 and by 1985 they were using the Monroe badges. But I’ve found three variants of the cut corner blue and olive badges and I just wanted to see if anyone knew when the changes happened.

The first I have is just plain silver around the serial number. The second I have a thin black line appears around the serial number and the third has the thin black line plus black text saying ‘Made in USA’.

The plain badge with no black lines is serial 2026304. The one with a thin black line is 3081752 and then the thin black box and made is USA is on serial number 3160187. So I can see the order it happened. But I’d just love to know when the changes happened or why?

Images attached.

Many thanks,

Gareth

The first one you show is what I call the BO3, short for third version of the Blue/Olive badge. It shows up with serial numbers from about 1860000 to 2300000 in roughly the 1978-1982 time period. The second one you show is what I call the BO4 - the fourth version of the B/O badge. It shows up with serial numbers in the 3000000 to 3140000 range. It is seen in the 1982-84 time period. The third badge you show is a reissued version of the Blue/Olive badge. Ludwig restarted the numbers on this badge at 3140000 even though those serial numbers were used on Large Keystone badge Monroe badges in the 1980s. I am not certain when they first appeared, but it was not immediately after the BO4.

More details available in the recently (one week ago) revised second edition of my Serial Number Based Dating Guides for Vintage Ludwig Drums

Thank you so much!