Bought this from some kid about 20 years ago for $50. It looked like some kind of Motley Crüe nightmare because someone had spray painted it black and red so I took all the hardware off and paid my artist friend to paint it however he wanted to. There was no wrap on it when I got it. It's been in storage for about 15 years now and I'm just getting into the vintage drum scene. I have been looking at sites for about a week now trying to get my bearings and learn as much as I can before asking questions. Mach lugs on the two mounted and one floor tom. B/O badges on them also. 12x8 Serial# 865607. 15x12 S# 869345. 18x16 S# 868187. Kick - 22x14 S# 667391. So the three Mach toms seem to have been built around the same time, 1971 going by the serial charts on the web and the kick has a late '68 or early '69 serial but I'm confused about the white interiors they all have. Did they ever have any wrap? Any ideas? I'd definitely like to get the missing rings for resonator heads but not sure about going the extra mile toward full restoration or just keeping my friend's art (which I am quite fond of). Thanks, Gaje

Originally Posted by Gajeman

Bought this from some kid about 20 years ago for $50. It looked like some kind of Motley Crüe nightmare because someone had spray painted it black and red so I took all the hardware off and paid my artist friend to paint it however he wanted to. There was no wrap on it when I got it. It's been in storage for about 15 years now and I'm just getting into the vintage drum scene. I have been looking at sites for about a week now trying to get my bearings and learn as much as I can before asking questions. Mach lugs on the two mounted and one floor tom. B/O badges on them also. 12x8 Serial# 865607. 15x12 S# 869345. 18x16 S# 868187. Kick - 22x14 S# 667391. So the three Mach toms seem to have been built around the same time, 1971 going by the serial charts on the web and the kick has a late '68 or early '69 serial but I'm confused about the white interiors they all have. Did they ever have any wrap? Any ideas? I'd definitely like to get the missing rings for resonator heads but not sure about going the extra mile toward full restoration or just keeping my friend's art (which I am quite fond of). Thanks, Gaje

Your set is a piece together set.The bass drum should have a K/S badge..The toms on the bass drum look to be-12" is from the 70's so is the 15" tom but i think the 15" tom was a marching tom at one time.The lugs should be longer than they are on the drum.The 18" floor tom looks right to be from the 70's but i think more like the mid 70's not 71/When Ludwig came out with these Mach lugs sets some say they started in about 1971 but the first ones i have seen ina Ludwig catalog was in the 75 catalog it only listed two sets a 4 piece and 5 piece..The 4 piece was a 13,16,22,14 snare the 5 pice was a 12,13,16,22,14 snare..You could have change out the toms and bass drums the toms on the 5 pc could have a 13,14,18 on the bass drum 20" or 24"..On the 4pc set the toms could have been 12",14" floor and a 20" bass or you could keep the 13" and 16" and went with a 20" or 24" bass...The finish on these sets were a Silk plastic wrap in colors red,blue,gold...As far as the white paint inside the shells the only drum that should have that is the bass drum,iam thinking someone painted the others white.....Mikey

Mikey's assessment seems dead on to me.

How tight are the badges affixed to the drums? Does it appear that they were removed in order to remove wraps?

Which drum had the label in it? Although Ludwig's date code is not well understood (see thread -http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/showthread.php?t=30377&highlight=ludwig+paper+labe l), date codes appear to have been used for a short time beginning in 1971 and continued until 1972.

I concur with Mikey's assessment!

I was contacted last week by the original poster on this thread and thought I should provide a small update for the forum.
The label is currently in the bass drum. The bass is a Keystone badge classic separate lug style drum. I suspect that the label was originally in the floor tom, as the 1037 model number corresponds to the model number shown in the 1970 catalog for Mach drums.
The owner is working on the drums again after being separated from them for five years.

A few years later and the saga continues...

Doesn't the 15" tom on these 1970 Machs look like mine, with the, seemingly, too-small lugs?

https://reverb.com/item/5253931-vint...16-18-drum-set