I highly doubt that it's a re-wrap. It looks original. Can you provide some detailed pictures of the seam where the wrap overlaps?

O-Lugs, I will get that posted up this afternoon. Another question about the inside of the shell, weren't some of the older Ludwig shell unpainted?

Thanks Mike

Late '60s and early '70s shells weren't painted. If the wrap goes into the shell, it's not a re-wrap. If there's fade (like on yours), odds are it's not a re-wrap. Also, the available re-wrapping material (Bermuda sand) is similar, but not an exact match to your Ludwig, so I'd bet your drum is original as far as the wrap goes.

Rich, Is that what I am seeing in the first photo off to the left side where you can see the angle that feathers into the wrap? I will get a couple more photos. Thanks Mike

Actually, yes...that does look like the seam is tucked into the scarf...but, to the best of my knowledge, the un-painted interior Ludwigs of the late 1960's had done away with that technique of tucking the wrap into the scarf joint. I have an early 70's kit with clear interiors and the wrap is not tucked into the scarf joint. I have a '67 kit with the wrap tucked into the scarf joint. Maybe there was a window when the drums had both the tucked wrap and clear interiors?...like, maybe a late 1968 kit or something?

O'Lugs & Rich K.,

I am no expert, I am a novice, but I always thought that it was the early 60's Ludwig drums that were clear, like 1962 or 63. I don't know where I got that from, but what you are saying is that the late 60's and early 70's were when they produced unpainted interiors. Did they have a period in the early 60's as well? The badge that was sent to me separately, that was supposed to be off of this drum has the s/n #317687. I can't confirm that it came from this drum and I understand that there can be some wide variations on serial numbers & dates, but if that were the # where in general would you date it? 1967?

Mike,

I THINK the earlier drums with clear interiors were usually mahogany inner plies and not maple. Somewhere in the early 60's, Ludwig started painting the interiors with white paint. I think they stuck with this practice up until the last part of the 1960's...at which point they switched to clear MAPLE interior plies.

According to your badge serial number, the drum should be from somewhere between 1966 and 1967...but that doesn't make sense to me because during that era, the interiors should have been painted white.

I defer to a more expert Ludwig expert...I noted that JR Frondelli (jfrond) is now a member at this forum. He knows a lot about Ludwig stuff.

JR?Eye Ball