Via another venue, a fellow drummer researched this drum with some Ludwig friends he knows and they believe that this drum may have been an experimental or prototype for which few were built. I think it is cool. I am open to selling the drum if anyone is interested. Am downsizing my vintage display collection.

I've never seen this exact model, but snare drums with duel level snares were around in that era. Cool unit.

Just a guess, but did Ludwig experiment with making a snare drum for the pipe band market? Premier is known for the internal wire snares under the batter head for the pipe bands. I don't know when Premier first offered that type of arrangement but believe it was called a Royal Scot and was some time after 1945. I don't know if Premier was first or Rose Morris. In any case it is a cool drum.

The p83 that is shown is much older than the drum. Should have had the same bolt pattern though. Wonder what the extra hole was for at the bottom strainer?

Mike

Thanks for the info all. Mike, I wonder if the P83 was installed by the guy who rebuilt the drum inscribed in the inside 1997. I overlooked that strainer era for P83. Local drum shop said a 85 would fit the holes.