Do you mean the wrap is tucked into the scarf joint? That's surprising if that's what you mean. My '69 kit has shells that don't have the wrap tucked into the scarf joint on any of the shells.

But, just to clarify...ALL Ludwig 3-ply shells have scarf joints.

Yes mine are tucked in as of 04/02/1969

Maybe some of the last done before that major change in production design.

This is more proof that, in drum manufacturing history, the exception WAS the rule.

I don't believe this is an exception at all. A '68/'69 transition seems to be commonly accepted.

The ? Is is mine kit one of the last of the Mohicans?

Hers a thought: a bunch of shells are glued up and they get stamped at final inspection or assembly.

(It would also explain the similar overlap with badge styles)

I ordered my blue kit new and date codes vary from 1980 to 1989…

That would not account for badges installed , also

this is the end of the line for old keystone

There is a change of wood also , so why was scarf discontinued is it still there but hidden in new process ?

Saying the wrap is tucked into the scarf joint is a bit of a misnomer. They started with a flat piece of plywood to which they glued the wrap. The bevel cuts for the scarf were made and then the plywood was bent into a shell. Because of this, the wrap is integrated into the scarf joint.

As far as why some shells have wrap in the scarf and some don't, I think the most likely case is that this was in the days well before "just in time" manufacturing. Back then they made large runs of drum shells that would sit for quite some time. This was necessary because of the fact that the wrap was integrated into the shell when it was made. They would do large runs of each finish to give them enough shells to build drum kits for some period of time. It could have been a week's worth or it could have been a month's worth. Or even more.

Ludwig didn't seem to do a great job of "rotating their stock". We all have seen how Ludwig didn't waste anything and would put much earlier parts that must have been kicking around the warehouse for years and someone found them and used them rather than scrapping them. This would easily explain why there would be some shells with the wrap in the scarf joint and some without even though they had officially stopped that practice.

So earlier shells would make there way into finished drums for some period of time, probably for a year or two.

Once they stopped integrating the wrap, they could just make a bunch of shells, pick the required sizes, wrap and then build finished drums. This seems much more efficient and probably made life easier for them.

Your forgetting one thing it’s maple