Yes, a "P" stamp indicates that the shell is to be Covered/Wrapped...
Cheers
By the way 4Moreyears, Your user name has always had me intrigued .. and by my calculations actually lapsed around 4years ago... What's going on..Laughing H
Oops I see that your question was aimed at DrummerJohn..
I was going to wait 4 more years to answer - but decided against it!
No other stamps inside the other shells (13 and 22).
BTW - all 3 of these were painted. Under the black is a blue - under the blue is a red / maroon. Perhaps it was the maroon / gold originally.
http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/images/catalogs/slingerland/1964_slingerland_9.jpg
I have a (50's or early 60's?) Slingerland 15x12 shell with center lugs that was probably a marching tom - there are no legs and no snare throw or butt. But it TOO has the bearing edges cut into it. So that must have been standard with Slingerland back then. Maybe their 15x12 were usually used as marching snares so they turned a bunch out of the factory with the edges cut, even if they didn't really need them on the ones that ended up being used as toms.
Also, mine has an "M" stamp but has an original duco paint (blue and white). So duco paint must be another possibility with the "M" stamp.
(political warning!) Finally, a long time ago I used to think there was some difference between the parties, and that maybe things would change when the president changed. But then I found that no matter who was in power nothing really changed, and things just get more and more screwed up. So I've joined the lunatic fringe who will only vote for 3rd party candidates. Of course one will never win - but that just gives me more opportunities for disappointment!
Slingerland uses two black stamps in the shells they made P meaning wrapped finishes and M meaning stained and painted finishes.
Weird letters - wouldn't you think that W would be for wrapper and P (or F) would be for painted? Anyhow - evidently some shells never got any stamp - wonder why. Factory mysteries - no shortage of those here!
Thanks for the explanation on your screen-name.
Good to know that this FT is indeed factory and not some after-the-fact addition added by the user. Thanks for the contributions to the discussion you guys!
"4MoreyearsOhNo",
That makes sense to me.. thanks for putting me out of my misery.
Cheers
Very possible that Slingerland put beds on a bunch of 12 x 15 shells regardless of what type drum they were going to end up being.
My theory on the interior stamps is that the P is for pearl and the M is a W for wood.
P is for "Pearl" which is what Slingerland called all their wrapped finishes. M is I think for "Maple" which would be the outer ply on any drum destined to be natural, or painted, or stained...except those wrapped in Mahogany...still an M though.
You can replace the missing floor tom leg bracket buttons with 10/32 thread button head bolts. You can even get them in chrome plated finish at some of your finer hardware stores. They just screw into the hole on the "L" shaped piece that pushes against the spring. I think JP2 sells repros of the original buttons but I'm sure they are costly for no more than what they are. I think even the chrome plated button heads are only around $2 ea and the regular black oxide ones are less than 50 cents each.
I'm not sure on Slingerlands but the early Ludwig Club Date floor toms were only available as a 12x15 and the 14x14 came a bit later on. Slingerland may have done likewise.
Slingerland had 12x15s with their sets, then switched to 14x14s but also had 16x14 and 16x16 center lug floor toms.
