These were the questions asked:
Do I have a drum from the 80's?
And, is this a "Supraphonic?"
The answers are "yes" and "yes".
The badge on your drum was only used for the last two years of Chicago production, 1983 and 1984. To narrow it down closer than that would be nearly impossible, unless you were able to determine the date of purchase as well as the date the drum entered retail inventory.
As far as quality, the only differences are minor.
The rims on your drum are likely 2.3mm, whereas the older Supraphonics used 1.6mm rims. Most vintage folks prefer the older, thinner rims, as they weigh less and thus allow a drum to resonate more.
The shell of your drum is made of Ludalloy, an aluminum alloy, and is the same exact thing as a Supraphonic shell from 15 years earlier. However, the badge on your drum prevents the head from laying with zero interference...a strange design quirck coming from the company that designed the only truly perfectly round shell. Some players claim that hurts the sound as well.
Lastly, your drum likely has 20 strand snares rather than the older 18 strands. Compare an older set of Ludwig snare wires with new...there is a notable difference.
Having said all of the above, I will add that I doubt you will find a drummer alive that can consistently differentiate between a 1983 and a 1963 Supraphonic in a blindfold test.
