I've added some pics of the actual drum that I'm getting. Note the area to the right of the date stamp in the final picture. This is where the muffler was originally mounted.

THANKS AGAIN for your help!

Oldschool - there were several changes between a '55 WFL and '59 Transition Badge Ludwig. The gold sparkle drum you've pictured has the correct snare butt for that year. Also, the muffler is in the correct spot...two panels to the left of the badge. On the WMP drum you showed, however, the white felt baseball bat muffler is incorrect, as it wasn't yet invented when the drum was made. Unfortunately the original muffler hole was likely enlarged to fit the baseball bat, but that's not a big deal.

Here's what your gold sparkle muffler dial will look like:

[IMG]http://www.classicvintagedrums.com/muffler.jpg[/IMG]

OldSchool!...

I want to reiterate that the main reason I showed my '55 WFL Buddy Rich Model Super Classic... ( as it was named in the catalog then ) ... was to show the "knob" style tone control/muffler, but there were of course different styles of mufflers too... and again, MANY were installed after the fact at the drum shop that sold the drum. I've seen a lot of WFL/Ludwig snare drums with no "standard placement" for the muffler, ie: It could be located ANYWHERE on the drum based on where the guy installing it drilled! However!...

mlvibes/Bill is correct in his assessment on your particular drum regarding the style and location for that year drum. Regarding the butt on my '55 BR Super Classic: I have always called that butt the "extended butt" as the snares in this case extend completely across the bottom head, end to end, and they are attached with screws/tabs, not cord. Very sensitive and most responsive they are too! I believe the Buddy Rich, and later just the Super Classic had this snare system/butt. Lastly,

The tone control/muffler on my '55 WFL BR Super Classic was most certainly installed after the fact. I base that on the model muffler that was used, and the fact that the location is odd. I also want to mention that the drum shops used what they had at the time too, so in some cases the muffler could be foreign to the actual make of the drum!

Tommyp

TommyP / mlvibes:

THANK YOU BOTH for your time and for the information you provided. You've probably both forgotten more about vintage drums than I'll ever know so your "mentoriong" is greatly appreciated.

I'll be picking up a dial-tone muffler for the gold sparkle Super Classic that I just purchased and I'll also take a look at my WMP Super Classic to see if I should also mount a dial-tone muffler on that one as a replacement for the baseball bat muffler currently installed. The snare butt on both drums seems to be the correct one.

Who says "you can't teach old dogs new tricks?" The two of you have certainly disproved that theory.

Now........ if you happen to know where I can pick up the knob I need for the strainer please let me know.

Have a GREAT week!

Old School,

I have the correct muffler and strainer knob.

PM me...