Very cool date stamp! I love stuff like that!

Mike Curotto

It look's like some one had to work that day, just by the date. And it took more than just one person to build that snare. If there were no union at ludwig by that date, it look's like they may have had a good reason to have started one. Very cool point kelly

Well, I have another take on this drum... but first;

Most large outfits in North America have serious bonus opportunities for working Christmas and / or New Years. We were offered double time and a half for Christmas work, and double time for New Years. You would be amazed at the amount of folks that volunteer for those shifts.

Also, I can't see Ludwig having to work a holiday like that. Could be wrong... inventory could be down enough after Christmas to have to make it happen, but...

I think this was either made by an employee who 'came in' on Jan 1st to make himself or another a drum personally, then signed and dated it. Or It's the beginning of the shift for Jan 2nd (would maybe come in at 22:00 or 23:00 (10 or 11 pm) on the 1st) maybe the first drum complete for 1967?

Hard to say, but it sure is a neat find!

Merry Christmas!

Thanks Mike, drums, fishwaltz,

This Acrolite is like a New Year's baby! Could be as you say a personal drum...

Bill Ludwig Sr. was, I think, 69 or 70 years old in 1967. He was basking in success with his name fully restored and his business literally booming (no pun intended:)) as were GM, Ford and thousands of other American Businesses.

Just curious as to Bill Senior's business practices and labor relations.

No big deal on this, just a neat bit of history to uncover.

The initialed date stamp is the first one I've seen. Has anyone else seen one?

The drum still has original snare side head and plastic snares! Very nice...

-kellyj

The inside of your drum is super clean!

I just picked up a Supra dated 8/13/1966 and it has a similar mark just under the date. I bet it was an inspection mark for that shift.

Mine also has what looks like the letter "A" on the inside.

- Tim

A cynic might point out that the type of ink stampers used in those days had the months and dates on a rubber loop that was on a ratcheting set of cog wheels. I used a similar stamper for marking prices when I was a stock boy in a grocery and drug store in the 1950's. The date could be changed at will by the workers if they wanted to play games or make instant collectibles for themselves or other people. That same cynic might also point out that an ink stamped date and a black marker inscription could be placed inside the shell on the same day that someone bought it this week. But, chicanery like that doesn't happen in drumdom, does it?

Thornbeck, Looks like black markers were issued on the Ludwig factory floor to personalize inspections.

I don't think there is any chicanery involved here at least there is no evidence of it.

Interestingly, the date stamps for the rest of the kit are: Bass, Jan. 30 '67,

Floor Tom, Jan. 30 '67, Rack Tom, Jan. 27 '67 and Snare Jan. 1 '67. It's a family! The factory black laquer is about 8.5/10 for 45 year old paint. Kept indoors and upstairs for all that time.

I will best a complete pic when I have the set all cleaned up.

-kellyj

The old cynic might also point out that there is a lot of empty space between the "N" of the January abbreviation and the number 1--much more space than between the date and the year. There is enough empty space to accommodate another digit before the number 1, and still leave the proper amount of empty space. The other drums in the set are dated later in January. Perhaps the date was intended to be Jan 11 or Jan 21 or Jan 31?

Whatever the truth is, you got yourself some very nice vintage drums.

Looking closely at the stamp, it appears to have been firmly and deliberately applied by the person using it. I don't think it was intended to be another date or we may see some evidence of a digit not impressing properly. On other Ludwig drums I have, the stamp impressions vary in intensity due to the force placed upon the stamp or the amount of ink on it indicated by bold or light impressions of ink.

I tend to go with the previous mentioned theory of a New Year's day shift to keep up with the demand for drums at the time.

The conspiracy theory could also have some merit but I hope that's not the case :)

kellyj