Actually, the disappearing spurs make their first appearance on a kit in the 64 cat ... so your kit would not be out of spec. The badge is another story entirely. Friday ... yup, I agree. Funny stuff.

Having worked in a few factories, I can understand. Of course, in '64, Ludwig was swamped with orders thanks to Ringo and The Beatles. You do what you have to, to make production.

Well possibly a few more notes to add to the pot....just to keep it stirring:

Took the 13" tom apart to polish, etc.... has reso interior, factory red felt bat tone control, and the date 1963 (can't make out the month). Nothing is alarming with this drum, standard in my opinion.

The kit came with a matching Pioneer, which the serial number indicates 1964. #78019

The person that purchased the kit back then either waited a short period of time until he purchased the snare???? Or they possibly sold the kit in 64 (carrying over the bass and tom from 63), thus maybe placed the holes in the bass at that time? (if the dis spurs came out in the 64 cat)

Cats are only a guideline. The main point here that should be the focus is the offset nature of the spurs. Those are not factory placement. Even a bad day of QC wouldn't allow a bass to leave with spurs off to that degree. Someone added those after the fact. It would be very difficult to convince me otherwise.

The absence of a hotdog removes Clubdate as a variable. The fact that these are double tension removes those low end hobby kits. The remaining option is the Combo, but the badge is in the wrong spot ... and the spurs are wrong ... as is the size.

I have a hard time believing this was a cat kit. I think it's a display floor piece together, like a lot of them were at the time.

Special orders were the exception to the rule. Most of the "adjustments" were made in-store. Grab the Tom off that kit and let the owner order a replacement. Ludwig was slamming busy to do a huge amount of special orders. I think that variable is overused when analyzing kits these days.

I'm leaning to a good ole Clubdate without a hot dog or cymbal mount, and the cymbal mount and extra legs were added at a store or by one of the owners of the outfit.

The '63 catalog shows hot dog on top and cymbal mount on the side, so if this was issued without either, then there you go.

It's a mystery boiling over into an enigmatic mystique blended with a puzzling sauce served with a cask of conundrum riddled with obscurity and uncertainty.

Sprinkled with just a hint of Madagascar cinnamon and Fair Trade Polynesian natural brown sugar ... add $15.95 please

For parties larger than five the gratuity will be automatically included.

I'm sure there were special orders that one could order through the factory, but... At that time it would maybe be months before it would get delivered. I really think that any 'special' needs were handled by the retailers during that time. The factory being swamped.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but i don't see anything all that odd about this set. It's a 1964 Clubdate, 20,13,14, Pioneer, with double bass spurs & a hoop-mounted tom holder. Maybe not what is shown in a catalog, exactly, but not that odd. There are lots of basses with double spurs, the bass has the correct number of lugs, and it has a 13" rather than a more common 12", but still---not all that unique, IMHO. Show us what it looks like after you work your magic on it, Surf........marko

Marko, You bet I will! Have to find a few things first as they had previously removed all the bottom hoops, and tension rods.....all in nickel :(

wish list consists of....bass mount tom mount in nickel of course, and a 13" NOB 6 hole hoop just for starters.

BTW, the pioneer turned out fantastic! (after removing the mud dobbers nest off the rim) Seems the triple flange hoop also makes a good nesting place!