Hi KC!

Just to show the irregularity of these blank BO badges, I have a 1970 Super Classic with a date stamp in the 14x22 bass drum of JUN 3 1970 and a SN of 769027

I really find it interesting, and odd, how these blank badges occurred! Keep up the good work!

-Mark

I did not have this one recorded. Can you send me more details about the set - which style of B/O badge (with or without Trademark registration symbol), type of tone control, number of plies, etc...?

Mark - Is this the set? You posted about it in 2012 on DFO

6/3/70 769027

11/9/1970 823949

60717 900260 Date Code

I have got to say that I'm pretty much at the point of believing that Ludwig just used up whatever was left on hand as the not wasting anything goes back to the days when WFL senior ran things in the late 30's. That trait was probably handed down to WFL II as well. For example I have late 30's WFL catalogs and I see drums all the time that would not match any catalog description. Something like a drum with high end imperial WFL lugs with a lower end strainer and single flange hoops, ect....

My point is that I'm sure if a batch of serial numbers were discovered I would bet that Ludwig would just use them up rather than wasting them. I also would bet that most of the odd keystone badge placed drums were most likely done to acros or lower line drums that were not as high end representitive. I mean what kid would ***** about getting an acro with badge up too high? I doubt many.....

I'll try to get the serial for you off my acrolite. It has a date stamp from 1972, so a bit late but maybe it is useful information anyway.

J!m,

If it is Date Code 21720 and serial number 912166, you posted about it back in 2012.

If it is a different drum, please post or send me the info.

Rick

That's probably it. I only have one!

"Any thoughts on what was going on with Ludwig during this forty day period - September 1 - October 10, 1970?"

I would bet the numbering machine thingy was either broken, being upgraded, or they changed the method numbers were being stamped on B/O as compared to the keystone badges. The numbers are significantly different on B/O as compared to keystones so I don't imagine they used the same machine or at least the same dies. B/O was also aluminum versus the brass keystones so it was a different task altogether. Probably just kept working and applying blank badges until their stamper/engraver was repaired or available again. No reason to stop sending out drums just because they don't have serials.

KC...

You are correct that these SN's were posted back in 2012! I'll revise this right now with additional SN's to help you out:

769027 14x22 Shell stamp: JUN 3 1970

812168 5x14 Shell stamp: NOV 13 1970

819670 16x16 Shell stamp: APR 19, 1971*

823949 9x13 Shell stamp: NOV 9 1970

900260 16x16 Blue/Olive label: 60717

*this drum was at Heuer's Drum Lab in Burbank, Ca. You can see how long this shell sat before the B/O badge was attached, with a SN from late 1970! The badge probably sat at the very bottom of the pile before being used on the tom shell!

-Mark

Ludwig did not keep records of the serial numbers on their drums so there would be no reason for them to not use (or to care) if they had an out of sequence batch (or even a shipment of blank badges) pop up on the factory floor. Certainly serial numbers do follow a general climbing trend that we can track with some degree of accuracy (thanks primarily to Rick and other's fine data collection) but it's not likely that you can get much closer than within about a year of manufacture based on just the serial number, unless there's a date stamp...and even the correlation there isn't precisely known...was it stamped the day the drum shell was made, wrapped, or finished out? PROBABLY when the drum was finished but no one seems to know 100% for sure. All these events could have possibly occurred on the same day but some shells languished in stacks for extended periods of time.

Cool. My 16x16 Tri-band is 769086, and dated the same day JUN 3, 1970!