I am not sure about value but it is a cool snare. Looks like some sort of glue at the badge, quite possibly a rewrap.

that is the 48-52 wfl badge. it appears to be the model 902p,ray mckinley super classic model. the tone control muffler was optional on those. nice drum.

mike

And, the 1948-1952 WFL badge was also aluminum! I have a near mint 1948 WFL Ray McKinley w/aluminum badge, chrome hardware and fully extended snares. Have to agree with mlayton, you do have a Ray McKinley. However, that is most certainly a re-wrap, and that will drop the value a bit... it will not however affect the sound! They are indeed nice drums! Oh, regarding the wrap: The "chip/pattern" on yours is much too small for early WFL, and the color is quite inconsistent with the age/era of the drum. Still... nice drum!

Tommyp

tommyp

what gives the 48-52 badges the brass color is they are aluminum? were they anodized or something? i had never heard that info before.

mike

mlayton!...

In the 40's, the WFL badges were ALL aluminum, owing to the brass shortage/needs of WWII... and the aluminum WFL badge stayed in place through 1948, with some still showing up as late as 1950.. ( until supply was exhausted ) Interestingly though, WFL also used a brass badge.. ( same design/wording as the aluminum badge ) .. that started in 1948, and stayed in place through 1952. After WWII ended and brass was once again available, WFL did away with the aluminum badge in favor of the brass variant, and brass it was all the way up until the B&O in the 70's. So...

There was a change over from aluminum to brass in 1948, and for a couple years drums were showing up with both badges. Regarding the Ray McKinley, or specifically my Ray McKinley:

This drum was the snare drum supplied with the "Buddy Rich Super Classic" outfit in 1948, of which I have the complete set, and with ALL aluminum WFL badges. Prior to 1948, JFBL's drum shown here, as well as my Ray McKinley, was known simply as the "New Classic". Even more interesting to me, and any other Buddy nut!, is the fact that Buddy RARELY played the 61/2 X 14 sized snare drums during this period, much preferring the WFL 51/2 X 14... yet his signature set was cataloged with the 61/2 X 14 Ray McKinley. Go figure. LOL! I keep my 1948 aluminum badged Ray McKinley as it is the snare that came with the set, but also prefer and play the 51/2 X 14 myself. I've never even gigged the Ray McKinley... and chances are the original owner didn't either as it is truly in near MINT condition.

JFBL: Sorry if this thread got a bit "hijacked"... but it was all in keeping with part of your initial query!

Tommyp

Thanks so much for all the detail guys, I appreciate as much history as I can get my hands on. Superbe!

The badge could be original, right? I mean that is a mid-50s badge. What makes you think (other than the glue around the badge) that it may be a rewrap?

Pounder!...

See post #4 regarding chip size/pattern/color. Here is the same era WFL snare from my BR collection, only 51/2 X 14. Note the chip size/pattern! Same badge by the way too!

Tommyp

Yeah that looks like a different chip pattern. Your drum appears to be chrome although it could be really shined-up nickel? Probably original WMP would be yellowed slightly more than his drum is. Still, I would need to see more evidence that it is a rewrap--on that particular drum. I owned an identical drum except for the wrap a couple of years ago. It was gold sparkle.. sold to a guy in Japan. I've owned a few drums like your drum. The 50s wfl shells are incredible shells for snare drums. They have an outstanding sound.