WFL DRUM SET - i have questions!

[fivestarkid]

hey everyone. havent posted in a while because i havent bought in a while. local guy put these up for a good price and i got them even cheaper. $500.00 for all!!!! great condition. 24x14 wfl and 16x16 wfl. im new to vintage wfl/ludwig stuff. value? how to date these? how do i treat interior wood to preserve? and best heads for a modern rock sound that wont give me fit issues? i love the vintage sound with coated ambassadors but im not a jazz drummer. looking for heads that still will allow these to sing as they should!!!! not gonna change the bass drum batter. but it does have the old ludwig weathmaster reso. im not opposed to keeping that being just a reso head. any info on these, suggestions are appreciated.
oh, and i did find a 13x9 on reverb that matches this wrap and is excellent cond for 279.00 restored! so overall i think i scored today. let me know!!!!!! im happy so far!!!

 

[D. B. Cooper]

Woah! Awesome drums. The 24" it so cool!

Great price. Did you end up buying the 13"?

How are the edges? Do you have an restoration to do?

 

[K.O.]

What does the badge look like? That can give a clue as to when these were made. With a WFL badge they would be from early 1958 at the very latest. WFL badge with Ludwig Drum Co. at the bottom would be late 1956 into early 1958 (ish).

Double tom mount is a later modification as those didn't exist in the WFL era. What are the spurs? Should be either the early fold outs or the disappearing model.

Cool drums, if those had been local to me at that price I'd have jumped on them too.

 

[Pre ‘72]

Score on a 24”!

Looks like there have been some mods to the top with the mounting hardware. And maybe newer spurs added too?? Is the badge off center?

Have you opened them up and looked for date stamps?

 

[mfry2112]

Ambassadors or Emperors on the toms

 

[fivestarkid]

Woah! Awesome drums. The 24" it so cool!

Great price. Did you end up buying the 13"?

How are the edges? Do you have an restorationbought a 9x13 on reverb. its on its way. added badge to pos

What does the badge look like? That can give a clue as to when these were made. With a WFL badge they would be from early 1958 at the very latest. WFL badge with Ludwig Drum Co. at the bottom would be late 1956 into early 1958 (ish).

Double tom mount is a later modification as those didn't exist in the WFL era. What are the spurs? Should be either the early fold outs or the disappearing model.

Cool drums, if those had been local to me at that price I'd have jumped on them too.

 

[fivestarkid]

Score on a 24”!

Looks like there have been some mods to the top with the mounting hardware. And maybe newer spurs added too?? Is the badge off center?

Have you opened them up and looked for date stamps?

yes. drilled for newer spurs. badge is off center. added a pic of it to original post. im gonna look for stamps again. they said the red might be hard to find on mahog shell

 

[K.O.]

That badge points to 1956 or earlier. Sometime around 1956-57 they changed it to read Ludwig Drum Co. At the bottom. WFL bought the Ludwig name in 1955.

 

[Pre ‘72]

Don’t see a lot of Ludwig badges that far off center.

It also looks a little tampered with. Maybe a rewrap?

Interested to see what the experts have to say on that one.

 

[patrickwitherow]

Nice score on the 24”! I got a ‘48 WFL kit a few months back with a 24x14. Sounds amazing!

 

[happyshump]

Definitely a re wrap.

 

[fivestarkid]

Don’t see a lot of Ludwig badges that far off center.

It also looks a little tampered with. Maybe a rewrap?

Interested to see what the experts have to say on that one.

its actually centered to the original single lug set up- previous owner redrilled it for double lugs and added the tom holder. tragic really that someone butchered a vintage drum like this but it was a great price with floor tom so......

 

[fivestarkid]

What does the badge look like? That can give a clue as to when these were made. With a WFL badge they would be from early 1958 at the very latest. WFL badge with Ludwig Drum Co. at the bottom would be late 1956 into early 1958 (ish).

Double tom mount is a later modification as those didn't exist in the WFL era. What are the spurs? Should be either the early fold outs or the disappearing model.

Cool drums, if those had been local to me at that price I'd have jumped on them too.

drums were re-wrapped. they were also redrilled for double lugs, modern spurs and tom mount. the disappearing spur mounts are still on the bass. the badge is actually centered to the original lug holes. obvioulsly someone butchered this drum, but the price was decent and i didnt mind the player grade kit. i have a 13x9 coming and also a 6.5x14 wfl concert model snare. ill post finall pics when its all set up.

 

[D. B. Cooper]

drums were re-wrapped. they were also redrilled for double lugs, modern spurs and tom mount. the disappearing spur mounts are still on the bass. the badge is actually centered to the original lug holes. obvioulsly someone butchered this drum, but the price was decent and i didnt mind the player grade kit. i have a 13x9 coming and also a 6.5x14 wfl concert model snare. ill post finall pics when its all set up.

Nice! They look great!

 

[Pre ‘72]

I’d probably find myself rewrapping it again to clean that up.

But I’m crazy.

Congrats on the score.

 

[plumbndrum]

Those look like adhesive sanding discs on the inside of the reso bass drum head:

That's weird!

 

[wflkurt]

I don't know these sure look to me like they went through the ringer. Not sure why that badge placement is so out of place. I'd be tempted to get all the shells together and have them all re-wrapped so they match better. Would be a lot of work though. Could be a great players set though.

 

[BennyK]

I'll take a sheet of 600 grit emory cloth and soak it in lemon oil then , following the grain pass it over the interiors with a medium light pressure circular motion . Same with the edges .

Nice score !! I had a virgin 24 x14 WFL , no spurs no mounting hardware, nothing. Made myself clip- ons with sharpened and slightly bent cowbell holders . This drum was like jello on springs . Shoulda kept it . I bought it at a junk sale for @ 40 bucks and sold it for 350 .... still, I shoulda kept it .

 

[fivestarkid]

Those look like adhesive sanding discs on the inside of the reso bass drum head:
View attachment 596320

That's weird!

YES! previous owner didnt have a way to muffle it, had a gig and used sanding discs. lol. so ruined the value but the head still functions great

 

[fivestarkid]

I don't know these sure look to me like they went through the ringer. Not sure why that badge placement is so out of place. I'd be tempted to get all the shells together and have them all re-wrapped so they match better. Would be a lot of work though. Could be a great players set though.

the badge is centered to the original single lug design. 1st owner drilled the shell to accommodate double lugs and also added the tom holder. yes its tragic that someone would butcher the kit but they still sound great and i was ok with player grade. cool winter project

I'll take a sheet of 600 grit emory cloth and soak it in lemon oil then , following the grain pass it over the interiors with a medium light pressure circular motion . Same with the edges .

Nice score !! I had a virgin 24 x14 WFL , no spurs no mounting hardware, nothing. Made myself clip- ons with sharpened and slightly bent cowbell holders . This drum was like jello on springs . Shoulda kept it . I bought it at a junk sale for @ 40 bucks and sold it for 350 .... still, I shoulda kept it .

thanks for the interior info. i was wondering what to put on em. and yes, we all have regrets of things that got away!