I'm not sure but photo 2 looks to have the wrap lapped into the scarf which would be right. That wrap looks genuine and as far as I'm aware Oyster blue hasn't been available to buy for a long time so it would have to be an older rewrap if indeed it is.

Hi!

i.m.h.o, Looks original to me.

+1 to what FayRay said, and also if you take a look to the grommet, it seems to be fair factory stuff.

Bearing edges looks awful, but that not mean anything about "after-market" wrap.

Good luck!

There is no evidence that the grommet or badge have been tampered with and the wrap appears to be aged. My concern is the sharp transition documented in photo #2. Compared to my sparkle kits, there is a harsh line at the seam that is visible in the wrap. Almost as if some of the ply was cut off to feed the wrap inside the joint, making a drastic edge. Normally the seam is quite smooth and held down under the lugs, but not in this case. I don't have much experience with Oyster so this could be common, not sure.

Looks good to me. Perhaps not the best seam but Ludwig had a lot of issues like that. That was also right around the time they stopped wrapping the drums before forming the shells so there may have been some transition while they tried different methods.

Also that wrap hasn't been available since around 1970 so it would be difficult to do a rewrap even if you wanted to. Even if you could find (or harvest) a vintage piece, why go to all the trouble for an oyster BLUE tom?

Not to slight Oyster Blue, but if you're after the "Ringo money" you'd want to do it in oyster black.

everything that I see in the pics appears to be original with the exception of the interior paint that you mentioned.

mike

Everyone is in agreement that the wrap is original, so maybe just a quality issue on the seam?

I have seen other Ludwigs with that same type of seam. And ,of course, many 3 ply Ludwigs have the infamous "hump" adjacent to the seam so things weren't always "perfect" in Ludwig land.

I believe it was right around 1968 (somewhat coinciding with the introduction of the Standard series) that the wrap stopped going into the joint. They may have tried different methods before settling on one (wrapping a completed shell). Perhaps they tried wrapping the shell after it was formed but before it the seam was glued together. That's almost what yours looks like was done.

Anyway, regardless of how it was done, that looks to be something only Ludwig could have, or would have, done. The wrap itself has been unobtainable for decades (Jack Lawton did have it remade once about 20 years ago but it wasn't a dead-on match and was sold out well before these drums were selling for decent money) and if someone did somehow get some wrap and do a rewrap they'd be crazy to go to the trouble of breaking open the seam enough to insert the wrap...maybe on a super collectible drum someone would try that but in this case it wouldn't be worth the effort or the risk. Besides, if you had that piece of wrap and wanted to deceive someone for profit you'd use it on a Jazz Fest shell anyhow.

Pretty sure you've got the real deal there....

I sincerely appreciate your opinion K.O. Your wealth of knowledge has always been helpful and I look forward to your comments! To everyone who gave their wisdom and valuable time, I thank you.

Case Closed