Maple and Mahogany have quite a different color (as you probably know). Look carefully at the bearing edge; see if you can make out the outer layer. I think you will be able to see whether or not it's mahogany.

If the bearing edge is painted over, I suppose you can try to look in a hole after taking off a lug or strainer orso.

Is the wrap damaged or something? I mean, if it's your drum, you can do to it what you like of course, but if it looks great as it is, why take it off?

Removing the wrap, as you probably already know, will kill any chance of a future sale for anything above a low dollar players' price (players' grade). If it is mahogany, you would be able to tell when you take off the lugs to polish them. Simply, and very carefully lift the wrap in the screw-hole enough to get your answer. If maple, then it will be a very light colored wood with very little splintering where the drill poked the holes through, if mahog, it will be darker and also more "splinter-y", if that makes sense.

Mmm yeah. The problem is is this kit has already been rewrapped! Which i a shame but thats life i suppose.

And also the interiors were painted white during the rewrapping!! :(

Are there any ways to remove the paint from the interior? Ive read that there are two main ways - chemically and physically (with sandpaper or something like that)

Is there somewhere i could find a good method???

Or should i even attempt to???

More porous for glueing, mahogany is what you'll find nine times out of ten under this era of wrapped Ludwigs.The tighter grain of maple was a superior ground for painting, as in the duco series.

yeah. See thats what i've heard as well, if it was wrapped it was maple/poplar/mahogany. And it if was a thermogloss kit, then obviously it was maple/poplar/maple.

BUT according the the ludwig shell timeline, from The Ludwig Book by Rob Cook, he says that most of the shells from 1968 onwards (i.e. when they stopped painting the interiors white) were actually maple/poplar/maple.

So many conflicting experiences/sources of information! GAAAH!!! :P

Give us a picture of the bearing edges... perhaps several.... straight from overhead close-ups.... perhaps someone can tell.... it's worked before....

Ok, I can answer this one. The 14x26, 10x14, and 16x16 are all maple interior and mahogany exterior. The 16x18 is maple interior and exterior.

Have you had hands on this particular kit? I'd never make an unqualified statement about shells I hadn't seen. I'd say "there is a high probability of X but the history of Ludwig is littered with exceptions." But then I was a statistician by trade.

Yes, they're mine.