Olds Opera Cornet

m7 · Regular Member Joined: 11 Aug 2003 Posts: 15

What's your opinion about it? Thanks.

[ This Message was edited by: m7 on 2003-09-11 22:44 ]

_Happy Canuck · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 3:32 pm Post subject:

Great! I've had one since 1965. The solid nickle-silver leadpipe and bell(a big one) give a great sound and of course, durability.

The only negative, it is a large bore and now that I'm older I can't play it for long. It just sucks the air out of me ... but in a nice way!

Pointer for info here: http://rouses.net/trumpet/olds66/operacor.htm

_________________
Bill

Olds Mendez, Recording & Special trumpets
Olds Opera cornet
Schilke MII trumpet
Bach flug

[ This Message was edited by: Happy Canuck on 2003-09-08 22:45 ]

bgwbold · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:58 pm Post subject:

I've got a good friend who has one and likes it. That's about all I can tell you about it, though, as I have never played it. It is kind of unusual looking compared to other horns of that vintage, which would make it appealing to me. It is sometimes enjoyable to play a horn that does not look like everyone else's. While it may not be all that rare, you don't see many of them.

Mike

Vox Mechanic · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2003 4:00 pm Post subject:

I have a 1919 Martin cornet that I got from my first trumpet teacher (it was his dad's), and though its as leaky as a cheap diaper I have never found another cornet that could match the sweetness and roundness of the sound until I bought my Opera just a few months ago. The Martin is pitched in the 19th century tuning so its never been a reliable player in modern groups or with a properly tuned piano or organ, so I had to content myself with playing it just for myself, or the occasional "trumpet solo" performance. Needless to say I was DELIGHTED to find this same, special voice on the Opera and I can now "play well with others."

I was always fascinated by the Opera model when I was boy (an early trumpet geek, I had sent away for the Olds catalog and studied it for hours). The name probably attracted me probably because I was an opera fan from way back and to this day, I play in various dinner theater opera gigs - my favorite job call. If I beat the opera analogy to death here, I liken the sound of the Olds Opera to the meaty, deep throated, resonant, sound of a contralto as opposed to the sharp clarity of soparano sound that I get out of my Benge trumpet. The Benge is Mimi (La Boheme), the Olds is Musetta.

I find its such a different sound that it doesn't blend well in a trumpet/cornet section, but by all means, if you've got a bel canto or lyric type solo, STAND UP and play out because its a voice that wants to be heard! I like the ability to bend notes and the Opera works for me there. The roundness of the sound carries up into the high register. This is also a disadvantage in that its harder to get crisp attacks and staccatos with zing. But its definitely the horn when the words to your music are “I love, I feel, I hurt…” and NOT “The cavalry is coming!”.

As far as workmanship, I repeat everything everyone has ever said in this forum about Olds horns, they will outlast all of us on this earth, if well maintained, the valves are as fast as any on the market today. Mine is also the model with the nickel leadpipe and bell.

If you've got one under consideration, its well worth putting it in your arsenal. I may have never won the lottery, but the 360 bucks I spent on my Opera is probably the best return on investment I've ever gotten.