Olds Special Trumpet

Trptbenge · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:39 am Post subject:

I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the special trumpet & where it fit in the Olds line-up. I looked on Alan Rouse "Olds Central" at some of the catalogs but they were very no committal on the playing level. It was right before the Ambassador (student model) and right after the Studio. So, I was wondering if it were like an intermediate trumpet? Does anyone have any information?

It's All Technique · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 5:01 am Post subject:

One step above an ambassador, which was their entry line. I find the trumpet brighter and more focused than the ambassador and slots better. I feel more back pressure however when I play my special, and find it easy to over blow. Just my thoughts
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Eric

Olds Mendez, Recording, Super, Studio, Special, Ambassador
'75 LA Benge, Conn Vintage One
Yamaha 6335 II, 6335 II raw brass, 9335 New York, 6345 II, 8310Z
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Schilke X3, Bach Strad. 37. 72*Raw Brass!!

bgwbold · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 8:14 am Post subject:

I would say that the Special and Studio would be considered intermediate level horns, but as many Olds fanciers believe, there is not a whole lot of difference between these and the higher priced horns from the standpoint of quality.

Mike

da_roadrunner · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 12:22 pm Post subject:

so if the super and the studio were considered intermediate what was considered pro?

[ This Message was edited by: da_roadrunner on 2003-12-11 15:23 ]

bulos · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 12:34 pm Post subject:

bgwbold · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 1:06 pm Post subject:

This is the way I understand the gradation of Olds horns.

Ambassador was student,
Special, Standard and Studio were intermediate
Mendez, Opera, Recording, Super were pro

There were some other models that came and went, like the French model, the Super Recording, the Military model. I have now seen all of those and think they were all pro horns. I apologize if I am leaving out anything. Again, it was mostly a question of where these horns were priced in the marketplace, since the quality was generally good on all of them.

You usually don't hear comments like this about horn manufacturers, especially nowadays, but I have heard some similar comments regarding Kanstul instruments, for what it's worth. This makes sense to me, since Zig Kanstul was an Olds executive for a long time and probably had a lot to do with Olds quality being what it was.

Mike

valvepimp · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:08 pm Post subject:

I have three Olds Specials. Two Fullertons and a Los Angeles. The Fullertons play exactly alike and offer a bright, vibrant sound. One was a freebie, which is why I have two. They are both pro horns in every sense, and play noticeably better than my Ambassador which I consider to be a very good trumpet. My Los Angeles is in a class by itself. I think it must be a fluke. It has a sonorous tone, perfect intonation, and an upper register that permits me to play all the notes in between a high G and a double C with relative ease. There is not much of a struggle at all to get from the high G to the A above like there can be on my Bach, for example.

As for the Olds Super, in no way should this be considered an intermediate horn (price notwithstanding). More pros played it in the 50s and 60s than any other Olds model. My Los Angeles Super is the finest Olds I currently own, and plays better than any Recording I ever sampled. Though not quite the screamer that my "fluke" Special is, it is capable of a huge amount of volume and has a gorgeous sound, and the response is the most even of all the Olds trumpets I have ever tried (disclaimer: I never tried an Opera).
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bgwbold · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 8:03 pm Post subject:

I used the terms intermediate and pro loosely, just based on what people who owned them at the time have told me. I have a Studio that is as good a horn as any I have owned and a buddy of mine whose folks bought him one when he was in high school told me that it was considered a step up horn from the Ambassador but below the four pro horns. I would consider my Studio to be on a par with any of Olds' so called pro horns. I have not owned a Special, but would assume the same would be true for it. Anyway, the associations don't mean much now, except that they still follow the horns and influence certain models to sell for less than other ones. In my way of thinking, that just makes the Ambassador, Special and Studio real bargains for "wise" people.

Mike

MaynardProdigy · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 12:49 pm Post subject:

Its a great playing trumpet. The only reason that I'm selling is because the wife has been on my back about getting rid of some of my horns. What sucks is that she don't know about the flugel horn that I have on the way:)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2366230325&category=16214

Trptbenge · Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 6:27 pm Post subject:

I recently played a Custom P12L - which is the large bore (relatively large at .464). This was actually their top horn according to the 1977 Catalog follwed by the Mendez, Opera, Recording and Super. I haved played Several Recordings that are incredibly good playing horns. I had a friend that had a Super and he thought it was the best horn he had ever owned.

Thanks!

Mike

Lo · Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 6:58 pm Post subject:

Hi there! My teacher, I'm pretty sure, owns a special and has been playing it since University...? Of course he sounds amazing on it, and loves playing it. Hopefully I get my Kanstul trumpet for christmas and can compare it with his Olds.

. My friend has an Olds Ambassador and loves it, it's a real bargain if you do not care about asthetics.