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Olds Ambassador



 
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number juan
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Joined: 15 Dec 2015
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:32 am    Post subject: Olds Ambassador Reply with quote

So I think I lucked out a bit. I'm a music Education major, and towards the end of last semester, after all my juries, and between finals days, I decided to have a me day and just go about doing random things. And in an antique shop, I found an olfs ambassador for 70 dollars. The valves loosened up nicely once I put some oil, and the slides came unstuck with a little work. But it plays perfectly now, and the general consensus by myself, my peers, and my professor, is that I actually sound better on the olds than my old horn. (A bach TR200 I've had since I started playing in 7th grade) it's more free blowing, has a more mellow sound in the middle register, but it really lightens up in the upper register. Valves are perfect, and look pristine.
The horn has no dents that I can see, although the lacquer is mostly gone, so it's about 70% raw brass, which I find as a plus actually, as I rather dislike gold lacquer. Serial number suggests either a 58 or 59 Fullerton horn, which I've heard is also good.

So a pretty good find I think, for the 70 dollars I paid for it
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Tpt_Guy
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Joined: 16 Jul 2004
Posts: 1101
Location: Sacramento, Ca

PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 1:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great find!

A few years back, I picked up a '56 Ambassador from the TH Marketplace, similar price. It's all raw brass, the physical controls feel a little clunky and whatever, but I forget all that when I play it because of how well it plays.
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"A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence."
-Bruce Lee
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JFisher63
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Joined: 01 Dec 2022
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats. I fell in love with Olds horns many yrs ago. I own several models all pre 1965. The Ambassadors (maybe because they were intended as student models) were built to last. I've read that the ethos & quality control on ALL Olds models were to the same high standards regardless whether Ambassadors or top of the line Mendez. Right after highly sought after LA Olds, the early Fullerton horns like yours are becoming hard to find in good shape. My 1948 LA Ambassador cornet came needing brace soldering & heavy external cleaning - but had minor dents & absolutely NO red rot. Free valves with tight compression! So after a quick refurbish of new cork, felts & springs it's an excellent horn. Both my 48 cornet & a 1955 Ambassador trumpet are raw brass. For protection I occasionally wipe on/off a light coating of Meguiar's carnauba car wax. The 48 has a beautiful patina & produces a wonderful smoky tone. Enjoy your Olds! Best of luck in your music studies.
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TrumpetMD
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Joined: 22 Oct 2008
Posts: 2410
Location: Maryland

PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations on the new trumpet. I started out on a 1970 Olds Ambassador trumpet. That horn is long gone. But I managed to come across a 1957 Olds Ambassador trumpet in good condition that I restored. Not long after that, I found a 1957 Olds Ambassador cornet in excellent condition.

Mike
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Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.
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