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UsernameHasBeenTaken
New Member
Joined: 19 Jun 2020
Posts: 2
Location: Detroit, MI
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 Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:43 am Post subject: Olds Ambassador E-Flat |
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| This might be a stretch but in another thread, someone mentioned getting or making new slides for their E-flat to make it play in D. Does anyone know if there is a technician or a shop that could do this around south-east Michigan? This is where I really show my lack of knowledge but to further this topic, is it possible to make it play in C? |
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OldSchoolEuph
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Joined: 07 Apr 2012
Posts: 2441
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| Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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Those in Southeast Michigan are rather fortunate. At a 3 hour drive, you can be in Elkhart at the justifiably renowned shop of Mark Metzler. Less known, but respected and recommended by the same experts, is Tim Holmes, who operates out of A&R Music in Lincoln Park, and who has done restorations for several very prestigious museums, universities and collectors. I generally trust my horns to Tim or Robb Stewart in California, so I can personally vouch for his work on my horns and some amazing museum pieces that, entertainingly, I saw on his bench, and then was contacted through my site for more history on by the owners afterward. Likewise, I have watched Mark use someone else's minimal tools, while stepping out of a party in Florida, and repair significant and challengingly located damage to a very fragile and rare cornet another guest had just dropped. Both are in an elite set and would be able to make a functional slide set.
Bear in mind, as you stretch a horn away from its designed length though, because the proportion and placement of tapered and cylindrical sections of tubing significantly impact playing characteristics, the results can be a horn that does not play the same. In the case of the Ambassador mentioned in the other thread, it sounds like that change was beneficial. Just remember it may go the other way instead and there is (generally) no way to know till you try. The more drastic the lengthening, the more likely it will become a problem.
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Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
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F.E. Olds Nut
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Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 343
Location: Detroit
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:05 am Post subject: |
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Kevin Powers in Monroe is an excellent technician. He used to work at Schilke and does great work.
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Del Quadro "The Mother" |
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Tpt_Guy
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Joined: 16 Jul 2004
Posts: 1102
Location: Sacramento, Ca
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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Wait...Olds made an Ambassador E-flat?
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-Tom Hall-
"A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence."
-Bruce Lee |
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Dale Proctor
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Joined: 26 May 2005
Posts: 9365
Location: Heart of Dixie
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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Yep, I have one.
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham |
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Tpt_Guy
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Location: Sacramento, Ca
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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Were they production instruments or a modification?
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"A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence."
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Dale Proctor
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Joined: 26 May 2005
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Location: Heart of Dixie
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Tpt_Guy wrote: | | Were they production instruments or a modification? |
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham |
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OldSchoolEuph
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Joined: 07 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 3:39 am Post subject: |
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| Tpt_Guy wrote: | | Wait...Olds made an Ambassador E-flat? |
Only for a short time, 5 years or so, right at the end. They are an interesting hybrid of a cut down Ambassador and some shared elements with the E10 and it's successor the E12D, which were pro horns.
Olds in the 60s and 70s fell victim to the same thinking that ultimately failed at Kanstul more recently - that the key to higher profit from higher volume would be offering more models to choose from. By this time, while many Olds models remained excellent instruments (Recording, Custom, Superstar), they had fallen outside of mainstream sound concept - low brass too (like the amazing Recording trombones that scared away tenor buyers by being the size of everyone else's bass bones).
Olds wound up building an ever growing portfolio of niche products - none of which could be sold at a price and volume combination sufficient to cover the engineering and capital costs of brining out the model. I suppose a student Eb pretty much embodies this mistake.
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
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