Olds Recording, what would you do?

[Nitrotech]

Hello everyone. Long time follower, first time posting.

I have a Stomvi Titan that my wife bought me when I got serious about getting back to playing (I returned to playing about 10 years ago). It's a lovely horn. I recently wanted to get a second horn to take with me to work, or play outside in inclement weather and not worry about it to much. My original thought was to get something vintage that is a good deal but worth expense of refurbishment if I decided to do so. I used to have a '64 Olds super which I foolishly sold when I first got the Titan that would have fit the bill perfectly.

For that reason I've been eye balling a few Supers on this website and at Austin Custom Brass, and on Reverb etc. Then this happened:

I've come across locally a '64 Recording. It's nearly a time capsule. 2 dents in the bell and some abrasion near the 1st valve from the owner's thumb. No other blemishes in the finish anywhere. Valves look good, don't clunk like my old Super used to. Even the original case is in great shape. Seems to have good compression. It's way more expensive than I originally set out to spend, but then if I bought this I wouldn't be spending money on refurbishing down the road.

What would you do? Buy a Super off TH for $500-700 without every playing it and expect to put some money in to right away? Get one from a store front like ACB who currently has one for $1500 that will play will play well from the moment it arrives- but again I can't get there to play it first. Or spend alot more on good looking Recording I have had a chance to play...and it seems to play great?

If it were the Recording, I'd probably get a 3rd trumpet (there's an ambassador for $300 close to me) to play in the rain...

And if you're wondering why must it be an Olds. It doesn't. Other than Bach 37's it just what I'm familiar with. No other reason. Thanks for the insight.

[Halflip]

How much is being asked for the local '64 Recording?
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"He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)

"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run"

[Brassnose]

Put a 1500 bucks or more trumpet in your office? Depending on where and what you work this may or may not work. I keep my Blessing trumpet in the office but given its age and shape (got it when I was eight and treated it accordingly) it is worth is about 50 bucks plus 10 bucks for the Mannie Klein I bought off eBay.

I don’t share an office but obviously there is cleaning staff and so on that will be in there from time to time and while they are really great, I also have a ground floor office and you never know if it will get broken into. Just food for thought, I guess.
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[Nitrotech]

[Irving]

That is at least $1000 too much. Look at the sold istings on ebay, and average the prices together. You shouldn't pay much over that.

[Nitrotech]

Brassnose: Initially, my idea was like you described. To have a trumpet I didn't really need to worry about too much...but then I fell down the rabbit hole of finding a nice horn that I don't necessarily need, but want and need to somehow justify the expense. I wouldn't leave the Recording anywhere. I would have to buy a 3rd inexpensive trumpet for that.

I'm also a mountain biker where in the industry it says the number of bikes you need is N+1, N being the number you currently have. I'm feeling like this equation applies to trumpets as well.

[stuartissimo]

Brassnose is right. An Olds Recording isn't really a 'travel' or 'outside' horn. They're a little more fragile than say, a Super or an Ambassador, especially the 3rd slide trigger, and at that price you'd reall wanna get some proper use out of it. Also, the price you mention is a bit steep...it'd better be in mint original condition at that point.

As for justifying buying one, that's all on you I'm afraid. My guess is that an Olds Recording will sound and play differently enough compared to a Stomvi Titan to warrant getting a second horn. Be warned though, you may end up preferring that Recording...they're great horns with a lot of character.

[Brassnose]

I know the rabbithole of „want“ horns quite well but I am good at selling again

Also, I’d think 2500 is pretty steep; just saw an ad for a 1969 OR over here and the seller wants 1300 EUR. That’s more like it, I guess.

Nitrotech, I see you live in Vancouver. Last time I was there I ran into a little store on Hastings (don’t remember the other one, maybe Hastings and Main or Hastings and Columbia - the place was close to Gastown and also close to the one or two blocks were there were a lot of folks that seemed to be homeless and/or drug addicts, possibly there was a Salvation Army building in the block as well, but unsure at the moment). Tiny shop with a bunch of horns on the wall, I do remember a Conn 80A (or a lookalike) plus a few beaters. Maybe you can find it again and find your beater there?
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[BeboppinFool]

Once you go Olds it's hard to play anything less.

Check your PMs there, Nitrotech.


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Puttin’ On The Ritz

[Rwwilson]

I play both a 1957 Super and a 1953 Recording trumpets and love them both. Perhaps I’m not adequately discerning but I really don’t detect a great deal difference between the way the two horns play or sound. I also play a Super and Recording cornets and there is a big difference in sound between the two. The Recording sounds like a true cornet and the Super more like a trumpet. In my experience, Supers sell for about 1/2 to 1/3 what Recordings sell for. I agree with earlier posts that the Recording that you are considering is over priced. Considering your post in its entirety, I suggest that you try and find a Super that’s in good shape, no or only small dents and good valves, and play it as is. Keep in mind that a cosmetic rebuild, even without touching the valves, will probably cost more than what you paid for the horn.

[mike ansberry]

That is indeed too much for a Recording. I sold my Recording a few months ago. It looked like new with a couple of very small dents. Valves were tight. I had it advertised at $1000. I got no offers on it for almost a year after posting it. Then I finally sold it for $900.
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Music is a fire in your belly, fighting to get out. You'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt.

[Theshinytrumpet]

I just bought a Fully Restored 1951 Olds recording for $2800 Canadian and It was worth every penny. You'd probably be best off buying one of Trent's doublers horns if you care about the $$. But that recording is probably on the same level as your titan, a pro horn through and through. Personally, I would ask to buy the Recording @$2000 CAD. Being local, you might be able to make that deal happen.
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[homebilly]

get the ambassador
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[Acludwig1]

I’ve played a raw brass 1952 Recording for about 3 years and it’s been a great horn, blends in pretty well in a section full of Strads and Xenos so no complaints. I got it the summer before my senior year for $350 and I got 5th chair for all state on that horn (a lot of memories lol). Its a strange horn, you might wanna try one out before you go out and buy it. It sounds great but it took me awhile to get used to the offset 2nd valve, balanced valve block, and 3rd slide trigger. All and all an awesome horn but definitely try it out first before spending a lot of money on one.

[Nitrotech]

Thanks everyone. I guess I got too excited. With everyone's responses, and some reality checking from my wife I'm going to go with my original plan of getting a good cheap horn to practice on and use my Titan when I get to play in a group setting again (we're shut down because of Covid again up here).

And yes homebilly...it will very very likely be the Ambassador.

[homebilly]