bigaggietrumpet

Thanks a LOT, guys. You just saved me a lot of money. The horn is not in mint condition by any stretch, though it is very clean. The dude still thinks he ought to get 950 for it, and believes firmly that he will. If it happens, well, more power to him. Thanks again for keeping me from what would have been a very bad deal.
Michael

Handballsteve

I had a OLDS LA Recording. It had a two piece bell and wonderful, deep engraving. I think the one piece bell thing is a non issue in regards to sound and response anyway. I think $950 is way too much to pay for that horn. $600 is more reasonable. Just my opinion.
Steve

wardsd

I watch them on Ebay all the time. Lately, one in good shape typically sells in the $750 range. For one in lesser condition, $600 is reasonable.

Steve

alanbach

I bought a Recording on ebay a couple of months ago for $650 plus $65 carriage......can't stop playing it.....the sound and valve action is magic. Apart from a slight dent on the bell crook it's in excellent condition for a 1961 manufactured instrument.

Larry Gianni

Hi,

A local repairman in the Los Angeles area by the name of Robb Stewart usually has a recording for sale. He's the local Olds expert ( besides Zig kanstul , who worked at Olds.) , but Robb is easier to get on the phone.

He doesn't have a website, but here's his number. He e-mails out a "for sale " list once a month, if you call ask to get on his mailing list.

626-447-1904 or
oldbrass@altroist.com

He's written alot of articles about Olds, I think they also mention him on the olds central. he a great craftsman and always give's real honest descriptions and fair prices. He really know the Olds line. i bought a 1952 mint Olds "Mendez"( along with many other different trumpets over the years) from him that I really cherish.

$ 950.00 is definitely too much for a Olds Recording. Maybe because Olds was out here in Fullerton, Ca., I see them locally from between $ 450 - $ 550 in very good to great condition. Because they play so damm well and are really undervalued for the pro quality of the instrument, alot of Olds recording and super recording find there way into Mexico with some of the top trumpet players down there playing and recording with the Old line. Also , the great Raphael Mendez played Olds.

The only real dog of the Olds line was the " Opera " model, which even Zig Kanstul admits too ( he doesn't like the Clark Terry flugel either ). Everyone else is a keeper.

Again,I think Olds is really one of the most underrated trumpets out there. For while out here on the West Coast, when Olds was still in Fullerton and hadn;t been moved back east, alot of " heavy hitters ' used Olds in the recording studio's. Before his affiliation with Yamaha, Bobby Shew played and endorsed the Olds " studio " model.

Happy Canuck - those are some beautiful Olds trumpets.

If you ever need to overhaul or repair an Olds trumpet , ( Robb Stewart has a one year waiting list for overhauls ) even the engraving, Zig Kanstul has alot of the Olds parts for the whole line of trumpets and flugelhorns, including valves , plus Zig knows the Olds engraver ( who is still local ) who will re-engrave or touch-up the engraving on any Olds bell. Plus he re-lacquers them with the darker Olds type lacquer . they come out looking better than new.

I've seen his work, it's impeccable

Larry

Larry Gianni

Hi all,

Ir your still looking for a Olds , there is an 1953 OLDS RECORDING on e-bay right now - $ 510.00 - this may be the same one Dan showed you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=16214

Good Luck,

Larry

Happy Canuck

Larry, really interested in your statement about the Opera:

"The only real dog of the Olds line was the " Opera " model, which even Zig Kanstul admits too ( he doesn't like the Clark Terry flugel either ). Everyone else is a keeper".

Please, expand on it a little. I've had an Opera cornet since I was 17, bought it new. I sold a Recording trumpet to buy it, never should have done it. It's not a knock on the Opera, I just can fill the large bore anymore.

And wasn't the CT Flug just a rebadged L-12?

Wish someone would write a History of the F.E.Olds Company!

Larry Gianni

Hi HP,


Zig is a man of few words, Jack Kanstul probably knows this, so that is all he really said. Next time I see him, I'll try to get more details as to his opinion of the Opera.

CT's Flugel-

I think he was comparing the CT Olds Flugel to the modern flugels like this KZT series and others. Flugels have come a long way since the CT Flugel was available, including the price of one. The CT was a copy of the Selmer flug ( 50's vintage ) that CT and the other jazz guys were using, but your right. it looks like the L-12

Again, I'll press for more details.

I just got off the phone with Robb Stewart and he thought the " Super Star " was the worst of the line.

Robb sent me this picture of him with the original Olds lathe was given to him by Bernie Martson's son ( Olds shop supervisor ) who lives in Long Beach Calif. and was moving and had no use for it, and an article he did on Olds.

http://rouses.net/trumpet/oldslathe.htm
http://rouses.net/trumpet/rstewart.htm

He plans to write a book about Olds if he ever gets the time.

Larry

PS _ Robb considers the " Olds Super Star " to be the worse model of the line. again, no elaboration.

Happy Canuck

I'd have to agree with the Super Star, a mark of desperation. I think it used the same valves as the Pinto (an even worse indication of desperation?).(Actually the Pinto most likely is the WORST)

Wouldn't it be great if Robb, Dale Olson, Don Agard & Zig sat down and put the outline of a book together? I think I remember something about Dale having started a book at one time. Maybe even if they did a feature report for ITG?

Thanks for your thoughts Larry, and any other info is always appreciated! Love the picture of Robb and the lathe, almost looks like he has Olds blood in him?!

Still Trying

I have both an Olds Recording and an Olds Super. The Super is a easier to play and mine does have a brighter sound. But it's a ball to play. I had it before I acquired the Recording, and it took me some time to get used to the Recording. The Recording can be played in a symphony. I played one in a symphony for 6 years before I switched to a Bach Strad. The principal in that symphony also played an Olds Recording. When I was in college, we were visited by a group of musicians from the LSO, one of which was their principal trumpet player at the time. This was about 1963 or 64. I can't remember who he was now, but he also played an Olds Recording in the LSO. I remember he told me that he had tried a Bach for a while, but nearly lost his job, while trying to learn to play it in tune. He wasn't used to having to play with 5 fingers, three on the right hand and two on the left.

So a Recording can definitely be played in a symphony. I can't think of too many musical circumstances in which you couldn't play a Recording.