| Should I restore it?
Ok, after Tom's thread about "The Olds that got away", I started thinking about my Olds Ambassador cornet. It was actually a fairly solid horn, with a pretty sweet tone when I did my part. However, it has a HUGE dent as the leadpipe bends into the tuning slide portion, many other dents, I'm pretty sure the bell bow isn't bent to the correct angle, the original brass lacquer finsish is all but gone, and what appears to be redrot has set in. Even with all this, the valves still feel very good, and it plays remarkably well (last time it was played was probably around a year or two ago). However, there may be a chance of using it in our concert band, or maybe the orchestra if I could work it (plus I'm still entertaining the idea of starting a Dixie band down here).
As for age, well, nobody really knows. It came into the family when my grandmother was trying to get my uncle to play music (they didn't find out that he was tone deaf for quite some time). Tryed piano, that didn't work. So she decided to try the trumpet, and this cornet was purchased. My uncle, I believe, was around 10 at this time, which I think is around 1955. I also believe the horn was used when they purchased it. I can get the serial if someone felt like checking or telling me how. Anyway, after that, the horn was passed to my dad, then me, and then my little brother. So it's also a family heirloom. I do recall that it is a Fullerton horn, so that really throws the year calcs off. I dunno, I'll ask on that one later.
Ok, so with the boring details and the melodramatic story outta the way, should I restore this horn to as original condition? Or is an Ambassador just not worth it?
__________________
Michael Smith
Hullabaloo: The official band of Texas A&M Basketball
Kanstul 1537/ Schilke 14
LA Olds Studio |