| Hi again,
After Selmer acquired Bach in 1961, the fast demise of many of the proud old band instrument companies who made fine trumpets and cornets began as school kids could finally have a mass-produced trumpet called a Bach Strad.
To answer this new threat Olds came out with the really cool P-10, a trumpet kit with several detachable bells and leadpipes that the Olds dealer could use to "dial in" the perfect trumpet for the discerning pro! Once the player decided what bell and leadpipe he/she wanted their custom P-10 was made for them! It was too little, too late though, as the kids flocked to the Selmer/Bach.
Olds soon dropped the idea of the P-10 and the P-12 and P-12L were very late, new-model introductions made during the last gasp years of the combined Olds/Reynolds production under the sorry leadership of the Norlin Corp. Gone were the bell and leadpipe options of the P-10 but now the horn came in two bore sizes. It was their most expensive model.
Norlin bought the companies in 1964 and managed to shut 'em both down forever around '79. The final several years were not kind to either Olds or Reynolds and QC problems were well known.
Reynolds and Olds also made a last gasp attempt at making a premiere high register horn, called the E.R.A. (for Extended Range Altissimo in the Reynolds line) during the '70s. It was a terrible playing horn. Olds, I believe, had a similar model called the HRT (or something to that effect . . . I think I"m having an attack of "Old-Timers Disease!"
BACK TO THE POINT . . .
Since some makers call their .463 (ala Reynolds) or .464 bore horns either MLP or Large Bore horns, the P-12L WOULD qualify I guess as a large bore Olds. My apologies.
For me though, the Opera is what I think about when I think of the Olds trumpets that are large bore. I've always thought highly of both Reynolds and Olds. It is a shame that they didn't make it! Norlin bought 'em, cut corners and lost the reputation . . . and then shut 'em down. Bummer!
Sincerely,
Tom Turner |