ComeBackKid

What on earth do I have here?

After collecting 22 Olds Trumpets and Cornets, I thought that I was becoming a beginning apprentice to a novice expert on these models (does anyone ever go higher than that when it comes to Olds history?) But, I have come across yet another combination that is baffling me. I hope one of the other gurus here can help me.

I recently purchased an Olds Special on ebay (you might have guessed). It is an LA model, serial # 572xx (1951). I have a 1956 Special cornet and it is not like the trumpet that I received. Also, here is a link to an Olds Special which is what I had in mind when I thought about a Special (Solid Nickel-Silver).
Trumpet Olds SPECIAL (Replaced STUDIO model)1st trigger - eBay (item 330364194874 end time Oct-04-09 18:37:08 PDT)
When mine arrived, I could see that it is nothing like this one. Mine is totally brass. There are not even any nickel highlights on the upper valve casings. One of the biggest mysteries about it is that I always thought one of the biggest differences between the Ambassador and the Special was the bore. But with this one, the bore is identical. In fact, if I did not know better (and I don't) I would think that the trumpet I received was an Ambassador with a Special bell installed. In fact, I think it is but I think it was done this way at the factory.

The reason is that I think that is as follows. As I said, the bell engraving says Olds Special Los Angeles but the body is identical to my LA Ambassador. All of the slides and valves can be interchanged and it still plays fine. So, the bore is identical to an Ambassador. But, here is the catch:
(1) There are no signs of any repairs or replacement. Every solder joint looks original.
(2) The braces are identical to those on my Special Cornet
(3) It has the trombone-style water keys on main and 3rd slides
(4) The receiver is the Special style, not the Ambassador
(5) The main slide has a D-brace while the Ambassador does not.

So, is this a factory Franken-horn or were the LA Specials different than the Fullerton Specials? This is a nice-playing trumpet but it looks like just another Ambassador if you don't look too closely.

Any ideas?

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Come-Back Kid
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Selmer Invicta London (T)
Olds SuperStar (T)
Olds Super (2T)
Olds Special (2T+C)
Olds Ambassador (9T+7C)
Andreas Eastman (2T)
Conn Director (T+C)
King Cleveland Superior (T+C)
Holton (T602+C605 Shep Crk)
Holton Collegiate (T+C)
Blessing (T+C)
Yamaha (T+C)
Getzen 300
Amati ATR213
(+Revelle, Bundy, Alcazar, & ?)

A.N.A. Mendez

Older L A Specials are very different......More like the supers

__________________
(Above) Alexanders ragtime band-circa 1960

"Baby, I'm already the coolest, and the hippist, now you want me to be on time too?" Buddy Love

"We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and our best generals to edit our newspapers." Robert E. Lee

SteveRicks

My second horn -in the 60s-was a Special. Best of my memory, it was tricolored -nickel, lacquer (gold) and a rose brass like bell-sort of like a Recording. The horn site you referenced said it combined or replaced the studio. I'm thingking the special was round before the stuidio -opposite of what seller was implying.

Any experts on specials out there -give us a hand. A.K.A. Mendez, your one of the smartest folks on Olds I know. What gives?

Steve
Olds Super, 46, 53, 62
Olds Recording 1952
Bach Strad 67,70

A.N.A. Mendez

I have a question. What model Olds is the ONLY model that was there the whole time, from 1932 to 1978........(aside from the super model)

The special..... and there is a reason.
They are great, solid horns.
In the early days they were more of a pro model, came with both adjusters and were lightweight players!
I have always said the specials were closer to the super model than the Ambassador, the Ambassador replaced the "standard" model in 1947 or so. The special just kept plugging along.During and just before the war the military contracted OLDS to make U.S. versions, they run from the 30s to the 50s.
In the 60s and 70s they played around with it by adding nickel plate, some were two tone bells, nickel with a brass or rose brass flair at the end. When they stopped making the "studio" model they must have had some of the studio models 1st valve triggers left over so the special morphed again, getting that 1st valve trigger although I've only seen a few of these over the years.
The "Special"......Long may it play!

__________________
(Above) Alexanders ragtime band-circa 1960

"Baby, I'm already the coolest, and the hippist, now you want me to be on time too?" Buddy Love

"We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and our best generals to edit our newspapers." Robert E. Lee