Sturmbill

OK, here is a hypothetical question: Could you take an Olds Ambassaor cornet with a bore of .468, use the valve cluster and slides, and make a large bore Olds trumpet out of it using other Olds/Reynolds parts, ala the conversion done on Dave's Bach Trumpet Page (www.electrotheremin.com/bach.html)?

For all those who would say "why?", there is no reason that will satisfy other than just to see if it can be done. It would hopefully provide an Ambassador "experience", but in a large bore horn.

It is truly a gearhead exercise, but I wanted to see if anyone who knows Ambassadors can think of a problem big enough to scupper the project. I have done some preliminary measuring and it seems like it would work.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Bill

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"When someone tells you nothing is impossible, ask them to dribble a football." --Unknown

TotalEclipse

I have started to do something similar but I am changing it into a C trumpet. I haven't heard of anyone doing the cornet to trumpet conversion on an Ambass but I have seen a Bach conversion. My project has been put aside while I am living in the UK so I can't really give much advice on how it goes. So it will work and you will get some flack for trying but go for it. Its more fun to make your own.
From memory I think the valve casing height is taller on the cornet but not enough to worry.

ROGERIO

Bill,

I don't have an answer for you, but I have a question...

Wouldn't you have quite a mix of bores using parts from "other" horns?

I know this may not be a bad thing, but I can't imagine that the change back and forth in bore sizes can't be all good... just curious.

.468 > .462 > .460 >.468

Rogerio

Schwab

The latest NY Bach cornet to trumpet project on Dave's page is my horn.
http://www.electrotheremin.com/DS001.html
I found an old Bach cornet that had been severely abused but the valve section was still good and had Dave work his magic on it.

The thing plays really great. I'm playing the Stage 1 California now (which is definately easier to play), so I loaned the Bach to a friend of mine who is using it as his main horn. I couldn't let it just sit around.

Experiment around with stuff, the horns/parts you are talking about are pretty inexpensive. I could highly recommend Dave Miller to do the work, he did a really great job with my Bach. Dave put it all together with no tension, fitting the braces before he soldered them.

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Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York

Sturmbill

Thanks, guys, for the input. After doing some more measuring I found out that the cornet's valve casing is somewhat taller than the trumpet's and the wrap of the bell and leadpipe would leave a pretty strange looking horn.

I had thought about the difference in bores, and had the project worked out I would have probably used an Olds Sonic leadpipe or a suitable Pilczuk replacement.

Oh, well, it was fun trying to work it out....

Thanks again for the advice!

Bill

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"When someone tells you nothing is impossible, ask them to dribble a football." --Unknown

nieuwguyski

Any of the "tall wrap" Conn bells, like the 38B, would probably line up with the top of Ambassador cornet valve casings reasonably well. The other oddball component you'd need to find would be a tall tuning slide crook in a bore larger than the Conn .438 size.

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John N. Nieuwguyski