LudwigVonAnimal

I played trumpet in band - just about a bit over forty years ago - and then switched to strings - mostly banjo and guitar. A few months ago I got interested in the trumpet again, avoidance behavior gone wild, and have been taking lessons with Paul Salvo in Santa Monica. I'm really enjoying the trumpet, and Paul is an excellent teacher. My neighbors and wife have so far been understanding. The strings have been less understanding, and the banjo is petulant.

I still have my Olds Ambassador that my parents bought me in the mid sixties (in Philadelphia) though I've moved closer to Fullerton where it was made - I didn't move here for the sake of the trumpet, but I think it is appreciative. I've just had some work on it - I did the classic move of crushing the tuning slide when I tried to unstick it from forty years of crud. I mostly play a Yamaha YTR 200 that I got on E-Bay, and I have a Holton that I am about to sell. (I got it at a pawn shop before I figured out I could get the Olds into playing condition.) I'm in the middle of taking off the finish of the Olds - not so sure it was a great idea, but the old finish was in bad shape anyway, and it won't be the first device I have tinkered to death should it go that way.

I'm glad that this website is around and that so many experienced players and repair folk share their knowledge.

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Mirrors should reflect a little before throwing back images. Jean Cocteau

Peter McNeill

Hi Ludwig,

Welcome to TM, it sounds like you will fit in well with the rest of us.

Cheers from Oz

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Peter
Stopped Counting horns,
But just 1 more will be perfect...

Sofus

Very welcome to TM, LVA!

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" There are no secrets to trumpetplaying - except Practice Your Head Off - and that´s no secret! "

Bud Herseth 1977 in Hamar, Norway


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Mouthpiece and Solidarity

ComeBackKid

Hello LVA from a fellow Southern Californian -
If you review some of the postings in this section, as well as others, you will find a lot of comments regarding comeback players as well as about various models of trumpets, including Olds. In fact, I have personally posted many because my first horn in 1955 was an Olds and I still have it, along with the others that you see listed in my signature which I have only recently acquired (do a search for the N+1 virus - that is what I have). One of the points I make is that it is doubtful that there is an Olds anywhere that cannot be restored to playing condition. They are built like tanks. As far as the lacquer is concerned, I have stripped 3 of my Olds (as well as others) and I like the look and sound of the bare brass. I bought some Meguiar's cleaner/wax at an autoparts store and use it periodically to wipe off the smudges and put on a protective coat.

Also, you mentioned that you moved closer to Fullerton although you list your location as Los Angeles. I don't know if that puts you close to Cerritos but if you are and you need repairs on your Olds, the repair guy at Sam Ash in Cerritos is Chuck Madear and he used to work at the Olds factory so he knows them inside out. I have had him work on several of my Olds horns and he is good and also reasonable.

Good luck on your comeback program. We are all enjoying ours.

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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)
(+Some others)

LudwigVonAnimal

Thanks for the info. I work in Santa Fe Springs, close to Cerritos so I may check it out. I've had my Olds worked on at Anaheim Band and in Santa Monica with some improvement - but it still has problems. I finished the stripping and I really love the feel of the industrial plumbing - of course that would really be pvc these days. I've already learned a lot from browsing on this site and hopefully will still have time to practice.

__________________
Mirrors should reflect a little before throwing back images. Jean Cocteau