WTB Olds Mouthpiece

ttf_Rob Earhart · Post by **ttf_Rob Earhart** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:39 pm

Hi all, I'm looking for an Olds 1. I recently bought an Olds Opera, and the mouthpiece it came with (a 5) is a tad too small for my liking. I found what I thought was one on eBay but the seller neglected to mention that it is small shank. I like the way that mouthpiece feels but it doesn't fit my horn.

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:44 pm

A section mate has an Opera and he uses a Doug Elliott LT G on it. I think he has a special shank from Doug to fit the Opera. I tried my Wick 4BL on it and it fit well enough to play.

ttf_Posaunus · Post by **ttf_Posaunus** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:20 pm

The Olds 1 IS a small-shank mouthpiece (Olds version of small shank, anyway - somewhat smaller diameter than standard small-shank!). These were originally supplied in the 1950s with Olds small-bore (by today's standards) "bass trombones" such as the Ambassador A20 with F attachment.

The Opera (whether O-15 or O-23 or O-25) models have Olds' large shank receivers - also a bit smaller than today's "standard" large shank. My Olds O-25 was shipped to me with an Olds 15 mouthpiece - much too small (25.0mm cup diam, 5.85mm throat) for this large (0.554") bore trombone, as you've learned. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an Olds 20 mouthpiece, which was an alternate mouthpiece for this instrument. It's about the size (~25.6mm diam cup, 6.70mm diam throat) of a Bach 5GS (25.5mm cup, 6.63mm throat) - but fits the receiver perfectly. I've also had pretty good luck with other, larger mouthpieces (Schilke, Yamaha, Giddings & Webster) which allow an even bigger sound - but they don't fit the receiver as well (don't drop in as far as the Olds mouthpiece). Try before you buy!

I suggest putting a WTB post on the Forum for an Olds 20 mouthpiece. You'll like it.

ttf_JohnL · Post by **ttf_JohnL** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:44 pm

Doug Elliott might be the best option. The modular system gives you the most flexibility.

ttf_bonesmarsh · Post by **ttf_bonesmarsh** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:27 am

My 1955 Olds #20 is also very similar to a Bach 5GS.
Buy the large shank 5GS and be glad you can buy a modern second one if you really like it.
Buy a modern mouthpiece new, and it won't have 50 or 60 years of wear and tear on it already.

If you want the "vintage Olds vibe" buy a Bach Artisan version and spend the big bucks for the vibe.

ttf_Euphanasia · Post by **ttf_Euphanasia** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:24 am

My experience with large shank Olds has been that shank size isn't too far off a standard large shank. I've never had any problem using a non-Olds mouthpiece in any large-shank Olds horn.

ttf_conn88plyr · Post by **ttf_conn88plyr** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:57 am

Might not be quite the size you are looking for but I have Olds 3 and 8S mouthpieces in the shop at the moment. PM me if you are interested and I would be happy to provide more info...

ttf_Posaunus · Post by **ttf_Posaunus** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:55 am

Quote from: conn88plyr on Aug 31, 2017, 07:57AMMight not be quite the size you are looking for but I have Olds 3 and 8S mouthpieces in the shop at the moment.

The Olds 3 was the standard small-shank mouthpiece for Olds small-bore tenor trombones. Completely incompatible with the large-bore Olds Opera trombone - and the shank is also too small for any small-bore trombones other than Olds.

I know nothing about an Olds 8S. But it's probably also small shank.

ttf_JohnL · Post by **ttf_JohnL** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:31 am

Quote from: Euphanasia on Aug 31, 2017, 07:24AMMy experience with large shank Olds has been that shank size isn't too far off a standard large shank. I've never had any problem using a non-Olds mouthpiece in any large-shank Olds horn.There are two different versions of the Olds large shank. The larger, later one is close enough to the standard that you can usually get away with it. The earlier, smaller one, not so much. Operas come in both flavors, depending on the vintage (as do S-20's and S-23's).

I loaned a 20 and a 21 to a manufacturer's rep at ITF so they could get some dimensions, but I have not heard anything.