FE OLDS & sons Silver plated 'special" trombone?

[mlb777]

Long story short, Picked up my old trombone that I played all through college, then stopped. Picked it back up while working with my son who just started playing an instrument. As I research this old bone I cannot find details anywhere around how old, is this a good trombone anything. I got it used likely in 7th grade when the band teacher offered up this instrument as a nice solid instrument I could grow into (had been playing a hand me down from brother since liek 4th grade...any help would mainly for curiousity purposes...
[/img][/img]

[BGuttman]

From the counterweight this appears to be a relatively late Olds (mid 1970s). If you give us most of the serial number (replace the last two digits with x's, like 2874xx) there are serial number lists that can date it to within 2 years of manufacture.

The Special was a step up from the Ambassador. I think it would be considered "intermediate" today.

Forum Member JohnL is our resident Olds expert and can probably give you better information on the instrument.

[mlb777]

Hey...thanks! my serial number 8411XX I just updated the bell pic...

[Posaunus]

How does this trombone play (with the slide properly lubricated)? If it plays well, then it is perfectly suitable for your son. Don't worry about its pedigree or reputation.

The Olds factory in Fullerton closed in 1979. The manufacturing quality of their trombones was quite good until almost the end, so you have what is probably a robust instrument, easily maintained. It certainly looks great!

Most Olds tenor trombones had a smaller-than normal mouthpiece receiver, so play best with a smaller-shank Olds mouthpiece (not the one shown in your photograph, which seems to not fit well into the trombone).

[mlb777]

Thanks for this...LOL...smaller than normal is right. I can't seem to find a mouthpiece that will actually fit in there (not sure how but my original mouthpiece is missing) I've tried a couple, but they dont fit. This vincent bach 12c seems to at least slide in a make the trombone playable.

The trombone itself is in pretty decent shape as I took care of it through college and it's mostly been in it's case since then...slide works and I was able to pull down 'jurrasic park' music online and 'amaze' my son that with basic notes he, too, can play recognizable stuff :0

If anyone sees a webite detailing the special, that would be great..like I say i've been to a few sites, but can't find any specific about this particular make and model. You all have been most helpful thus far..thank you!

[JohnL]

???
I only see replies, not the original post?

[BGuttman]

I had approved it, but somehow it got "unapproved". Approved again.

The slightly undersized mouthpiece receiver is set up for an Olds 3 mouthpiece. You can find them on Ebay, or maybe one of us has one sitting in a drawer somewhere. Shouldn't be expensive, but they aren't flooding the market either.

[Posaunus]

Hey...thanks! my serial number 8411XX I just updated the bell pic...

For what it's worth, your Olds Special was made in Fullerton in 1973 (per the serial number).

[Posaunus]

If anyone sees a webite detailing the special, that would be great..like I say i've been to a few sites, but can't find any specific about this particular make and model. You all have been most helpful thus far..thank you!

See http://www.itsabear.com/
(Developed and maintained by TromboneChat member JohnL)
More that you ever wanted to know about Olds trombones!

[doctortrombone]

That model had an extended receiver and was made to play with standard shank mouthpiece. You can see the line where the extension ring was attached. They're good players.

[Posaunus]

That model had an extended receiver and was made to play with standard shank mouthpiece. You can see the line where the extension ring was attached. They're good players.

Aha - good information! So mlb777 is apparently not limited to the few available Olds mouthpieces!

[mlb777]

Thanks all! Great info and great site on the old OLDS...Cleaning it up and enjoying playing it again...

[doctortrombone]

You should check whether it is the single bore or the dual bore model. There were two that looked nearly identical, the studio, and the special. I think during that era the studio was a straight .500 bore while the special was 485 and .500.

[JohnL]

The '73 catalog lists an NL-15 Special; .485"/.500" dual bore, nickel plated brass. No Studio model is listed.

Olds did make a .500" bore Studio at one time (it's listed in the 1970 catalog); if I were trying to sum it up, I'd say the .500" Studio is an economy version of the P-15 while the Special falls between the Super and the Ambassador.

I'd need to see a better pic of the mouthpiece receiver before I'd commit to it being the version that accepts standard shanks.

[Posaunus]

You should check whether it is the single bore or the dual bore model. There were two that looked nearly identical, the Studio, and the Special. I think during that era the Studio was a straight .500 bore while the Special was .485 and .500.

The newly edited first photo (bone1.jpg) of the bell engraving clearly shows this to be an Olds Special.

In the third photo (bone3.jpg), the standard small-shank (Schilke?) mouthpiece appears to be too large for this trombone's receiver - as reported by mlb777. He will know immediately once he tries an Olds 3 mouthpiece.

[Arrowhead]

yes, the nickel-plated mid 70's Special will accept a "standard" mouthpiece. I just sold one that I had for a few years. Nice little horn.

[MrHCinDE]

yes, the nickel-plated mid 70's Special will accept a "standard" mouthpiece. I just sold one that I had for a few years. Nice little horn.

I also recently sold a very similar one that accepted “standard” small shank. I usually play a Bach 6.5 Megatone on small bore. Even though it physically fit in the Olds correctly, the combination just didn’t work at all for me. It was much much better with a smaller mouthpiece.

[Arrowhead]

Sometimes "standard" mouthpieces have unusually large shanks, and won't really fit into hardly anything, Olds or not. The LOUD mouthpieces come to mind specifically......

[mlb777]

Wanted to thank you all for the details and knowledge. A quick update. My son (playing the french horn) and I (on this trombone) have been working the chops back into shape. I picked up an OLDS 1 mouthpiece that seems to work nicely (at least for now). My high notes seem beter and more full overall than my low notes...In my hey day I could play notes fairly easily past a low E...Low D is about the best I'm pulling off now and that's just to make the sound..not actually play it in any song LOL. Just to fully embarrass myself I started surfing the net (where the HECK was all this when I was a kid?!?) and have refound my passion for my old marching days. They let trombones into Drum Corp now?!? I landed on a carolina crown tuning sequence video and have been obsessed with the chords and that sound..long story short, with additiona surfing I've found the sheet music and am now playing along to the videos...yep..geek..I get it, but damn it isn't cool to harmonize and find pitch after all these years...

Enjoy the weekend gang

[Vegastokc]

...Just to fully embarrass myself I started surfing the net (where the HECK was all this when I was a kid?!?) and have refound my passion for my old marching days. They let trombones into Drum Corp now?!?........yep..geek..I get it.....

@mlb777:

I - and I am sure others here - fully recognize your trombone nerd-dom.
(I'm such a dork that I am now going to other "rival" community band concerts in the area just to hear them play )
As someone who also recently started playing again after 20+ years, I too an overwhelmed by the resources available online. Dozens of great players and educators posting free warm-ups, exercises, sheet music, videos, etc. It is awesome and this blog fits in right there also.
Trombones in DCI blew my mind the first time I saw it. When I was in HS and college I wanted to play DCI but was too afraid to learn valves so I never did it. (To make it up to my self, earlier this year I bought a baritone and am slowly teaching myself how to play it.)
The important thing is that we just play (regardless of what level we are at). I am heavily invested in my community band since I joined a year ago.
As I try to make up for decades of not playing, I am enjoying every minute - including practicing!

All the best,
Michael
KC, MO

[mlb777]

Trombones in DCI blew my mind the first time I saw it. When I was in HS and college I wanted to play DCI but was too afraid to learn valves so I never did it. (To make it up to my self, earlier this year I bought a baritone and am slowly teaching myself how to play it.)

Ok..awesome. How about this. I, too, wanted to play DCI and in college a few of my band mates were MADISON SCOUTS. They must have been in DIRE need of brass back then, cause one thing led to another where one day my friend hands me a baritone from the Scouts and says "30 days to learn how to play that thing"

I auditioned on my trombone and made the cut. I was told I'd be in, but needed to come back, I think it was 2 day thanksgiving weekend workout and show I could actually PLAY the baritone. Worked my butt off and got 'good enough' I could fake it with scales and a very basic piece...That weekend was told "welcome to the Scouts"...HOWEVER, after a few more workouts I began to realize that while my parents had been ok with me having dreams, they weren't as open when it started looking like a reality and and I was sleeping on friends parents floors with weekend workouts in Madison and likely was going to be gone all summer . I had to give my spot back Still a regret I have today. Although I will never forget one of the weekends where the entire brass section were just doing some basic warm ups and I'm standing there playing and thinking "HOLY @#$#$ I'm actually part of this AWESOME massive sound being made!!!"

So question on your baritone. 2 vavles or 3? I'm showing my age, but back then we only had 2...a little easier to learn, but I had to read TREBLE...ugh..it wasn't easy when the notes were so many and so fast Curious what your plans are for after you master it?

The other Michael
Chicago

[Vegastokc]

Wow, that is much closer than I ever got. I grew up in Las Vegas so for us it was Blue Devils, SC Vanguard, etc. Had a trumpet buddy in college who marched Blue Devils until he aged out.
My baritone is classic shape, bell forward with 3 valves. 1959 Olds Ambassador. Picked it up cheap from a small music store that went out of business. It was in his rental fleet so plenty of scars but it is air tight and plays well. The 2 valve horns were specific to drum and bugle corps but I think they have mostly gone to 3 valve since our day.
I have no delusions of ever mastering it. I just want to get past the point were I have to think about the fingering combination before actually playing a note. Eventually I would like to be able to double on it for the comm band, maybe brass choir and possibly participate in Tuba Christmas. Right now I am only practicing on it once a week so progress is slow. I do find that it helps my air flow for the trombone though.

Thanks,
Michael in KC