Description

Olds Super Recording  SN/ 44789 Circa 1949 bright,  projecting,  fat, and had an absolutely huge core to the sound.  I believe this horn has been overhauled in it’s life time by whom or when, I don’t know.  It is raw brass and with a little love could be a real colectors piece

The Olds Recording Trumpet and Cornet were the most radical departure from traditional trumpet design there ever was.  It has the unmistakable ‘Art-Deco’ look that was so distinctive of the 1940’s and ’50’s. 1930’s as a sub-line of the Olds professional line of trumpets, the Super. It was called the Super Recording. It’s concept was to be an instrument designed for ‘recording with prominent motion picture studio orchestras’; who were required to spend many hours in the studio, and needed an instrument that was more comfortable to hold and play for long periods of time. To that end, Olds consulted the studio trumpeter Harold ‘Pappy’ Mitchell to discover what features of the trumpet needed to be made more comfortable. I suspect there were others also involved in the design process, but I was unable to discover any others by name.
First, they balanced the valve section between the bell and the mouthpiece to make it seem lighter; and to be easier to hold and operate. In addition, it allows the player more freedom of movement in the right hand to facilitate operation of the valves Speaking of valves … the Olds valve has a reputation for a fast and smooth action, and when it was built onto a horn that was ergonomically designed to make the valves easier to use, it makes the Olds Recording unique in its ability to work for it’s players and not hinder their technique.  The most notable and unique feature of the Olds Recording is the recessed middle valve, ergonomically placed to compensate for the long middle finger. To my knowledge this has never been done before or since. It is the simplest of innovations, yet it is the one change to basic trumpet design which truly made the Recording stand alone. It required a complete re-tooling of the valve making process. Not only was the valve case redesigned, but the holes inside the valves to accommodate the inside tubing had to be adjusted to compensate for the dislocation of the second valve. After 1949 the word Super was dropped, and it was called simply the Olds Recording. One prominent feature was removed; the exclusive engraved Olds tone control band attached to the bell. Thereafter, all of the bells were hand engraved by Leonard Garcia.  Besides the design features that make the Recording a pleasure and comfort to play, there is the physical appearance of the instrument. Every detail was considered to make it as beautiful as it is functional. The high copper content (called ‘Re-O-loy’ by Olds) in the bell and lead pipe sections give the horn a warm, rich and powerful tone; the yellow brass used for the valve section and tuning slide crooks make the instrument very sturdy, and the nickel plating on all the fittings and braces give this instrument a unique tri-tone color effect by offsetting the copper red, yellow brass, and polished silver. Every line and angle was carefully weighed for aesthetic value as well as function, and neither one were ever compromised.Some thought that was the end of the story, but Olds horns have done very well in the vintage trumpet market. Many of the Olds models, and especially the Recording, are sold at prices comparable to that of new professional line instruments. An Olds trumpet that has been taken care of will play just as well today as the day it shipped from the factory. That alone speaks volumes about the quality and pride in workmanship that went into each and every instrument that the Olds Company built.