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F.E.Olds began making trombones around 1910. Shortly after his death in 1928, the company introduced its initial trumpets, under the leadership of his son, Reginald B. Olds. The earliest trumpets were simply called "The Olds". Also introduced near the beginning were the French Model and the Military model. Around 1932 The Olds became the Standard model, as the Super and perhaps the Special were introduced. The next addition was the Super Recording, with the offset valve cluster like the later Recording, but having a tone ring like the Super. The 1941 catalog shows the following models and prices: Special $110, Standard $135, Super $150, Super Recording $175.
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Here's a
link
with Consumer Price Index data which can be used to convert these prices to current dollars. In 1999 dollars the range is about $1,243 (Special) to $1,978 (Super Recording)
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Olds produced about 800 horns a year before WWII, and perhaps 2000/year immediately after the war. Shortly after the war they introduced the immensely successful Ambassador line. Production immediately increased to around 10,000 horns a year, and accelerated to about 27,000 a year before moving to Fullerton in 1955.
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Many people believe that the Ambassador remains the best student trumpet (or cornet) ever built, rivaling many modern pro trumpets. It is a very open, responsive horn with great intonation, excellent tone, and fantastic valves. At least one designer and builder of custom trumpets begins every horn with an Ambassador valve section. He claims to have disassembled and worked on virtually every brand of horn on the market, and finds the Ambassador valves to be the most reliable, trouble-free,
smooth-playing valve section ever made.
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According to an email message posted from Zig Kanstul, the models of trumpets made by
Olds in the late 1940's, 1950s and 1960's all were made with the same bell mandrel, to
the same specifications -- from the Ambassador all the way to the Mendez.
(although some models used different materials).
The only exceptions were the Opera (which had a larger bore) and the Custom.
According to another former Olds designer, Olds was a "one tolerance shop"
-- in other words all models of horns were made to the same tolerance.
In particular, it is said that this was true from the Ambassador trumpet all the way through
the Mendez. The Ambassador and Mendez were designed at roughly the same time,
and were intended to be essentially the
same horn (even using the same brass, with the same thickness of metal), made to the same
tolerances. Kanstul seems to remember that the Ambassador may have had a
different lead pipe. But for those who are not put off by the fact that the
Ambassador was a student model, there are some truly great horns available
at bargain prices!
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Models introduced in the early 50's include a redesigned Special, the Studio, the Opera, and the Mendez. The Mendez horn was a copy of the famous French Besson, built in order to add to the lineup a signature model for this famous artist and Olds endorser. 1962 prices for these cornets and trumpets: Ambassador $154, Special $189, Studio $225, Super $260, Recording $310, Opera $345, Mendez $360. In 1999 dollars, these range from $847 (Ambassador) to $1,981 (Mendez).
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Interestingly, while the top-of-the-line price remained constant between 1941 and 1962 (the 1962 Mendez is priced almost identically to the 1941 Super Recording in inflation-adjusted dollars),the constant-dollar-price for the redesigned Special dropped about 25%, and the Super (seemingly the same design in both years) dropped about 15%, as they attempted to address a broader spectrum of target markets. The 1962 Studio is priced almost identically to a 1941 Special, in constant dollars.
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In 1947, Foster Reynolds sold his company to Roth, and came to work at Olds. One of his first actions at Olds was the design and introduction of the Ambassador models. Reynolds was regarded as one of the top brass instrument designer in the country, and was
responsible for the introduction of many of the finest Olds trumpets and cornets. I am told that Zig Kanstul had such high regard
for his mentor that he named one of his sons after Mr. Reynolds.
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See ElShaddai's web site The Contempora Corner with historical information on F. A. Reynolds and his company.
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In 1952, Mr. Reynolds brought Don Agard to Olds. Don continued at Olds until the plant closed in 1979, at which time he was the general manager of the plant.
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In 1953 the company was joined by a young Zigmant Kanstul. He learned the art of brass instrument building at Olds from the great F. A. Reynolds, who served as plant supervisor during this period. When Reynolds passed away, Kanstul assumed leadership of the plant and remained at Olds Fullerton until 1970.
more info , and still more info
When Foster Reynolds passed away, Zig Kanstul took over leadership of the plant from his mentor.
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Production fluctuated in the late 50's, then accelerated to almost 50,000 Olds horns a year during the 60's and continuing into the 70's.
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Around 1964, Olds and Reynolds were acquired by Norlin Music. They began making parts for both brands of horns in the Fullerton plant under their separate labels.
By the end of the 60's Olds and Reynolds were producing two separately-labeled lines of nearly identical horns. So the Fullerton plant was producing not only the 50,000 Olds horns a year but also parts for approximately 10,000 more Reynolds horns a year.
Some Reynolds production had been moved from Cleveland to Abilene Texas, possibly to a facility Norlin had acquired from Caldwell Products. (Thanks to Jeff Mansfield for this information). The Fullerton plant was producing Reynolds parts and shipping them to Abilene for assembly.
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According to Robb Stewart's article, quality began to suffer by the end of the 60's due to the high production rates and Norlin's emphasis on mass-produced, high-volume student model horns. In 1970 Zig Kanstul left the company to become manager of the nearby Benge plant. However, Olds production continued at a brisk pace until 1979 when Norlin stopped production of both the Olds and Reynolds product lines. Presumably the declining quality together with strong competition from Yamaha, Selmer/Bach, Conn, Holton, etc left the company unprofitable.
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