@trumpetlearner Nice eye candy.
I use neoprene o-rings on all my horns, including the silver ones. Olds included square-edged o-rings on trigger slides on their trumpets and cornets. I don't recall what they were made of (maybe rubber?), but they were sort of tan-colored and tended to get brittle with time.
Do not press the mouthpiece tightly against your lips! You need to take the time to develop your embouchure in a way that enables you to change pitch without undue pressure. If you rely on pressure to change pitch, you'll screw up your lips, and it will take a long time to undue this incorrect habit.
@jessie We need more information from you, but you might try this first:
Aside from appearing to be a Bach Stradivarius, what caught my eye was the reversed front bell brace, the finger ring under the third slide, and the red upper valve cap felts. Upon further examination, there is only one third valve slide brace, and there is no third valve slide stop rod, just the piece that the rod would go through on the moveable part of the slide, and I'd say that the tuning slide water key is an Amado.
Alan Rubin lived up to his name, "Mr. Fabulous". Whenever I think of "Peter Gunn Theme", I think of The Blues Brothers' version, and vice versa. Hearing the way he handles it continues to be an inspiration. I've posted it before, and here it is again for those who share my enthusiasm for it:
I found this image of Alan Rubin (R.I.P.). What do you think of his trumpet? Notice anything unusual about it? Does anyone know more about this one than we see in the picture?
pinterest.com
@barliman2001 The condom is useful when someone asks to try your horn or mouthpiece. Just slip the condom over the mouthpiece, and let them have at it.
In a basic sense, beginning instruments are made to survive inexperienced handling and provide the player with a positive sense of playing on a budget, intermediate instruments are affordable instruments made with more attention to things like intonation and response for players who can discern such qualities, and finally, advanced instruments are well-thought-out and designed to optimize characteristics that enable advanced players to play without concern for compensating for an instrument's shortcomings.
As for Miles Davis, he had a very high opinion of himself and perhaps feigned insult at being handed a trumpet he recognized as being beneath his lofty standards. Show any number of members of TB a picture of a trumpet, and they'll likely be able to tell you the make, model, and year range of that horn. As for Miles not being able to do anything with the one he was handed, the truth of the matter is that a good player can make any horn sound just fine. I've said in the past that there are some well-known trumpet players that could play a cast iron bathtub and make it sound good.
Dr GO's Ambassador is one of a fairly small herd of unicorns; they do exist, though. A larger number plays anywhere from mediocre to pretty good. They were all well-made and sturdy. I particularly like the water key arrangement, and Olds put some thought into producing visually appealing instruments.
@trumpetlearner There's a seller on eBay who sells kits that include felts, corks, and springs. In the notes, it says that if you're not sure if they'll fit your horn, just contact them.
@eatontkd said in Returning to my joy of music:
I'm not sure if my neighbors are annoyed or entertained by my playing/practice with the windows open!!
It shouldn't take too long for you to be sure.
@eatontkd said in Bugles Across America:
What is considered a fake bugle?
It's an electronic device that looks like a bugle. The user pretends to play, and a recording actually sounds Taps. It usually works as intended. BAA has examples of when it doesn't. Not pretty.
@ericmonroes said in King Silver Flair - Buying Advice:
I would love to see you do a review of King Silver Flair!! compare them to some other offerings
Perhaps you intended to respond to someone who has more experience with King.
I have not played a Silver Flair, but I've played two Super 20s, both with the Sterling Silver bell. I found them robust, adequate, competent, on pitch, and visually appealing. They had a tendency toward a bright sound. I had an early Bach Mt. Vernon Model 37 at the time, which was a magical instrument. The Super 20s were excellent trumpets to play, but the Bach was an extension of my mind.
I also had a Cleveland 602 cornet for a number of years. The price was right; It was a gift from my father-in-law (also a trumpet player; may he rest in Peace.), who found it at a garage sale. A well-built, sturdy horn with playable intonation and adequate valves, it had a bright timbre, regardless of mouthpiece. You'd never mistake the sound for that of a cornet.
Good job, Steve! The amount of work it took shows in the finished product. I imagine playing the piccolo trumpet and the digideroo each require a slightly different technique.
@trumpetlearner said in King Silver Flair - Buying Advice:
@richard-iii said in King Silver Flair - Buying Advice:
Quote:
So, what do you do? Return your trumpet to its case at the end of every session?
Yes, of course. I huff moisture that didn't get blown out the water keys out the bell and wipe down the horn, too.
Every Olds Super I've played managed to hold the third valve slide in with an engineered taper that created a tight enough clearance at the end of its extension to keep it from falling out and yet still allow deliberate removal for cleaning. I think it's a brilliant and elegant way to solve the problem. I can't say all Olds Supers are that way, but I haven't encountered one that didn't have this feature.