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Solo, Small Medium, Medium, Large Medium, Large and
Symphony, which did not indicate a particular bore and bell combination, but a relative size. Most Olds trombones were made to order at this time. These new trombones apparently met with success quickly, and with the help of Earl Strickler and Earl Williams, Olds expanded production to about 200 a year and moved into a large facility by the early 1920s.
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reportedly done by his brother, Harper. The lead pipe, for example, was very different from anything Olds had produced). These were professional trumpets accepted as equal to or better than what was currently on the market. The Mendez trumpet was used and endorsed by the likes of David
Jandorf and Clyde McCoy.
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Reynolds died of a heart attack on July 18, 1960, while at work at the
Fullerton plant. After his death, Agard took over plant operations while Kanstul became factory superintendent. Reynold's brother, Harper, who was shop superintendent and who helped launch the Ambassador instruments, retired. R.
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professional model. Because Olds management was concerned about the possible effects of a low-priced model on the company's reputation, Reynolds insisted the horn be built to the same quality and tolerances of the rest of the line, only with less-expensive bracing and other features. According to R.
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rim and cup and the trademark "Golden Bear" playing the trombone was first engraved on the bells. R.B. was most likely responsible for using the slogan: "It's a Bear", and otherwise modernizing the image of the company and its products. Also, during these years, they were working on trumpet design,
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in 1912 (some of these are incorporated in trombones today), Olds started producing quality trombones on a small scale. From the earliest years, he was offering a variety of bore sizes (.485" and dual bores from .494"/.509" to .509"/.535") and bell diameters from 6" to 9 ½". Model designations were
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By the mid-1970s, with CMI's successor Norlin
Corporation in control, there was a perceived decrease in the quality of construction that made Olds famous. The name became closely associated with the student models, and less with the professional models. A buyer for the firm was sought beginning in
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Built on the same bell mandrels as the premium
Recording models and featuring extremely reliable valve sections, the Ambassador line was intended to reflect Reynolds' professional commitment to providing high-quality, dependable horns at an affordable price. The "Brilliant Bell" of the 1948/49
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Reginald
Birdsall (R.B.) Olds (b. September 11, 1899) came to work with his father in 1920, having served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. With R.B.'s enthusiasm, Olds published their first catalogue in 1925 and introduced new models shortly after. It was about 1924 that Olds started making
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in the late 1940s to be an Olds clinician and endorsor. He worked closely with Mr. Mendez to create the artist's signature model trumpet and long cornet. Reynolds began by measuring the F. Besson Meha trumpet that Mendez was so fond of and then evolving the design (actually, the measuring was
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instruments in addition to the trumpet, cornet and trombone models that Olds was already making and had built its reputation on. However, the Olds plant in Los
Angeles was not set up for manufacturing the additional brass lines and CMI had difficulty finding a partner who would provide these
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All along experimenting with trombone design, he was repairing band instruments full-time by 1910. This early work was done in a small workshop behind his house, which was just south of downtown Los
Angeles. It was probably about this time that he first offered his new trombones for sale.
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Dale Olsen was brought in as director of research with a directive to create a line of upper-register trumpets. He succeeded in designing the 'C', 'D' and 'E Flat' trumpets and subsequently the "Custom-Crafted" series of B flat trumpets that featured one-piece hand-hammered bells.
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along with the more standard strategic production. Today these are very rare as they were not generally available to the public and a large number of them went down with a supply ship in the
Mediterranean. By 1941 Olds held at least six patents for trumpet and trombone design.
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In 1952, Reynolds, as the plant supervisor, brought Don Agard to Olds from F.A. Reynolds Co. One of Agard's first projects was managing the move in 1954 from Olds' long-time factory in Los
Angeles to larger facilities in
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In the late 1940s, in a meeting between Reynolds, Reg Olds and Berlin, it was decided to pursue the student musician market for which great projections had been made. Among his first design actions were the renowned
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Dale Olsen, who was R&D director at Olds in the 1960s, the company was a "one tolerance shop," meaning that all brass instruments were crafted to the same close tolerances, regardless of price or market niche.
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trumpet and cornet models followed several years later. Rafael Méndez's name and the use of the Recording and Super models by other professionals is credited with enhancing the image and sales of Olds instruments.
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1978, but Norlin could not sell the Olds factory for its asking price. The decision was made to close the Fullerton plant and the machinery, tools and parts inventory were auctioned.
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in the Ambassador line. Olds was the second U.S. maker to have produced over one million brass instruments. Increases in volume were accompanied by a lessening in quality, however.
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company, and founder of F.A. Reynolds Co., out of retirement and sent him to Los Angeles with a directive to tool up the factory and begin manufacturing the full line of brasses.
179:. An amateur trombone player and entrepreneur, he first set up a shop to build bicycles, which was the only one in Los Angeles at the time. By 1886, he had established the first
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with H. T. Hazard, establishing the Los Angeles Tool Works by 1887. 1886 also marked the arrival in Los Angeles of F.E.'s future bride, Helen Daisy Birdsall. In 1901, he was a
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Reynolds was regarded as one of the top brass instrument designers in the country, and was responsible for the introduction of many of the finest Olds trumpets and cornets.
230:) to South America. He died suddenly and unexpectedly, suffering a heart attack, and was buried at sea. His new trumpets were not offered for sale until after his death.
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Olds line of trombones, trumpets and cornets was introduced in about 1932 and soon became legendary. Other models introduced in the 1930s include the
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could be had with two valves, both actuated by levers. This is likely the first production bass trombone with two valve levers. There were also some
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plant and eventually his own company, Kanstul Musical Instruments. Agard ran operations at Olds until the company finally closed its doors in 1979.
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were emphasized. That plus competition from other companies and cutbacks in school music budgets led to the firm going out of business in 1979. The
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model trumpet and cornet were probably designed shortly before the war halted production. During World War II, the government had Olds produce
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instruments to Olds without also producing the more profitable small brass and trombones. Instead, CMI's president, Maurice Berlin, coaxed
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By the late 1960s or early 1970s, although still producing some professional level instruments, the company had become better known for
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329:, who had launched an identical nickel-silver bell flare on the Emperor ("Silver Flare") and Roth ("Tone Tempered") lines in 1947.
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In 1964, CMI (F.E. Olds & Son's parent company) purchased F.A. Reynolds Co. and merged the Olds and Reynolds production lines.
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in 1964) have since been bought and revived in 1983 by a new company under the name F.E. Olds and Sons, based in
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line (trumpet, cornet, trombone) points to either collaboration or competition with Reynold's former company in
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The bell of an F. E. Olds trombone, c. 1927, with the trademark "Golden Bear" and date of the 1912 patent.
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On October 9, 1928, F.E. was traveling with his wife and other prominent Californians on the S.S.
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model trumpet, cornet and trombone (1948). In fact, the trumpet was designed in tandem with the
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One of CMI's initial operating decisions was to begin producing a full line of background and
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Shortly after World War II ended and brass instrument manufacturing restrictions were lifted,
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Kanstul remained at Olds until the early 1970s when he left to become manager of the nearby
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made in the late 1930s, although they didn't appear in the catalogues at that time. The
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with the Locomobile Company of the Pacific, branching out from bicycles to automobiles.
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assembler, Kanstul apprenticed in the art of brass instrument building from Reynolds.
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In 1953, the company was joined by a young Zigmant Kanstul. Starting out at Olds as a
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finish on the bell. This was the standard finish for the Military line. The Super
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hero Frank Ellsworth of the Ellsworth Zouaves. While a child his family moved to
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Olds Central: Information on trumpets and cornets by F. E Olds and Son 1928-1979
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Another accomplishment to Reynolds' credit was his signing of the trumpeter
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models. All but the Super models could be ordered with a distinctive
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Musical instrument manufacturing companies based in Los Angeles
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By the 1960s, Olds was producing trumpets, cornets, slide and
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F.E. Olds - New Jersey-based brass instruments company
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student instruments. Construction quality declined as
216:finally tooling up for its production by 1928.
423:Robb Stewart's History of F. E. Olds & Son
163:. After finishing high school, F.E. went to
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233:R.B. introduced cornets soon afterward. The
96:founded by Frank Ellsworth (F. E.) Olds in
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
507:Brass instrument manufacturing companies
151:Frank Ellsworth (F.E.) Olds was born in
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32:This article includes a list of general
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175:making business. In 1885, he moved to
433:Contempora Corner: Foster A. Reynolds
100:in the early 1900s. The company made
16:American band instrument manufacturer
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183:shop in Southern California, doing
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281:purchased F.E. Olds & Son.
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155:in 1861. He was named for the
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477:"The Scherl & Roth Years"
438:Yuen Li Low's Trombone Page
279:Chicago Musical Instruments
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417:References/External links
297:, 30 year veteran of the
293:, a former apprentice at
141:Mountainside, New Jersey
135:names (Olds merged with
340:The large bore (.468")
198:Implementing new ideas
177:Los Angeles, California
98:Los Angeles, California
53:more precise citations.
92:was a manufacturer of
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351:Fullerton, California
223:(later commissioned,
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475:Edwards, ElShaddai.
397:woodwind instruments
221:City of Los Angeles
94:musical instruments
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481:Contempora Corner
227:George F. Elliott
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102:brass instruments
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393:sousaphones
377:mellophones
358:French horn
209:mouthpieces
51:introducing
501:Categories
385:euphoniums
373:alto horns
310:Ambassador
299:H.N. White
271:saxophones
90:F. E. Olds
34:references
327:Cleveland
295:J.W. York
286:low brass
267:Recording
225:USS
192:machinist
169:C.G. Conn
157:Civil War
106:trombones
59:July 2018
449:Specific
255:hammered
247:Symphony
243:Military
200:patented
133:Reynolds
114:trumpets
486:20 July
239:Special
188:plating
147:History
110:cornets
47:improve
323:Studio
314:Mendez
251:French
185:silver
112:, and
36:, but
411:Benge
389:tubas
342:Opera
235:Super
213:ivory
211:with
488:2023
391:and
249:and
131:and
129:Olds
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