Olds Star Moutpiece

[guywiththeblacktrombone]

Does anyone know what the star after the mouthpiece model indicates? I have a very old Olds 12C* and wanted to know if it was different than their 12C.

Thanks!

[JohnL]

I know a 1* is definitely different from a 1, so I would give a provisional "yes". How it's different I could not say. Nothing in any of the Olds literature I have about the star mouthpiece models.

Which style of blank is it?

[guywiththeblacktrombone]

It is the first later style.
They seem to play very close to one another.

[Posaunus]

There is apparently nothing straightforward about the Olds mouthpiece numbering system.

I was given several Olds mouthpieces by a retired trombonist, including some with an engraved "star" after the number. They all have the old-fashioned Olds "tulip" blank. The "star" versions are indeed slightly different. Here is what I have measured:

Model: Cup I.D. | Throat
3C: 24.25mm / 0.955" | 5.85mm / 0.230"
3 (old): ~24.20mm / 0.953" | 6.15mm / 0.242"
3 (newer): ~24.25mm / 0.955" | 6.15mm / 0.242"
3*: ~24.25mm / 0.955" | 6.25mm / 0.246" [Slightly larger throat than standard Olds 3]
4: ~24.0mm / 0.990" | 6.15mm / 0.242"
12C: 24.50mm / 0.965" | 5.85mm / 0.230"
1: 24.50mm / 0.965" | 6.35mm / 0.250"
1*: 24.50mm / 0.965" | 6.25mm / 0.246" [Slightly smaller throat than standard Olds 1]

[FEWeathers]

I have a theory about the Olds 1* mouthpiece: it is made for competitor's horns with regular small shank receivers.

That's my hypothesis, anyway, as I have an Olds 1* and it fits my Olds tenors like a Bach, or other normal Morse taper mouthpieces. That is to say, it doesn't go in far enough. It fits no better than a Bach 12C, or a Conn 3, or an Elliott with a regular shank.

Example: If my regular Olds 3 sits 1.12" into my Recording's receiver, the Olds 1* only sits in .88". But, it fits perfectly in my Conn 6H (like 1.10").

If anyone else has an Olds 1*, see how it fits your horns of other makes. I'm curious to know.

Ciao,

Frank

[FEWeathers]

BTW, the Olds 1* seems to have measurements similar to ones mentioned in the 1939 Catalog for the Olds 1, but maybe they were a fudging the diameter a bit:

The catalog says a 1" diameter cup (measures more like a Bach 6 3/4), and a "deep" cup (which turns out to be like an Elliot C+ cup), and a .250" bore (E drill). The backbore is like an Elliott #2 backbore.

But the taper on that shank, though...*shrug*