Olds Trombone Mouthpieces
Once again, I'm showing a small collection of Olds mouthpieces, not
as an expert, but knowing that it is an unusual gathering including one
of a kind, custom made examples and there are a few brass fans out
there that might find some interest. The first photo shows three
mouthpieces without model numbers, that I believe were stock
mouthpieces as supplied with Olds trombones. The first came with
my #260 trombone, made about 1918, the second with ivory rim and
cup, with trombone #1619 from the early 1920s. The last example
was not found with an Olds trombone, but I believe that it was made
in the late 1920s or early 1930s and has "Olds Los Angeles" stamped
under the rim. In the second photo, the last two are stock
mouthpieces, but of unusually large size, presumably supplied with
large bore trombones in the 1940s and 1950s. The first three appear
to be custom made, likely by Roe Plimpton in his early years with
the company. The mouthpiece in the middle, with plastic rim, may
have been an experiment using bakelight or some other early form of
plastic. The next group of five were acquired form Roe Plimpton's
son, Richard and seem to all have been made for his own use, or as
experiments. They all have a step in the rim to compensate for his
overbite. The first of these may have been modified from a stock
ivory rim and cup example and I was informed by Richard that it
was his favorite mouthpiece throughout his career. The fourth
photos shows two of the mouthpieces already illustrated beside the
cutter that cut the exterior shape. This tool was found in Mr.
Plimpton's toolbox, although I acquired the "A" mouthpiece from a
different source. Next is a very interesting mouthpiece made by Roe
Plimpton of aluminum. His log book shows that this was made for
David Childress on July 12, 1944 and that he had made quite a few
aluminum mouthpieces during the last two years of the war. The
photo to the right of that mouthpiece is a rather low quality photo of
Roe Plimpton that appeared in a 1928 Williams and Wallace
trombone advertisement.
The last photo on the left shows an example of a run of mouthpieces
made by Olds for Charles E. Stacey before his patent was granted in
1921. This piston valve changed the throat to a smaller diameter
while playing in order to favor the high notes. Roe Plimpton had two
of these among his mouthpieces.
as an expert, but knowing that it is an unusual gathering including one
of a kind, custom made examples and there are a few brass fans out
there that might find some interest. The first photo shows three
mouthpieces without model numbers, that I believe were stock
mouthpieces as supplied with Olds trombones. The first came with
my #260 trombone, made about 1918, the second with ivory rim and
cup, with trombone #1619 from the early 1920s. The last example
was not found with an Olds trombone, but I believe that it was made
in the late 1920s or early 1930s and has "Olds Los Angeles" stamped
under the rim. In the second photo, the last two are stock
mouthpieces, but of unusually large size, presumably supplied with
large bore trombones in the 1940s and 1950s. The first three appear
to be custom made, likely by Roe Plimpton in his early years with
the company. The mouthpiece in the middle, with plastic rim, may
have been an experiment using bakelight or some other early form of
plastic. The next group of five were acquired form Roe Plimpton's
son, Richard and seem to all have been made for his own use, or as
experiments. They all have a step in the rim to compensate for his
overbite. The first of these may have been modified from a stock
ivory rim and cup example and I was informed by Richard that it
was his favorite mouthpiece throughout his career. The fourth
photos shows two of the mouthpieces already illustrated beside the
cutter that cut the exterior shape. This tool was found in Mr.
Plimpton's toolbox, although I acquired the "A" mouthpiece from a
different source. Next is a very interesting mouthpiece made by Roe
Plimpton of aluminum. His log book shows that this was made for
David Childress on July 12, 1944 and that he had made quite a few
aluminum mouthpieces during the last two years of the war. The
photo to the right of that mouthpiece is a rather low quality photo of
Roe Plimpton that appeared in a 1928 Williams and Wallace
trombone advertisement.
The last photo on the left shows an example of a run of mouthpieces
made by Olds for Charles E. Stacey before his patent was granted in
1921. This piston valve changed the throat to a smaller diameter
while playing in order to favor the high notes. Roe Plimpton had two
of these among his mouthpieces.
Click on images for larger views.