Olds Opera Shank question

[wheez]

My "Opera" plays sharp with a Bach mega tone 61\2 al. The shank seems to resist going down the lead pipe as far as it does on other horns. When I put a small shank 6 1/2 al in the horn it's on pitch (but rattles aroiund as the horn takes a large shank mouthpiece). I can't find an Olds mouthpiece. Would a European shank work? Wittle down the shank on the Bach? Suggestions?

[BGuttman]

The Opera shank is a little smaller than a standard large (symphonic) shank. It's still larger than a Euro shank, though. There are Olds mouthpieces out there that fit this receiver. Also, Doug Elliott makes a special shank that fits. In the Bad Old Days, some players had a tech ream out the receiver.

Still, the fit of a standard large shank mouthpiece in a smaller Olds receiver should make the horn play flat (need to move the tuning slide all the way in and more). If you need to pull the tuning slide out a lot due to the instrument being sharp there is something else at play here.

Incidentally, I moved your post to a new topic since it has nothing to do with the Christmas 2021 ensemble.

[Mamaposaune]

My husband used to have an Opera, and had the same problem as you. He was able to have the shanks of several large-shank mouthpieces turned down by a machinist (a co-worker at the time) so they fit. However, the horn still played slightly flat even with the tuning slide all the way in. So he then had the legs that the t.s. fit into cut down a bit.
Neither was a huge deal by themselves, but we both wondered "why?"
For the 2nd one, it could be that it was meant to play in tune with the Olds mp that came with the horn, which was too small and shallow for him to be comfortable with.