TromboneChat

Any idea if a counterweight from an Olds Ambassador will fit my 1950s Olds Special?

If it's the type that is soldered onto the crook itself, it'll fit any tenor trombone. I put one on my Olds Studio. I'd prefer that it be a few ounces heavier, but it still beats having no counterweight and being slide-heavy. It looks great, too!

Doubler wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 7:49 am If it's the type that is soldered onto the crook itself, it'll fit any tenor trombone. I put one on my Olds Studio. I'd prefer that it be a few ounces heavier, but it still beats having no counterweight and being slide-heavy. It looks great, too!

Ahh. Not thought if that. Was thinking of attaching to the rear brace by way of screwing two halves, as per my Recording.

Another reason I like it is because it's farther back on the instrument, providing more leverage, thus keeping overall weight down, albeit marginally.

The very late Ambassadors have a split counterweight that clamps onto a brace.

BUT

The Ambassador's braces are that odd flattened oval cross-section rather than being round as I suspect the braces on your Special are.

JohnL wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:07 pm The very late Ambassadors have a split counterweight that clamps onto a brace.

BUT

The Ambassador's braces are that odd flattened oval cross-section rather than being round as I suspect the braces on your Special are.

Yep, my Recording braces are round. Now wondering if a tech could do anything to help compensate for the different profiles …

Geordie wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:37 pm
Yep, my Recording braces are round. Now wondering if a tech could do anything to help compensate for the different profiles …

I soldered an Ambassador counterweight onto the tuning slide crook of my Recording. It does help balance the horn a lot.

Rear brace hollow? If so could it be filled with lead?

Vegasbound wrote: ↑Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:55 am Rear brace hollow? If so could it be filled with lead?

I’m not sure if it is hollow or not. The horn is in good condition and I’m cautious about taking off the brace(s) given the age of the lacquer (mid-1950s). At a more practical level I have two lead fishing weights taped on there just now and I’m not convinced that volume of lead would fit inside the braces.
Ideally I need someone with a horn who would part out. I’d buy a whole horn but the freight, tax and import duties into UK means that’s not feasible.

Try Andy Flaxman he has a huge collection of horns

An Olds Ambassador cwt will fit. The one that's soldered on to the tuning slide. I had one soldered on a 40s Olds Standard.
And I have one to sell if you're interested, although it's scratched on both sides. I can send you a pic.
It's still soldered on an Ambassador tuning slide.

sporto wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:16 pm An Olds Ambassador cwt will fit. The one that's soldered on to the tuning slide. I had one soldered on a 40s Olds Standard.
And I have one to sell if you're interested, although it's scratched on both sides. I can send you a pic.
It's still soldered on an Ambassador tuning slide.

Definitely interested. Please can PM pics and price. If you have any sort of general idea what the shipping to UK might cost that would be very useful. Thank you.

Someone here suggested boring out a generic counterweight to fit the horn, thank you - I cannot find your post. I had one, forgotten, in a drawer. Happily Mick Rath’s workshop is close and he was able to do this, and add a little extra weight as I requested. Really pleased with the solution. Thanks again Mick.