Olds Register Photo Guide-

Fullerton

Question 8 Key

During the Fullerton era, Olds made trumpets in several different keys. The vast majority of trumpets and all cornets were still made in the key of Bb, but professional models were made in the keys of C, D, Eb, F and G.

As noted in the instructions, if you cannot tell or do not know, your trumpet is most likely in the key of Bb.

The 1970 Olds Trumpet brochure has some of the best comparative photos of the different key trumpets:

Notice on the C trumpet that the crook of the tuning slide is about even with the third valve slide. On a Bb trumpet, the tuning slide crook extends farther than the third valve slide. On the D trumpet (and Eb) the tuning slide does not extend as far at the third valve slide.

For a few years, Olds made an Ambassador model trumpet in Eb, which is often confused for an Ambassador Bb cornet, but the tuning slide is at the front of the Eb trumpet, as opposed to the tuning slide toward the back of a Ambassador cornet.

Here is a photo of the regular Ambassador cornet in Bb, which is about the same size as the Ambassador Eb trumpet, but does not have the tuning slide at the front of the instrument.