Olds Valve/Rotor Bugles

[GuyW]

Mea culpa. Dunno where I picked up "alto baritone" when you only wrote alto...

[HornsUp]

Here are pictures of the horn.

That is an Olds Duratone flugel. If you use a trumpet mouthpiece it will play very sharp in the lower register.

[G-horns]

This must be a "bass" baritone - I play this model in KAC...same horn as the Ultratone, except for finish.

I don't remember Olds ever making an "alto" or (plain) baritone horn....by the early '70s, most corps had switched their lines to all bass baritones, because (plain) small baritones had incredible back-pressure and little projection. Really, one bass bari player could overpower 2 or 3 (plain) baris, and yet have better tone...

I can envision a corps buying this satin finish to minimize the appearance of future dents and dings...

Yes. Olds did peddle a flugel (for some reason, I keep thinking someone made an alto - King??). Pitched in the same octave as the soprano and mellophone. Not a lot of corps used them. I do not recall Olds ever making a "plain baritone". They only made a full-size baritone (i.e. "bass baritone").

The Duratone line might have been instituted to keep from getting tics for "water on the bell" during inspection (anyone remember inspection?).

Edited February 22, 2008 by G-horns

[HornsUp]

for some reason, I keep thinking someone made an alto - King?? ........I do not recall Olds ever making a "plain baritone".

There were a couple of 2V Alto models from DEG, one is shown in a post above.

In addition to the King K-40 Flugel, there also was the K-30 "Alto Soprano".

For the Velvet Knights, Zig made at least one baritone using a bass tronbone bell. It was never put into production.

[Martybucs]

There were a couple of 2V Alto models from DEG, one is shown in a post above.

In addition to the King K-40 Flugel, there also was the K-30 "Alto Soprano".

For the Velvet Knights, Zig made at least one baritone using a bass tronbone bell. It was never put into production.

IN Buccaneers we used the 2V alto bugles for the 3rd sopranos. They used an unusually large mouthpiece, sort of like the French style flugelhorn mouthpieces used by Couesnon. The upper register on them was devoid of tone quality and slotting.

I agree the horn in the picture seems to be a flugel bugle. Nice looking horn and I bet it sounds great.

[HornsUp]

Dunno where I picked up "alto baritone" when you only wrote alto...

Pick up an "alto baritone", you got yourself a female impersonator.

[Jeff]

Here are pictures of the horn. I am 99% sure that it is an alto, as my wife played one in her younger days.

If anyone can offer any more info I would be grateful.

The Duratone horn pictured is a Flugel Bugle. If you need more convincing, check the mouthpiece. Your horn is made to accept a flugelhorn mouthpiece.

Edited February 23, 2008 by Jeff

[wvu80]

Beautiful horn. Thanks for posting those pix.

For reference, here is the King K-40:

Although this is called a flugal (however the heck you spell it!) it is in the alto family in traditional bugle lexicon, soprano, alto, tenor, bass. I have heard a friend of mine who played one for BD call it an "alto", but I'm sure he played a K-40. (Sam S, I'm talking about you, so chime in to correct me if I'm wrong).

Edited February 24, 2008 by wvu80

[wvu80]

This is a 30 year-old brand new Deg Dynasty II Alto horn, never been played. I have never seen another one like it.

Note the HUGE tubing on the Deg as it rounds the back of the horn just before it turns to go to the bell. The bell is also HUGE, much larger than a flugal or sop. This horn is shorter than any other bugle I've ever seen. It is very comparable in size to a Conn cornet I used to have.

Edited February 24, 2008 by wvu80

[sonofjabba]

Flugal is Really Supposted to have an interchangeable, Fully Adjustable leadpipe to really be considered a Flugal and Flugals also use their own mouthpieces (Similar to a Mellophone.) With a trumpet sized shank

I consider it an alto since it uses a Cornet Shank Mouthpiece and has a fixed leadpipe. But I'm a contrabass player and only own a dozen Olds horns. :)