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F.E. Olds / DeCarlis “Recording” trumpet • 1971/2009 • serial no. 769077
This pocket trumpet conversion is now completed, and I’m very pleased with the results. I felt that I was able to create one of the more unique wraps of all my pocket conversions. I started with a fairly banged-up 1960s example. One of the goals was to retain the characteristic spring-trigger slide. Originally on the third slide, I decided to move it to the mouthpipe, between the tuning slide and the third valve casing, so any valve combination could be lowered. The general design of the mouthpipe is similar to the Calicchio pocket, causing me to dub this project the “Calicchiolds.” While the original bell was good enough to use, I had a “new old stock” Recording cornet bell, which had the beautiful engraving closer to the rim. Had I used the trumpet bell, the engraving would have ended up alongside the second valve. I left it as a trumpet, however, I machined an adapter to allow the use of preferred cornet mouthpiece.
The second group of shots show the donor horn, the early steps of reconstruction, and the bell being bent into main and branch sections by Robb Steward, then taped to the body. A goal was to shoot for a very short overall length; less than 8.5 inches. Robb achieved this, so I tried “folding” the first slide forward to take a little more off the length as seen in the third set of photos. Mark Metzler did the beautiful new lacquer (metzlerbrassrepair.com). Overall, I think this was my best effot yet, and was excited to learn that Doc Severinsen himself tried it out while it was on loan to a friend at the S.E. Shires factory! I’m told he played “Carnival of Venice” with variations, and (obviously) didn’t miss a note!
Length (mpc. removed): 8.24” (target)
Bell Diameter: 4.625”
Bore: .459
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