Both were 'second-line' or intermediate-level instruments, but are considered good players by many folks around here, including myself. If it doesn't have beveled tone holes, it was made by Buescher and is a stencil of Buescher's 'Elkhart' model. If it has beveled tone holes, it was made by Martin and is a 'stencil' similar to Martin's Indiana model. Richard Schneider Jr Dreamlike Land RARE on this page. Olds didn't manufacture saxophones (the Olds Super being a possible exception), so what you have was probably made by Martin or Buescher for F.E. If this web site's (numbers are correct and they apply to saxophones, then it was made around 1950. (We do know that serial# 14005 Super trombone was made in May 1942, from the original warranty card, possibly. Robb Stewart has further educated me on the status of production during the war: There were few musical instruments made during the war at Olds except for the surprising military order for Olds saxophones. You can email them at the US Band and Orchestral Division for a date of manufacture for a particular serial but before about 1982 not much is known.

Yamaha seems to be a bit tight lipped about their serial numbers in general. For the other instruments I have cataloged so far I have also created a database of Yamaha serial numbers.

Olds ambassador flute serial numbers