Professional

"Advanced students and professional musicians require instruments of precision and artistic workmanship that can be depended on for every performance. Our Professional line is specifically designed and built with outstanding features necessary and most helpful for good playing. Available in brass, clear lacquer finish; also, with sterling silver bell and sterling silver, hand burnished, artistically engraved gold inlaid bells, Professional models are moderate in price and outstanding in value." (1958 catalog)

In 1952, F.A. Reynolds cornets, trumpets and trombones were rebranded as the "Professional" line of instruments. The "Reynolds" block lettering engraving was changed to a script style that matched the engraving styles of the other model lines (Contempora, Emperor, Roth). Unlike these model lines, the Professional instruments only bore the "Reynolds" brand name without further designation.

In 1959, Reynolds renamed the sterling silver Professional models as "Sterling" model instruments. The physical appearance of the horns and the "Reynolds" bell engraving did not change other than the addition of the word "sterling" (see Engraving Styles below).

For all of its history with the Reynolds company, the Professional brand name was used sparingly after the early 1960s, when the company was sold twice and moved out of its manufacturing plant in Cleveland. The 1966 and 1970 catalogs list only a Professional valve trombone, while a 1973 price list notes trumpet and trombone models that were probably based on instruments being produced for the Olds catalog. These later models were short-lived and absent from the 1977 catalog.

Model Engraving Styles

The photos and notes below describe the different engraving styles that were used on Reynolds' "Professional" line of instruments from 1952 to the mid 1970s.