
cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
- arpthark
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TheConnsequence
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
I'm in talks. Very excited for this tuba.
- These users thanked the author TheConnsequence for the post (total 4):
- humBell (Tue May 19, 2026 3:19 pm) • gocsick (Tue May 19, 2026 3:58 pm) • arpthark (Tue May 19, 2026 4:58 pm) • MN_TimTuba (Fri May 22, 2026 7:15 am)
1921 Conn Donatelli BBb
1923 Martin Mammoth 4v FA Fixed Upright BBb Tuba
1937 Frank Holton Short action recording 3v
1936 Conn 36J
1929 Frank Holton Mammoth (Upright bell, 3v FA)
1915 Conn Eb Giant
1929 Frank Holton mammoth 3v sousaphone
1923 Martin Mammoth 4v FA Fixed Upright BBb Tuba
1937 Frank Holton Short action recording 3v
1936 Conn 36J
1929 Frank Holton Mammoth (Upright bell, 3v FA)
1915 Conn Eb Giant
1929 Frank Holton mammoth 3v sousaphone
Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
I own one of these -- made in 1929. Has a York 33 bell. (I still have the original bell and throat.) A very sweet instrument that was my brass quintet horn for a long time.
- arpthark
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
I was having a hard time gauging the size of it based on photos -- I thought it was a larger tuba until I saw your comment. Would you say it's medium-ish/4/4-sized?PRO wrote: Wed May 20, 2026 8:23 am I own one of these -- made in 1929. Has a York 33 bell. (I still have the original bell and throat.) A very sweet instrument that was my brass quintet horn for a long time.
- bort2.0
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
That's really cool! A little silver polish and that thing will look amazing!
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humBell
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
If you're going that way anyway, feel free to kick the tires on https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/ite ... ref=search
"In this world you have to be oh so clever or oh so pleasant.
For years i was clever, and i recommend pleasant"
-Elwood P Dowd.
For years i was clever, and i recommend pleasant"
-Elwood P Dowd.
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York-aholic
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
6/4 York 726.humBell wrote: Wed May 20, 2026 5:25 pmIf you're going that way anyway, feel free to kick the tires on https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/ite ... ref=search
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- humBell (Wed May 20, 2026 10:56 pm)
Some old Yorks, Martins, and perhaps a King rotary valved CC
Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
Hi Arpthark,
This Holton "Standard" is 29" from floor to top of top bow. Width is 16" from left side of big end of bottom bow to right side of small end of same (i.e., widest width of bottom bow at the ferrules). The horn is about the same size as a York 33. Smallish compared to my two large tubas -- Conn 27J and Hirsbrunner HBS193 -- if any tuba can be considered "small".
The valves are copper-plated, apparently done that way at the factory -- real nice feel.
I am having problems with DropBox. Will send photo to a friend in hopes he can post it here for you.
Hope it all works out for the best, TheConnsequence !!!
This Holton "Standard" is 29" from floor to top of top bow. Width is 16" from left side of big end of bottom bow to right side of small end of same (i.e., widest width of bottom bow at the ferrules). The horn is about the same size as a York 33. Smallish compared to my two large tubas -- Conn 27J and Hirsbrunner HBS193 -- if any tuba can be considered "small".
The valves are copper-plated, apparently done that way at the factory -- real nice feel.
I am having problems with DropBox. Will send photo to a friend in hopes he can post it here for you.
Hope it all works out for the best, TheConnsequence !!!
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York-aholic
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
@PRO’s Holton Standard:
- These users thanked the author York-aholic for the post (total 3):
- PRO (Sun May 24, 2026 9:02 am) • arpthark (Sun May 24, 2026 9:30 am) • bort2.0 (Sun May 24, 2026 1:05 pm)
Some old Yorks, Martins, and perhaps a King rotary valved CC
- arpthark
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
Looking good!
I like that low-slung valve section.
I like that low-slung valve section.
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York-aholic
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
It looks like it would definitely be easier to reach through the horn to adjust the valve slide…
Some old Yorks, Martins, and perhaps a King rotary valved CC
Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
They have used a sousaphone-style third valve wrap, which enables the low-slung valve section, which in turn enables a long straight run of leadpipe (which I suspect has something to do with the easy blow and sweet voice). Also lowers the center of gravity, making for nice balance on the lap.
Very easy to reach to reach through the bugle to adjust tuning. Although the tuning is pretty good on this one, it does help to extend first valve slide for low F, low E, and false Eb and D.
Very easy to reach to reach through the bugle to adjust tuning. Although the tuning is pretty good on this one, it does help to extend first valve slide for low F, low E, and false Eb and D.
- Eric Murphy
- Lee Stofer Music
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
Did anybody ever pick this up? I messaged the seller, but they never responded. I was up for a road trip!
Band Instrument Repair Technician - Lee Stofer Music
www.tubameister.com
www.tubameister.com
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TheConnsequence
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
I got one reply and then nothing. I followed up several times.
1921 Conn Donatelli BBb
1923 Martin Mammoth 4v FA Fixed Upright BBb Tuba
1937 Frank Holton Short action recording 3v
1936 Conn 36J
1929 Frank Holton Mammoth (Upright bell, 3v FA)
1915 Conn Eb Giant
1929 Frank Holton mammoth 3v sousaphone
1923 Martin Mammoth 4v FA Fixed Upright BBb Tuba
1937 Frank Holton Short action recording 3v
1936 Conn 36J
1929 Frank Holton Mammoth (Upright bell, 3v FA)
1915 Conn Eb Giant
1929 Frank Holton mammoth 3v sousaphone
Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
I was close to buying it. The guy seemed a little questionable but I had to back out. So I don’t think he’s selling anything to anyone not local. He also took about a week to respond to meTheConnsequence wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2026 10:57 am I got one reply and then nothing. I followed up several times.
HI 
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TheConnsequence
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Re: cool vintage Holton rec. bell BBb $600 (Pontiac, MI/FB)
Man, that really is too bad though. It'd be a neat tuba.
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- PRO (Fri Jun 05, 2026 7:25 am)
1921 Conn Donatelli BBb
1923 Martin Mammoth 4v FA Fixed Upright BBb Tuba
1937 Frank Holton Short action recording 3v
1936 Conn 36J
1929 Frank Holton Mammoth (Upright bell, 3v FA)
1915 Conn Eb Giant
1929 Frank Holton mammoth 3v sousaphone
1923 Martin Mammoth 4v FA Fixed Upright BBb Tuba
1937 Frank Holton Short action recording 3v
1936 Conn 36J
1929 Frank Holton Mammoth (Upright bell, 3v FA)
1915 Conn Eb Giant
1929 Frank Holton mammoth 3v sousaphone
