POLL: shorty/fatty (York-like) Holton B-flat tuba with 19-inch bell...

[cjk]

@bloke, I'm curious about how effective the extended low register intonation is with the flat half step 5th valve below low F. I suspect it's actually quite decent??

I figure you're missing just one note, low B above pedal B flat.

low F = 4th. (good)
low E = 4+5. (good)
Low Eb = 2+4+5 (probably a bit sharp). or 1,2,4 (probably a bit flat)
low D = 2,3,4 (or maybe 1,2,4,5, one of those is probably good)
low Db = 2,3,4,5 (good?)
low C = 1,2,3,4,5. (in the ballpark?)
low B = missing

Other than one missing note, is it any better or worse than a flat whole step?

[cjk]

I'm still looking at putting some sort of "label" on my Holton, but I'm not sure what I want to affix to it after so much of it is MY design (or corrective work). I don't have a "brand" and "Rackley" is a singularly terrible business name. I have goofed around with my Elephant image, and that will probably be what I go with. It fits the physical form of the tuba and does not contain my goofy name.

I do not want a name on it except for "Holton" but I want to leave something for the person who buys it after I die. I have thought of having the old WWII "KILROY" image engraved on some nickel silver and fitting it within the B&S MTS brace window". I think that would be funny and would show that the horn is not "stock" to an observant person.

I really want to use that nice brace, but I won't do the work needed to install it to my 1st slide until I know for certain what I want to show within that window. And there isn't really anything all that attractive to me, right now. So I am at a bit of a loss. I still like the enameled insert idea, but the elephant logo is pretty silly, and I can't think of anything else. I must be "too close" to this. I can't see the forest for all the trees.

I really like your "JS" idea. It is very nicely cut and installed, and it looks great.

Wade, you might consider looking for "elephant belt buckle" on ebay. You'll find lots of stuff made in the 1970s or 1980s made of brass or bronze which might be modifiable for your use.
for example, I like these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174535777553?h ... SwL1tfpuTx
https://www.ebay.com/itm/333932618344?h ... SwEShgW07Z
https://www.ebay.com/itm/114820246519?h ... SwOJ1gp4G2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334005908200?h ... SwFgxgCfEH
Here's something tiny:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/183781989362?h ... SwDuJW0lD8

[bloke]

@bloke, I'm curious about how effective the extended low register intonation is with the flat half step 5th valve below low F. I suspect it's actually quite decent??

I figure you're missing just one note, low B above pedal B flat.

low F = 4th. (good...pull upper #4 1/2-inch out farther than in-tune "C" position for critical tuning of this pitch)
low E = 4+5. (good)
Low Eb = 2+4+5 (probably a bit sharp). or 1,2,4 (probably a bit flat) 2,4,5 (pull upper #4 - where I've installed a stop-rod, for a perfect low E-flat)
low D = 2,3,4 (or maybe 1,2,4,5, one of those is probably good)
low Db = 2,3,4,5 (good)
low C = 1,2,3,4,5. (in the ballpark?) 1,3,4,5 (pull upper #4 all the way out to stop-rod end)
low B = missing 1,2,3,4,5 (pull upper #1 and upper #4 out all the way, and pull upper #3 out halfway)

Other than one missing note, is it any better or worse than a flat whole step? proven, nearly immediately, to be a superior system for BB-flat

[the elephant]

Wade, you might consider looking for "elephant belt buckle" on ebay.

Oh! Thanks for all the detective work, man!

I am looking for something very small. I have a guy who makes enameled pins and such, and he has no minimum order. I have the brace with a window. (It is an old B&S main slide brace, the type of which I am sure you know well.) *IF* I decide to "personalize" this horn it will be with that brace. The question was what ought to go in the little "window"? After a few PM conversations here I think my TubaForum "the elephant" avatar is what I want.

Here are two photos from the thread where this conversation started a couple of months ago.

This is what I bought.


This is what I would like it to look like, eventually.


Further conversations about my Holton should be in my Holton 345 thread so as not to clutter up Joe's thread about *is* Holton. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

[bloke]

@the elephant

My vote strongly goes to this.
Just hold on to the B&S thing for something else, and make your own cross brace for this thing...

[cjk]

@the elephant

My vote strongly goes to this.
Just hold on to the B&S thing for something else, and make your own cross brace for this thing...

I like that too. One could probably make a brace out of an old brass belt buckle too. It might be big, but it could be tucked out of the way in a non-obvious spot. Maybe holding 4th valve plumbing to the body or the fifth valve tubing on the back of the tuba where only you would see it.

@the elephant This fella is probably tiny. You might get the seller to measure it. It might work with your brace. They should be able to at least measure the width of belt, then you could probably extrapolate from there.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/183781989362?h ... SwDuJW0lD8

a different idea: take a look at this buckle. it's an abstract elephant's head.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334005908200?h ... SwFgxgCfEH
I don't recall what the engraving looks like on your holton. if it's just the word "Holton" without any flowers or fuss or anything, you could have an abstract elephant head like in the link just above lightly engraved around the outside of the "Holton" on the bell.

[the elephant]

@the elephant

My vote strongly goes to this.
Just hold on to the B&S thing for something else, and make your own cross brace for this thing...

Nice! However, as I said earlier, I want it to be under an inch in size, so that it can only be seen from up close.

I am thinking of this less as a badge and more as a type of "easter egg" as they are called. I am looking for subtlety, here…

Thanks, though.

[bloke]

Measures: 1.75" (w) x 1.31" (h)

It's a nice, big, revealing picture (kudos to the seller for that), but the ACTUAL size is stated as quoted above.

Is c. 7.5mm taller than an inch too much too tall...??

Most of the time (yes?) you'll be at a 45°angle to the patrons and/or have some viola or horn player covering a straight-on view of that portion of your tuba...

fwiw...
This thread about the compact Holton BB-flat is "done"...The project is completed. Talk about ANYTHING, here, other than my Mom.

[the elephant]

Measures: 1.75" (w) x 1.31" (h)

It's a nice, big, revealing picture (kudos to the seller for that), but the ACTUAL size is stated as quoted above.

Is c. 7.5mm taller than an inch too much too tall...??

I will use the B&S brace as the window is exactly the size I want. Thanks, though.

[bloke]

yep:

When we want what we want, we want what we want.

[bloke]

As far as cloisonne/enamel/facsimile, this place claims a 25 minimum (which is low, in my view)
https://www.stadriemblems.com/shop/custom-enamel-pins

This one boasts made in USA...
https://lapelpins.com/collections/usa-made-pins

The extras could be made into lapel pins, for when you're running for LUT (Local Union Thug)...

[cjk]

Wade, you could have a tiny version of your avatar engraved inside one "o" or the other in the "Holton" engraving on the bell assuming they are large enough.

[the elephant]

[cjk]

i-ZhpWHVq-X5.jpeg (153.41 KiB) Viewed 1626 times

[Tubajug]

I might steal that belt buckle idea since my little elephant figurine idea didn't pan out like I'd hoped...

[Three Valves]

I am looking for subtlety, here…

Subtlety is the hallmark of refinement and good taste!!

[the elephant]

[York-aholic]

I really like how the silver that remains in that engraving stands out. Very nice that it worked out that way!

[matt g]

Put the belt buckle on a leather belt and put the belt around the throat of your tuba and you’ll be magically transported back to 1994 when those things made a difference.

[Doc]

Put the belt buckle on a leather belt and put the belt around the throat of your tuba and you’ll be magically transported back to 1994 when those things made a difference.

Just imagine the core and projection!