POLL ADDED !!! - Holton BB-345 twin-spin (first actual picture on p.2)

[bloke]

Inflation: (old price lists, etc.)
I recall selling a brand new five valve Rudolph Meinl C tuba for $3000 bucks - and making some money on that.
It seemed like only a couple years later, and they were suddenly $7500 and then $9000.
It’s quite obvious that those who control the money supply and the goods supply have set us up for another very similar era…
… tons and tons of money being printed, and slow-walking of goods/services. It takes someone who has only attended the first Monday morning class of an economics course to understand what happens after that.

[bloke]

I've done all I'm going to do re: straightening out this Holton BB-345 for the young man who owns it. I normally don't accept "complete whatever" jobs on tubas, but - with these times defining an economic "wild card"- I decided to accept a couple of them.
There's no finish to put on this instrument at this time (not part of this job), so I'm delivering it "clean" (not shined, not lacquered, not plated).



I also included this very short little Prokofiev excerpt, if you'll please excuse that I'm neither a 6/4-guy and NOR am I all that accustomed to being a "B-flat guy".



or (alternate link)

[matt g]

Gotta let those extra 2/4 do more of the work for you!

[bloke]

LOL...

On a cell phone speaker, it sounds like the tuba player in a band of ants.

"Tubas should be felt, and not heard...particularly when their players are mediocre."

[bloke]

EPILOGUE

Not many people completely straighten these things out.
I PREFER to only do so when selling one (or if I ever decided to keep one for myself).
With the economy shutdown and (for those of us who could see it coming, as it was obvious) hyperinflation, I decided to accept a few jobs (like this), just to make sure that I'd have something to do.
As it turns out, I remained busy anyway, but it was sorta fun helping people out with these things, and - as they were patient - seeing them smile afterward.

There are things I don't do (and don't wish to ever do). I don't like valve-rebuilding (as it's too much of a huge and friggin' expensive thing to be a parenthetical thing) and plating (for the same reasons). I think I'm pretty darn good at straightening out screwed up things, and (as I become less fascinated with it, ironically) seem to become better and faster at it.

Rather than just straightening out the bottom bow, I believe I made it more round and more symmetrical than it was originally.
Besides this - in between manufacturing and me receiving it - there had been some REALLY screwy - uh - "major procedure" in the past.

Reshaping the bottom bow (bore - to nearly round...rather than oval, and more symmetrical) moved things around.
The bracing point (from the bottom bow to the smaller lower bow) was off by more than an inch (at least, from where those Conn 2XJ brace feet had been previously placed in that previous "major procedure"). I would have preferred, then, to just leave the brace off of that bracing point, as the ferrule now lines up with the CURVE of that smaller bow, which defines somewhat of a higher level of effort (craftsmanship?) to NOT end of with something that looks - well - bad...and then thing - overall - was already as solid as a rock...

...but the young man who owns it just emailed and asked for that brace, so (again: though not super-easy to make it look "nice" on that curve, and diamond-flanges to boot) I stuck it on there. I guess it looks OK...


hmm...The picture (to me) looks better than the actual...or maybe I was being too critical...(??)



NOW...
I HAVE TO GET HOLTON 345 #2 CAUGHT UP TO THIS SAME POINT !!!

[bloke]

I have an original 1970s wooden GWW case - specifically for a 345 - that’s really not in bad shape, except that it needs some new covering for the wooden frame (I’m recommending truck bed liner over the wood, after a pretty good sanding job), and I would rate the original latches as not only quite old but originally under-engineered.
It’s much better-made than the ones after production move to Costa Rica, and much closer-fitting to the instrument. Yes it is big, obviously, but not much bigger than the tuba. The bell wings and the bottom surfaces are all factory-waterproofed underneath the Tolex.
Some of you still have cases from this era, and know what I’m talking about.
I swapped the owner of this instrument this case in exchange for one of those gigantic Protec things, and I’ve stuck a Reynolds recording bell tuba in that bag - to offer it for sale with something to carry it around, so it was a good trade.
I’ve run out of TiteBond II, and thought I might pick up a little bit of Brasso as well, just to go over the bell on this thing, and offer just a slightly nicer first impression... I just don’t feel like holding this thing up to the buffing machine anymore, at this time.
Both of these items are in stock at this ancient hardware store at our county seat’s town square. It’s pretty amazing how many things they have there.
Mrs. bloke is quite mechanically-inclined, and has repaired our old (OLD!) Whirlpool mechanical dryer (as we’re just not interested in some overseas-made $3000 dryer - with a computer/circuit board) several times - with parts that have been in stock at that tiny little place. She is not much into electrical wizardry, but still also researches YouTube and discovers which electrical parts to replace for which problems.
I’m heading there in a few minutes to pick up both of these products (glue/Brasso), as I’ve just about glued around some of the edges of that old case that needed some help, but did run out of Titebond during that chore, and the owner of the tuba is arriving (from way up near Canada) to pick up this instrument later on today.
Roughly a mile south of this town square is the landfill where - roughly once every six weeks - we drop off a few bags of refuse into one of the metal dumpsters just inside its entrance and pay them two dollars for doing so (compare this to your monthly trash collection bill). Life is good.

[York-aholic]

Really old hardware stores are the best, both for the depth of products carried and the depth of knowledge if you find the right employee.

[bloke]

The same distance away (in another small town) is a much larger (but *poorly stocked) hardware store, twice as far away is one of those (remarkably well run) Ace franchise places…which is creeping towards the scope of a “mini Home Depot” - as it has taken over (and BOUGHT) an entire strip mall - over the years, and - 45 minutes away, one way (two separate pairs of these, both the same distance away) - are the two competing “big box” hardware stores.

“Our very rural county even features a husband and wife team that offers world-class woodwind and brass repair work. ”

___________________
* I’ve just given up on that place, as the answer to whether most any very commonly needed item is in stock is, “We can order it“.

[York-aholic]

“Our very rural county even features a husband and wife team that offers world-class woodwind and brass repair work. ”

I thought all those places were long gone. I'll have to check it out one day.

[tubaing]

My folks picked up the tuba for me since they were visiting my sister and her people in St. Louis and they should be coming tomorrow to see me (well, mostly see the baby) and bring the tuba. Starting to day dream about fixing up this case.

https://www.rosebrand.com/product3618/3 ... aster.aspx

[York-aholic]

Those old form fitting cases are pretty slick. Please post about your progress and process in restoring it.

[tubaing]

I'm putting together my shopping list:

I really like the new style Yamaha handles on the euphonium/trumpet/saxophone cases:


Casters shown above
Piano hinge
Plastic skids
Rubber Feet
Latches (Yamaha/MTS style)
I'll try the truck bed liner idea I think
Also thinking about a strip of black vinyl wall corner stuff for the area between the wheels.
I hope I am happy enough with the interior to do nothing or just do "repairs"

I am a person who likes to push my cases when I am using the wheels... I've never felt like I've had the control I wanted when pulling a case- especially in terms of it being able to tip left and right. I've always really liked the control I had with the MTS case handle, but unlike the MTS cases, there is no flat spot on the bottom bow end of the case for mounting the handle and I wonder if I'll be stuck with this kind of handle down there. Any ideas? I don't have the woodworking chops to make some kind of curved wedge that can make a base for a traditional handle.


Also... I would LOVE to get a Holton logo to put on the case... maybe someone has one laying around?

[bloke]

I really don't expect that you would be happy with either of those handles or wheels - on a 50 (60?) lb. rig.

I'm familiar with both of those handles (disposable-grade Yamaha case handle, and guitar-amp handle), as well as being familiar with built-in wheels that are less than as far apart than the width of the case (which - though those you selected do not chopping away the case corners - will prompt the case to tip over). Further, it appears that they are supported by plastic (not metal) framework.

I would recommending begging the owner of Taylor Music, Inc. (Aberdeen, SD) to look and see if he has one of these wheel kits (complete with all necessary hardware) laying around...



and - since (I believe) those amazing old King-trombone-case-style (hinged) case handles are no longer made (as also seen in the very same picture I placed within this post), I might encourage you to install one of these in the regular spot (balance point) lengthwise, and another one (at the curved-end pull-along spot) crosswise...BUT...You could ALSO ask Taylor Music if they have (even "salvage") any handles to sell you as seen in the case picture (just above).



I would also encourage you to install nice sturdy (better than "stock") drawbolt-style latches or (if you're willing to deal with them) butterfly latches - in place of those which currently are in place.

bloke "no plastic"

[Rick Denney]

Actually, I’ve used those case wheels before for very large and heavy camera equipment, and the ones I bought at least are not plastic all except for the tires. The shell is cast aluminum.

But I agree that a wider wheelbase and bigger wheels are a must, particularly if one wants to push it.

If I was starting over with that shell, I’d put the piano hinge where the latches are currently, and the opening where the hinge is now, flipping it top to bottom. A really wide wheelbase axle would be closer to the bell flare and less obtrusive. The whole thing would sit closer to the ground. Then I’d put a flight-case lifting handle (as Bloke pictured) on each end for hoisting it two-handed into a vehicle. The pushing handle should not be hinged—a nice, cast bronze marine transom handle (not the stamped sheet-metal imitations you get at Home Depot) sounds about right.

Rick “don’t skimp on the axle mounting” Denney

[York-aholic]

I may have a Holton case tag. I’ll have a look tonight.

[bloke]

This is clearly labeled a “twin-spin” thread.

As was seen early on, there are indeed two of these instruments, one of which is now completed - and back to its owner, and with the other one being a shop-owned instrument that is to be fixed up and sold (just as with the second of the Miraphone 184 B-flat tubas).

Assuming no more health or other interruptions, I will be returning to this instrument - and thread - after the 184 is done.

Next up on this instrument – once I’m finally able to return to it – is to reassemble and align its valve section.

Anyway, I’m just barely injecting enough oxygen back into this dormant thread to keep it alive - for the time being, I suppose.

There are actually other repair threads that could be started, but that would define starting those threads way way way ahead of when those threads’ projects were actually able to be started, so I’m holding off - for now - on starting any more threads.

[tubaing]

I got the case put together a few weeks ago. Thrilled to be able to get it around with working hardware. The inside is currently just a moving blanket I wrap around the tuba.





Yesterday, I had a rehearsal with my Army quintet and saw that the new 5450s had shown up. I have a lot of past experience playing on 5450s having owned one for about 4 years and then using one all last summer at the Army School of Music... now it sounds downright bland compared to my 345.

[matt g]

Seeing that thing all shiny and new really does remind me that the 2165 is so close in design to the old 345.

[York-aholic]

I’m not sure I understood you right. If I didn’t, my apologies.

That isn’t a Holton 345 in that last picture.

[York-aholic]

I’m not sure I understood you right. If I didn’t, my apologies.

That isn’t a Holton 345 in that last picture.

Oof… you’re right! It’s a 5450…

‘Twas confused