107-year-old 19” bell Holton monster E-flat

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:34 pm

Missing two pistons, but bell and outer bows and everything else are in absolutely astonishing condition.
I laid claim to it several months ago, but was only able to pick it up today.
I can’t wait to web-host pictures on the road, but here’s all about it on Frankentubas on Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/763162600 ... 988107916/

ken herrick · Post by **ken herrick** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 7:16 pm

NOPE!!!

This Facebook post is no longer available. It may have been removed or the privacy settings of the post may have changed.

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 8:47 pm

What you gonna make us??

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 9:08 pm

ken herrick wrote: ↑Thu Jul 28, 2022 7:16 pm NOPE!!!

This Facebook post is no longer available. It may have been removed or the privacy settings of the post may have changed.

If you are on Facebook, the link works and doesn’t work intermittently.

I posted the web address just below - that you can click on or touch with your finger.

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Thu Jul 28, 2022 9:10 pm

Mike,
I’m mostly just interested in the parts.
I’m not much of a early 20th century monster E-flat person, but the bell, bottom bow, and brace socket flanges are gems.

The lack of finish wear, lack of scratches, and lack of denting are spooky.

I picked this up just under 100 miles mostly west and a bit south of downtown Chicago.

2nd tenor · Post by **2nd tenor** » Fri Jul 29, 2022 8:53 am

It’d be interesting to know what you intend to do about the missing valves, perhaps you come across enough scrap instruments that you can lift a valve-set off of something else or even fit something new at cost price?

On the other hand if it’s really more parts interest to you then what will happen to them?

Tubajug · Post by **Tubajug** » Fri Jul 29, 2022 11:21 am

Put that York bell on your compact Holton to give it that York magic!

Tubajug · Post by **Tubajug** » Fri Jul 29, 2022 11:21 am

Double post. Sorry!

York-aholic · Post by **York-aholic** » Fri Jul 29, 2022 6:42 pm

That’s what I was figuring. Put the gorgeous Holton bell and bottom bow on the squat Holton but can think of two reasons that that won’t happen.

1) I don’t see Bloke going for the silver bell/bow with raw brass body look. Just not his style. And silver playing the body/valve set to match the bell/bow would still be a mismatch of silver I’d think.

2) I seem to think he got the original bell engraving freshened up before he built the horn.

Post by **matt g** » Fri Jul 29, 2022 7:46 pm

Guessing Joe has a few more 2341 bodies and parts laying around he could cobble together into a horn similar to the Holton.

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Sat Jul 30, 2022 8:49 am

I don’t have a project to which this bell and bottom bow would be assigned, but I’m not interested in selling them.

Were I in some weird mood and some Eastman 4/4 C with a trashed bell showed up for $1800… I’m *not sure what I would do. (??)
——————————
* being that I already have a same-size/same-features B-flat that probably plays better

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:05 am

This tuba's serial number indicates early 1915.

arpthark · Post by **arpthark** » Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:14 am

Gorgeous engraving!

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:52 am

again:

Two pistons are missing (not that I need them for anything), but there's really no finish wear - and only the equivalent of a year-or-two of minor dent/crease boo-boos on this thing.

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:56 am

It might be nice to strip the silver and swap out my 1960's same-mandrel (obviously) bell for this one, but I really don't think I want to have the mouthpipe crossing the engraving - which would occur with this bell.

bort2.0 · Post by **bort2.0** » Tue Aug 02, 2022 10:11 pm

bloke wrote: ↑Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:56 am It might be nice to strip the silver and swap out my 1960's same-mandrel (obviously) bell for this one, but I really don't think I want to have the mouthpipe crossing the engraving - which would occur with this bell.

Then rotate it to point the engraving towards you!

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:05 pm

The bell and bottom bow are identical to the B-flat versions of these instruments.

The large upper bow (in remarkable condition, and with both a cap and a guard wire) ends up a bit smaller than the B-flat upper bow, but is stops (small end) at around the same place.

The offers an opportunity to splice on a smaller-diameter lower inside bow (ie. for a C tuba project).

The thing is this:

I have no current interest in a York/Holton4/4-Canadian Brass-Eastman-size C tuba.

Bob Kolada · Post by **Bob Kolada** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 5:05 pm

I haven't played a bunch of these XXL Eb tubas but IMO the Holtons have a nicer sound than the Yorks or Conns; the one big King I played was like a circus clown playing freeform jazz while on LSD. I didn't know an instrument could produce such pitches. My Conn Giant was kind of meh but I knew a guy with a Rusk modded Holton Eb that was out of this world. I vote to keep it on an Eb of some kind.

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