Tuba Tuesday: Holton, 105, BB flat recording tuba, 3 piston, 1958

[bisontuba]

This Tuba Tuesday the Museum features a Holton, 105, BB flat recording tuba, 3 piston, 1958.

Bell size is 23 3/4″ and bore is .750″. Height is 48 1/4″.

“FRANK HOLTON & CO. / 105 / ELKHORN, WIS / USA” on bell.
Ornate floral engraving around identification marks. “1”, “2”, and “3” stamped on first, second, and third valves, respectively. “312606” stamped at bottom of second valve. Buttons on second and third valves not original.



https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -3-piston/

[LargeTuba]

I had this exact tuba but with BB350 Stamped on the reciever.

Currently, I think its being turned into a 5 valve CC Bat.

[humBell]

Curious.

How different is the body from one of their short action models?

[matt g]

Curious.

How different is the body from one of their short action models?

I’m pretty sure the body is exactly the same. The main difference that I can tell, having owned one of the short action ones, is that the assembly looked better on the older ones.

Edited to add…

The outer branches/bows are the same, the inner branches are a little different.

[humBell]

Thanks for the pick.

Yeah, valve set is higher up, and more angled on the short action. The inner branches adapt to that location change, then?

[matt g]

Yeah, I’m guessing the inner branches were moved around to accommodate that cluster change. Note that in the photo I posted the main tuning slide was extended about 8” total to make up for the shorter 190 (CC I think) bell. Possibly between that bell, the added cylindrical bit, and leaky valves, the only time those slides needed to move were for 1-3 and 1–2-3 combos.