1916 Chicago Holton "Mammoth" BBb repair

[prairieboy1]

Two months ago, I had an accident with my Holton tuba. I put it in the back of my Subaru Forester and instead of laying it flat with the seats down, I had it on its side horizontally in the very back of the car resting on the glass of the hatch. I opened the hatch and watched in disbelief as the horn flipped and landed on the pavement. The force of the jolt broke all of the solder joints in the bottom bow for a start. My technician had to take the bottom bow completely off and re-solder it. Once he had done that, I picked the horn up and took it to our band hall for a test run. The test lasted 35 seconds as the horn would not centre on any pitch at all. I took it back and after further close examination, the leadpipe (which has already been repaired several times before I bought it) was cracked in three different places and the mouthpiece receiver was cracked as well. My technician and I both felt that a new receiver and leadpipe would be the only proper solution to this mess. I called Lee Stofer(who I bought the horn from) and he very kindly agreed to make a new leadpipe and replace the receiver. I packed up the two trashed items and sent them to Lee. As of this afternoon, the pieces are in US Customs in Los Angeles. Hopefully he will receive them by the end of next week. Once he is finished creating and building the pieces I need, he will mail them to me and I will have my technician attach them to the horn. I am very grateful to Lee for being willing to do this. This horn is now 106 years old! It is a favourite of mine and I look forward to playing it again. The lesson learned from this is "Lay the horns flat in the back of the damn car" It certainly will not happen again!

[York-aholic]

Yikes. I’m sorry that happened to you.

We used to have a Forester and can see why a Mammoth had to go on its side in the “trunk”.

Glad that all will be well eventually.

[hrender]

I'm sorry about your horn, but thanks for mentioning this. I have some repairs I'd like done, and I'm thinking it might be worth the drive to take the horn to Lee.

[prairieboy1]

I'm sorry about your horn, but thanks for mentioning this. I have some repairs I'd like done, and I'm thinking it might be worth the drive to take the horn to Lee.

I am sure it would be well worth the drive. In all of the business interactions that I have ever had with Lee, he has always been courteous and very professional. He really knows his stuff and delivers on what he says he will do.

[the elephant]

US Customs????

Where do you live? I thought you were in the US Midwest!

[prairieboy1]

US Customs????

Where do you live? I thought you were in the US Midwest!

Lol! I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. We are very much like the US Midwest! In fact, our first cable television came from Minot, ND. Now it comes from places like Detroit, Rochester NY, Los Angeles and Seattle.

[the elephant]

I assumed that we had some sort of agreement with Canada whereby US Customs was avoided for cross-border purchases.

"I was misinformed."