hbcrandy wrote:In Bandmaster's great historical sketch of the Holton tuba, it says that Arnold Jacobs ordered a 5 valved version of the Holton. I have seen, over the years, several Holtons with a fifth valve that look as if tehy were done by the factory. I assume, then, that the fifth valve was a factory option?
The Holton had a supply of top-opening fifth valves that they offered with the 345. When they ran out, they didn't re-order. They were gone by 1970 so it is safe to assume that they ran out in the 60's but that is about as close to a specific date you can get unless Holton will let some erstwhile researcher go through the records.
I don't see the Holton 345 as a "Chinese copy" of the York either. It was a "copy" of the York but there was no other CC, 6/4, piston valve horn for sale of that size being made anywhere, so it was not a price point kind of horn. Jake's students wanted that style tuba, as did others.
It was very adventurous for Holton to even offer a CC tuba, very few were being offered for sale by American manufacturers.
Holton sold quite a few 345 BBb's to school and university bands, the only alternative in that size was the Conn 24-J.