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Now the owner of a Holton 6/4 3 valve BBb tuba.
The horn was made in 1916. A gig bag will
need to be made for it. Huge sound,however
very easy to play and physically handle as
well. Looking forward to playing it in an
ensemble soon. Thank you to Lee Stofer
for his help in preparing the horn and as
always, complete honesty and excellent
customer service!

Congrats! I remember seeing that one on his website, it looks great!

Congratulations my friend!! Can't wait to hear it.

Here are the photos off Lee's website. Looks like the same model from which the BMB 6/4 was based.

Thank you Tabor for posting the photos! It is
exactly as pictured. Now to trace and measure
for David Messina and one of their terrific
gig bags.

You can see it in the high inner top bow of the BBb bmb, much like the old top action Holton Mammoth.



The corresponding BBb 345 part sits much lower.

The height of the 3rd branch varies by whether it is a CC or BBb tuba. The evidence that I've heard and seen leads me to believe that Holton started their tuba line with either stencil York instruments, or built using J.W. York parts. There is just too much similarity in the parts, the vast majority of which are interchangeable. After WWII, Holton then needed to stand on their own, but they had enough experience and finances by that time to do so. Martin of Elkhart, Indiana was not at all involved with York or Holton, to my knowlege, and had a significantly different style of instruments.

Here is a photo of BBb and CC Holton 345 models side by side. (Sorry to hijack the thread a little) The Holton Mammoth is a really nice big BBb. Congrats to the new owner.

Yeah you can definitely tell the BMB was heavily based on the 1910s Holton 6/4 tubas. They look almost exactly the same except the valve section, which on the BMB I think is based on a Nirschl 4/4 horn.

tuben wrote:A theory emerges in my mind as to why I LOVE the BMB 6/4 Bb and meh for the BMB 6/4 CC.

I think the CC was cut from the BBb which is why the BBb plays better IMO.

In fact I believe if alot of these CC 6/4 were more like the MW Baer which is more like a 5.5/4, they would slot better and have better intonation like the BBb 6/4 tubas.

I think the lower pitch of the BBb lends itself better to the 6/4 size than the pitch of CC.

roughrider wrote:Now the owner of a Holton 6/4 3 valve BBb tuba.
The horn was made in 1916. A gig bag will
need to be made for it. Huge sound,however
very easy to play and physically handle as
well. Looking forward to playing it in an
ensemble soon. Thank you to Lee Stofer
for his help in preparing the horn and as
always, complete honesty and excellent
customer service!

We're the main tuning slide and valve slides shortened for 440 Hz or no?

Are you still enjoying the Holton Mammoth?

Playing it all the time?

Have you taken any new photos?

Hello Tabor,
A very belated reply! I am playing the horn every day. The sound is massive and yet quite precise. There are several pitch issues, a very flat Ab and D. The D I play with the 3rd valve only as it pitches much better from there. I will be taking the horn to my technician today to discuss whether there is any need for a main tuning slide cut or perhaps on the valve slides. I am spoiled as my King horn requires virtually no slide pulling at all, save for a sharp Bb. This horn will become the "axe" for one of my two concert bands in the fall.

Sweet horn!