My CC and BB 345 Holton Toys

[rmsrfp]

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I have recently aquired two awsome horns. I have always wanted a CC 345 and I finale came across one. I aquired the CC from Roy Couch who was great to deal with. I use this horn with the orchestra. It plays very well and has a great low G. . The CC has had the bell and bow replaced with a York Bell and bow, it gives the horn such a vibrant sound.
The BB flat I got through Lee stofer.Lee told me that he knew were he could find an orginal BB flat and well after a trade it became a reality. The horn was in pretty rough shape untill lee did a moderate overhall on it. Lee did an outstanding job and was very easy to deal with. the horn plays great. Lee even took the time to craft York style finger buttons from yamaha buttons.
I thought it would be of intrest to see two orginals side by side. I hope yall enjoy.

[The Big Ben]

Nice horns!

So, you solved the "CC vs. BBb" question by buying one of each. A fine solution!

[rmsrfp]

Things just fell in place. I consider myself lucky.

[ZNC Dandy]

My CC and BB 345 Holton Toys

...I have always wanted a CC 345 and I finale came across one...The CC has had the bell and bow replaced with a York Bell and bow.

HA... I noticed that too..... Like getting that classic Jaguar with a Aston Martin powerplant....

RC

Yeah, but you'd have better luck trying to drive the tuba, than getting that thing to start! But it would be a beautiful car, with a hell of a noise!

[Wyvern]

You do not specify - am I right in deducting the silver plated one is the CC? The bells are obviously quite different in size. How do you find the tone from each compare?

Hope you enjoy playing your two BIG beauties

[iiipopes]

My CC and BB 345 Holton Toys

...I have always wanted a CC 345 and I finale came across one...The CC has had the bell and bow replaced with a York Bell and bow.

HA... I noticed that too..... Like getting that classic Jaguar with a Aston Martin powerplant....

RC

Or the other way around. The valve train is easier to work on a Jaguar inline 6 than an Aston Martin.

[rmsrfp]

I find that the BB flat has more of a throaty sound as compared to the CC. The CC has for better lack of words a clearer and broader sounder. I think this is due to the type and size of the bell which is a 22 inch as compared to 19.5 on the BB flat. They both paly very well well in their own ways. The CC plays extremely well low while the BB flat plays very easy up high.

[Lee Stofer]

I have only seen the photos of Ronnie's CC-345, but can tell you a little more about the BB-345, since it left the shop less than 2 weeks ago.

The BB-345 had 2 significant dents, and I opted to disassemble the larger branches of the instrument, anneal the dents, and carefully, slowly work them out. The old Holtons that are still around tend to have some very thin, brittle spots in them, and they can't just have the dents rammed out of them like a hefty old Conn or a Meinl-Weston. The old Holtons are generally a triumph of great design over faulty manufacturing, and the internal fit-and-finish is often not the greatest. However, a bit of time and patient work can fix this. By carefully tinning all of the joints before soldering the Holton back together, this BB-345 is virtually leak-free from receiver to bell, and plays much like the York it was modeled after. In fact, it plays much like a BBb version of an early Hirbrunner HBS-510. The instrument has a good low range, although not as strong and thundering as some 6/4 tubas. The special thing about the Yorks (and this tuba) is that the mid' to upper range just sings unlike anything else I've ever played. I tend to think that part of this is the unique bottom bow and ferrule design of the Yorks and Holtons. Holton would have known about this, since the earliest of the 6/4 Holton tubas were produced while York was still in business, and indeed were made by York. The York-made Holtons were built to closer tolerances, but they all are potentially great horns.

I don't know if Ronnie has actually solved the BBb vs CC debate, or made it worse for himself on a daily basis, as both are sitting there in front of him - BBb or CC????!!!!