History of the Holton 345

[roweenie]

Even the slide-tubes were hand-hammered

How was this accomplished?

dent removal...??

[toobagrowl]

Even the slide-tubes were hand-hammered

How was this accomplished?

Scroll down to June 9 2013

http://www.brassark.com/journal.html

Yeah, dent work can reveal it too. You can see the hammered/rippeled look after taking dents out. Clearly visible on my vintage Holtons. I also took a leadpipe off a vintage tuba early this year. The seam on it is CLEARLY visible. If old leadpipes can be hand-made, why not old slides and slide crooks

Dent work looks different (smoother) on seamless/hydroformed/drawn tubing. And I somehow find it hard to believe that tubas made 100 years ago had hydro-formed tubes But please correct me if I'm wrong.

[roweenie]

That's a conical trombone leadpipe pictured.

Hydroforming isn't the only way to make brass tubing. Drawbenches have been in existence for many years, and is the way that trombone slides are still made to this day (the ones I saw in the Conn-Selmer factory that they use to make Bach trombones were probably at least 80 years old).

Before hydroforming, crooks were filled with pitch (or lead) and hand bent on mandrels, but the tubing they were made from was machine made. Any hammering done to them was to remove ripples introduced during the bending process.

[barry grrr-ero]

There are two 345 CC's in the S.F. Bay Area that I'm aware of and they both sound fabulous (strong players too, obviously). One of them used to belong to Floyd Cooley. The other one will probably be used in Santa Cruz very shortly for the Cabrillo Music Festival (modern programs).

John Fletcher told me that Arnold Jacobs found the 345 that he used. I saw Fletch' play Mahler 1 and Mahler 3 under Abbado in Royal Festival Hall. He asked he if he sounded too loud in comparison to everyone else. I told that since I was seated upstairs, I certainly had no trouble hearing him!

[mikalengen]

The local amateur wind band where I live have one. It is assumed to be from the -60's, and used to belong to the symphony orchestra in the nearest city. It was originally a four valve horn, but some time in the seventies got a fifth valve added for the right thumb. At the same time the fourth valve was replaced with a rotor valve also operated by the right thumb. I think the work was done at the Gronitz factory. Interesting solution.

[roweenie]

The local amateur wind band where I live have one. It is assumed to be from the -60's, and used to belong to the symphony orchestra in the nearest city. It was originally a four valve horn, but some time in the seventies got a fifth valve added for the right thumb. At the same time the fourth valve was replaced with a rotor valve also operated by the right thumb. I think the work was done at the Gronitz factory. Interesting solution.

I'd be curious to see how this was accomplished (and pondering, "what situation would this 'solution' resolve"?)

[timayer]

The local amateur wind band where I live have one. It is assumed to be from the -60's, and used to belong to the symphony orchestra in the nearest city. It was originally a four valve horn, but some time in the seventies got a fifth valve added for the right thumb. At the same time the fourth valve was replaced with a rotor valve also operated by the right thumb. I think the work was done at the Gronitz factory. Interesting solution.

I'd be curious to see how this was accomplished (and pondering, "what situation would this 'solution' resolve"?)

Having a koala in the tuba section.

[roweenie]

The local amateur wind band where I live have one. It is assumed to be from the -60's, and used to belong to the symphony orchestra in the nearest city. It was originally a four valve horn, but some time in the seventies got a fifth valve added for the right thumb. At the same time the fourth valve was replaced with a rotor valve also operated by the right thumb. I think the work was done at the Gronitz factory. Interesting solution.

I'd be curious to see how this was accomplished (and pondering, "what situation would this 'solution' resolve"?)

Having a koala in the tuba section.

Impressive reply, sir

[Rick Denney]

I wonder if it was originally a 3-valve BB-340, to which both a fourth and fifth valve were added.

Or maybe it was an attempt to remove the step—the fourth valve is a 3/4” bore but the tubing is larger—.810? Though I’d rather sleeve the tubing down a bit in the straight sections.

Rick “this thread brings back memories” Denney

[timayer]

I'd be curious to see how this was accomplished (and pondering, "what situation would this 'solution' resolve"?)

Having a koala in the tuba section.

Impressive reply, sir

A wise man once said, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

[roweenie]

Having a koala in the tuba section.

Gives a new meaning to the expression "thumbs up"......