Holton 105 or 350 question

[Bandmaster]

Well, if you don't mind more than a few patches on the bell, you can ask Dan if he still has the old bell the came off of my 345 when he restored it? I'm sure he would sell it pretty cheap!

[TubaSteve]

Pulling up an old post here, but I was finally able to locate a bell for my 1967 Holton BBb 350 that I have had, and have been looking for a bell for 3 years. I ended up with another horn to go with it, but it is missing the valves. I am planning to head out to Lee's next week, and have him do a playing overhaul at least with it. I plan to bring the core of the other 350 as it would make a nice starting place for someone who wanted to build a custom 345 6/4 tuba. Perhaps Lee Stofer can make something out of it. These huge Holton's have great sound and I am thrilled to be on the road to getting one that I can play. Even in the condition it is in now, (it had been in a middle school, if you can imagine a middle school having a 6/4 tuba ) it plays very nicely! I picked up a Reynolds TB-11 also, that I couldn't pass up either. Darn tuba collecting, it is like a curse I agree that there is very little information about these old huge Holton horns.

Steve

[Daniel C. Oberloh]

Seeing this thread come up again inspired me to contribute. From my collection, I scanned the details from my late 50s Holton catalog. Enjoy!

Daniel C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
http://www.oberloh.com" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

[TubaSteve]

Dan, thanks for posting the catalog! I have been a huge fan of your website. (Someday when I retire, I would love to apprentice at that kind of work. I am a fairly good metal smith, so that avocation really interests me.) These old Holtons have interested me since I was in High School back in 1977 when our school had their 350 rebuild along with 5 Reynolds TB-11's. I cared for them like they were my own until graduation. The workman ship on the plating on the valves was not the best, and it started to bubble off and caused the valves to bind. After that, it was not played, and I lost track of them after I left. I started playing again back in 89 and have been thinking about those horns ever since. This 350 that I have, (I will attempt to get some photo's posted), looks like some of your project horns, (not in a good way), but I don't think that it has some of the rot and other crack problems that they had. It plays surprisingly well, so I am encouraged. These were all being thrown away, so I have little invested if it turns out to be a bust.

Steve

[Tundratubast]

The 105-4 in the picture was my horn way back. When I had talked with Dan O he had indicated
that these 105-3 and 105-4 started being built pre-WWII and that it was possible the valve casings had
been made at that time, shelved due to war production needs of brass and then stamped when assembly was started
after the war.