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Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 10:18 am
by Wilco
Strange story, seems implausible: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Gf91vuTbE/?

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 10:50 am
by arpthark
Maybe I’m missing what’s implausible (besides no price listed)?

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:05 am
by Porky
Wilco wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 10:18 am Strange story, seems implausible: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Gf91vuTbE/?
It looks legit. What seems implausible? Just curious.

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:31 am
by Wilco
arpthark wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 10:50 am Maybe I’m missing what’s implausible (besides no price listed)?
5/4, should be 6/4. Barn find?? Doesnt look restored….

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:41 am
by bort2.0
Private FB post,

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:45 am
by arpthark
Arnold Jacobs used to call his York a 5/4. I bought a BMB 6/4 CC that was advertised as a 5/4. My point being, these designations are kind of amorphous, so I can forgive someone not being super hip to the lingo.

These horns were made 70-60 years ago, so it seems plausible to me that Uncle Bob bought this horn in 1960 right before he died, and someone 35 years later came across it and donated that barn find -- by that point, looking pretty corroded -- to a music shop, the music shop then fixed it up and sold it. If you consider that the overhaul job happened perhaps in the 1990s, which is 30 years ago now, it seems plausible to me. I've come across odder things in antique shops and barn-find auctions. Plus, that does not look like era-appropriate 1960s lacquer to me. Usually the old nitrocellulose lacquer of that era will be significantly darker. Also, the lacquer looks like it's 95%+ remaining which would not be expected on a tuba from that era.

Just my 2 cents.

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:47 am
by arpthark
bort2.0 wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:41 am Private FB post,
For Sale: Holton 345 CC tuba,5/4, four valve-pistons, 22" bell

"I got this horn about 2 years ago from a local music shop where it was donated and fixed up after being found in a barn. I got a (at the time) new chronkite bag for it. There are a few dents in the side and on the bottom brace but nothing that affects the sound. I was able to get all the slides moving just fine and also got new valve buttons a year ago. It still plays great except for the stuffiness in the lower register that all of these horns have. I'm selling it because I was able to buy a new horn that better fits my needs as a player. It has also been professionally cleaned since the last time played, and oiling the valves and greasing the slides has been kept up with.
I'm located in Louisville Colorado. I would prefer not to deal with shipping, and am willing to drive a bit to meet.
Pictures are on this Google photos link because I'm not able to attach them directly: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hb8Sqm4mbPkNGFkT6"

Re: Somebody missing a Hokton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:55 am
by Wilco
arpthark wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 11:45 am Arnold Jacobs used to call his York a 5/4. I bought a BMB 6/4 CC that was advertised as a 5/4. My point being, these designations are kind of amorphous, so I can forgive someone not being super hip to the lingo.

These horns were made 70-60 years ago, so it seems plausible to me that Uncle Bob bought this horn in 1960 right before he died, and someone 35 years later came across it and donated that barn find -- by that point, looking pretty corroded -- to a music shop, the music shop then fixed it up and sold it. If you consider that the overhaul job happened perhaps in the 1990s, which is 30 years ago now, it seems plausible to me. I've come across odder things in antique shops and barn-find auctions. Plus, that does not look like era-appropriate 1960s lacquer to me. Usually the old nitrocellulose lacquer of that era will be significantly darker. Also, the lacquer looks like it's 95%+ remaining which would not be expected on a tuba from that era.

Just my 2 cents.
Yes, I think I was mistaken. The date of the photo’s is over a year old.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 12:02 pm
by arpthark
Yeah... you can never know for sure, but the seller advocating for local meet-up instead of shipping makes me think this is legit.

As far as provenance, who knows, but the story makes sense to me. I don't blame anybody for being careful/wary though, with all the scammers around now.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 12:52 pm
by Mary Ann
Sounds totally legit. Not wanting to ship means he actually has it. And it is not convoluted "enough" to sound iffy to me. I find scammers will say "my aunt/uncle died and left me this and I don't know what to do with it so I'm selling it." And they do not want local pickup because they don't have it, or they do have it and don't want you to see their face. Another reason why I like to get on zoom with unknown sellers. I've got their face, and they have proved they have what they are selling.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 12:55 pm
by arpthark
Mary Ann wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 12:52 pm Sounds totally legit. Not wanting to ship means he actually has it. And it is not convoluted "enough" to sound iffy to me. I find scammers will say "my aunt/uncle died and left me this and I don't know what to do with it so I'm selling it." And they do not want local pickup because they don't have it, or they do have it and don't want you to see their face. Another reason why I like to get on zoom with unknown sellers. I've got their face, and they have proved they have what they are selling.
Even if the mic doesn't pick up the tuba sound! :tuba:

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:38 pm
by Sousaswag
This tuba was (is) (has been?) for sale on the other forum for a while. Last I saw, he wanted $8,000. Lack of price in FB is weird, could just be overlooked.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:47 pm
by gnimoyw
I live 20 minutes from where he is. Sent him a message about price, no response yet.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 2:28 pm
by York-aholic
Didn't the Holton 345 all have 20" bells? The 6/4 Yorks (other than the 2 CSO Yorks) came with 22" bells...

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 4:40 pm
by Sousaswag
I think I’ve seen a scant few 22” Holton bells. I’d imagine they either made a mistake and made some way too big, had a request, or some other silly reason.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 5:42 pm
by dp
.

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 5:48 pm
by arpthark
for you southerners, take note the town in Colorado is pronounced “Lewis-ville” and not the Kentucky gravelmouthed “Luhvuhl.”

Sincerely,
An erstwhile Kentuckian, who has to enunciate “Looey-ville” so people in New England know what he’s talking about

Re: Somebody missing a Holton 345CC?

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 6:52 pm
by bort2.0
arpthark wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 5:48 pm for you southerners, take note the town in Colorado is pronounced “Lewis-ville” and not the Kentucky gravelmouthed “Luhvuhl.”

Sincerely,
An erstwhile Kentuckian, who has to enunciate “Looey-ville” so people in New England know what he’s talking about
My first roommate in college was from Kentucky.

His joke was always "How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky?"

To which people would say either of the pronunciations you mentioned above, to which his reply was (clearly) "The capital is Frankfort"

Semi related -- for the benefit of his own residents -- I always thought the slogan for Baltimore should be "Not the capital of Maryland."