Holton TR180 mod questions

[Bassbones]

Hi Guys,

I've just rejoined the Holton Club having bought my first TR180. It's a 78 model and a perfect little horn for doing outdoors jobs and for places with restricted space. It blows lovely and I don't feel it has any leadpipe issues so I'm not really looking to pull it. Knowing little about the model and having found only two in the UK in the last 40 years I have some techie questions.

1. Mine has unfortunately come without the D tuning slide it's unlikely I'll find one in the UK but do they ever come up for sale in the US? I'm thinking if someone does a valve change or a rewrap it might be kicking around in the closet somewhere.

2. If it does come down to having one made what kind of price am I looking and would the horn be needed to test fit? I'm unsure if Techs over there would have a pattern for the measurements that would allow me to buy in the U.S and ship over if that's a thing.

3. What do these things look like out of the horn. I've seen a few photo's on classifeds but can't work out where one but ends and another begins.

4. I still currently have the Glanz bar so would be looking to split these make them more playable in some way. With the work I'm suggesting am I going the right way about it or would it be better to revalve and rewrap? There is only one guy in the UK I would trust to do this work but he's not currently taking on mod work due to the Corona restrictions.

Cheers Guys

Bassbones Daz.

[hyperbolica]

1. You might wait a long long time.
2. I had a slide made and it was ~$350.
3. The fewer bends the better (and the cheaper), so long as it's the right length and it fits. You don't have to match the common pattern. Of course there are conflicting requirements, like how far does it stick out the back, how big of a lever arm is there, and some people have certain aesthetic requirements for attachment slides.
4. Don't let other people's prejudices guide you. You might just try the Glantz as it is. On paper, it's a great idea. Better than the saxophone keys that came with the old 62h.

[bigbandbone]

OK, don't laugh at this! I wish I could remember where I saw it, but I don't. Probably YouTube. But in the video a guy made a D slide by taking the crook off of the existing slide and replacing it with a length of hose or flexible tubing of some kind. He started with a long piece and kept trimming until it was in tune. When he played it, it sounded fine. I thought it was a cool out of the box idea!

[Slidemo]

Adrian Jarvis could split the triggers, he did a great job on his own duo gravis.

Mick Rath can make you the D slide.

[mrdeacon]

The Glatz bar is hot trash and should be the first thing you replace and getting a D slide made should be the next thing.

TR180 horns are the perfect candidate to mod out the wazoo. The horns are cheap and they usually take fairly well to rewraps and other mods. But splitting the triggers and getting a D slide made are the only two mods that need to be done to bring them up to modern playing standards.

I would actually recommend keeping the leadpipe in the slide if it happens to be a get a good one. Only replace the pipe if you feel the horn plays overly stuffy. That usually means you got a slide with a bad pipe or the pipe was damaged at some point.

[FOSSIL]

Adrian is a good recommendation. I could probably make you a D slide out of Holton parts but feel free to look elsewhere as I have other uses for the parts.

Chris

[Bassbones]

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I'll some food for thought there I think a trigger split and D slide when opportunity arises. In the mean time it's playing lovely.

Daz

[johnwaller]

I have a tr180 (brand new) d slide.
originally I bought a tr180 b flat f and flat e,
I didn't work as an e flat. no matter how far you pulled the slide out, tuning issues .
I bought two new d slides from 1977 sitting in a ex music stores box.
they both fit my tr180 1977 bass bone perfectly.
150 quid +postage,
John waller

[FOSSIL]

I have a tr180 (brand new) d slide.
originally I bought a tr180 b flat f and flat e,
I didn't work as an e flat. no matter how far you pulled the slide out, tuning issues .
I bought two new d slides from 1977 sitting in a ex music stores box.
they both fit my tr180 1977 bass bone perfectly.
150 quid +postage,
John waller

Ohhh !! too cheap John, too cheap....
Hows the Greenhoe ?

Chris

[johnwaller]

you reckon.
in these days of uncertainty?????
hope your well.me an the wife are campervaning ,life is good.now got a tr183,ooft,the
hand slide I use for the tr180 as its too worn(my friends think the tr180 has a dead sound.......
compared to the greenhoe),which I've still got
happy camping y'all

[Retrobone]

I'm resurrecting this old thread to say I just picked up a TR180. 1979 vintage but in almost perfect condition. A small spot of acid bleed on the bell wire. Apparently not used since the early 1980s. It lacks a D slide and I'm going to have to work on the trigger mechanism. Glantz bar they say... who thought that one up?. Who was Glantz.... not the famous trumpeter Harry Glantz??? Maybe a bit of oiling up might do the trick. But I reckon I'll be splitting the triggers. Came with an original Holton mouthpiece and old Holton lubricants. Bit of a time capsule actually! More reports to follow.

[greenbean]

Congrats! TR180's are good horns. Keep us in the loop on your mods. I don't know who Glantz was, but the Glantz bar seems perfect for a very small percentage of players who happen to have a hand of a certain size and characteristics. I have heard of only one such person. Everyone else cursed it.