Silver Holton 169?

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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

Did they make one?

I saw what I'm pretty sure was a silver 169 the other day, but I wasn't sure the silver plate was original. I figured it would be easy to check, but I can't find much info on them, but that makes me even more curious.
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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

Really? No ideas? I didn't think there was ANY trombone question that this group wouldn't answer. :D

Maybe I'll try to track that thing down again.
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BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

169 was a pretty rare bird. It got supplanted early by the 18x series. Holton is now absorbed by the Conn-Selmer organization and I don't know if any of the models are still in production.

Silver plate was an option on the 169, but I don't know how many of those were sold.
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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

Aha, thanks. If they were EVER available, that's all I really need to know. The only one I'm familiar with (and the only other one I've ever seen in person, I think) is Ray Premru's.
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gbedinger
Posts: 117
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by gbedinger »

In 1973, one of my college (university) peers had a single valve Holton bass bone. It was a 10 inch bell with a silver “pebble” finish (much like a brushed or satin finish) with the inner bell of a gold wash. He replaced it with a TR-180 a year later.

That original trombone could have been a 169 (I was clueless about stuff back then), but it was a marvelous player. I haven’t seen nor heard anything like it since.
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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

[quote="gbedinger"]In 1973, one of my college (university) peers had a single valve Holton bass bone. It was a 10 inch bell with a silver “pebble” finish (much like a brushed or satin finish) with the inner bell of a gold wash. He replaced it with a TR-180 a year later.

That original trombone could have been a 169 (I was clueless about stuff back then), but it was a marvelous player. I haven’t seen nor heard anything like it since.[/quote]

Oooh, that's even better to know. This one looked more satin on the bell and bright on the valve section. I didn't look inside the bell. I was thinking that the bell had been refinished or somehow otherwise messed with, but maybe not! Thanks for the info.
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btone
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Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by btone »

If it had a "10 bell, it may have been more likely a 185.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

[quote="btone"]If it had a "10 bell, it may have been more likely a 185.[/quote]

I don't think 185s ever came with a 10".
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btone
Posts: 125
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by btone »

If I'm not mistaken Fossil (Blast) once put in a post that he had owned a 10 inch bell 185.
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btone
Posts: 125
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by btone »

Unless I'm misremembering and it was a 180.
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blast
Posts: 671
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by blast »

[quote="btone"]If I'm not mistaken Fossil (Blast) once put in a post that he had owned a 10 inch bell 185.[/quote]
Correct....10" was an option on the 185.
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chromebone
Posts: 454
Joined: Apr 08, 2018

by chromebone »

I have seen a silver plated 169. It was in a music store on 48th street back in the late 90’s. I remember telling Jack Schatz about it and he bought it, but I don’t think he kept it.
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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

[quote="chromebone"]I have seen a silver plated 169. It was in a music store on 48th street back in the late 90’s. I remember telling Jack Schatz about it and he bought it, but I don’t think he kept it.[/quote]

Cool! Do you happen to remember if it was bright or satin?
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chromebone
Posts: 454
Joined: Apr 08, 2018

by chromebone »

It was bright.
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ZacharyThornton
Posts: 615
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by ZacharyThornton »

I know someone in my area with a silver plated 169. He has Thayers and a Bach tuning slide.
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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

Well, curiosity got the best of me. It's mine now. It's not in my possession yet, but I'll pick it up eventually and post some more details.

<ATTACHMENT filename="169.png" index="0">[attachment=0]169.png</ATTACHMENT>
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HawaiiTromboneGuy
Posts: 1025
Joined: Sep 03, 2018

by HawaiiTromboneGuy »

^now that’s something you don’t see everyday. Nice score!
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baroquetrombone
Posts: 48
Joined: Apr 16, 2018

by baroquetrombone »

Just an update on this: the friend who picked it up also took it to Eric Peterson in Minneapolis to clean it up. I was finally able to try it over Christmas. It...does not suck. :mrgreen:

And the definitive answer is that yes, silver 169s exist.

<ATTACHMENT filename="tempImagel42Nbe.gif" index="1">[attachment=1]tempImagel42Nbe.gif</ATTACHMENT>

<ATTACHMENT filename="tempImageqxpuN6.gif" index="0">[attachment=0]tempImageqxpuN6.gif</ATTACHMENT>
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modelerdc
Posts: 352
Joined: May 03, 2018

by modelerdc »

I have a 1963 Tr169 and a 1972 Tr185, they look identical in construction except for the bells. The Tr169 has a 9.5 inch bell with a soldered rim and the Tr 185 has a 10 inch bell with an unsoldered rim.
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Digidog
Posts: 483
Joined: Dec 13, 2018

by Digidog »

[quote="baroquetrombone"]Just an update on this: the friend who picked it up also took it to Eric Peterson in Minneapolis to clean it up. I was finally able to try it over Christmas. It...does not suck. :mrgreen:

And the definitive answer is that yes, silver 169s exist.

tempImagel42Nbe.gif

tempImageqxpuN6.gif[/quote]

That's a nice score! Congrats!

Please give us an update on what you think about it. A friend of mine once had a 169, but in some darker, satin like brass. It played well, but the valve levers were in no good condition. I'm not sure he still has it, since he's since long retired and we haven't spoken in many years.
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WGWTR180
Posts: 2152
Joined: Sep 04, 2019

by WGWTR180 »

[quote="modelerdc"]I have a 1963 Tr169 and a 1972 Tr185, they look identical in construction except for the bells. The Tr169 has a 9.5 inch bell with a soldered rim and the Tr 185 has a 10 inch bell with an unsoldered rim.[/quote]
When Holton entered the period where they stopped making the 185 and began focusing on the Tr180 some of the "leftover" 185s had 10 inch bells. They're not common but they're out there.