TR-180 bell question

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SimmonsTrombone
Posts: 174
Joined: Jul 24, 2018

by SimmonsTrombone »

[tr][/tr]Does anyone know the gauge of the older 9 1/2” and the newer 10” Holton TR-180 bells? Were they soldered or unsoldered?
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WGWTR180
Posts: 2152
Joined: Sep 04, 2019

by WGWTR180 »

I own several of the 9 and 1/2 inch flared instruments and one 10" instrument. Holton bass trombones were produced consistently inconsistient and each flare on my instruments is a different gauge.
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schiffko
Posts: 181
Joined: Dec 01, 2019

by schiffko »

[quote="WGWTR180"]I own several of the 9 and 1/2 inch flared instruments and one 10" instrument. Holton bass trombones were produced consistently inconsistient and each flare on my instruments is a different gauge.[/quote]

so true. they took what they had.
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slidefunk
Posts: 106
Joined: Oct 19, 2020

by slidefunk »

My mid 70s tr180 appears to have a soldered bell, though very very little solder was used compared to my Shires tenor. I can't speak to the gauge of the bell, but I can say I find it to be quite resonant.
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modelerdc
Posts: 352
Joined: May 03, 2018

by modelerdc »

I've never seen a Holton bass with a soldered rim. Is it possible that yours has been modified?
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SimmonsTrombone
Posts: 174
Joined: Jul 24, 2018

by SimmonsTrombone »

Thanks for the answers.

I suppose another question is how do you tell if a bell is soldered? Is the solder visible as in the above photo? My other bells are a Conn 88h and an Edwards, both of which are unsoldered, so I don’t have a known soldered bell to look at.
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ithinknot
Posts: 1339
Joined: Jul 24, 2020

by ithinknot »

[quote="SimmonsTrombone"]Is the solder visible[/quote]
yes

top: unsoldered red Holton (TR156, FWIW)

bottom: soldered yellow Bach
<ATTACHMENT filename="beadz.jpg" index="0">[attachment=0]beadz.jpg</ATTACHMENT>
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SimmonsTrombone
Posts: 174
Joined: Jul 24, 2018

by SimmonsTrombone »

Thanks.
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slidefunk
Posts: 106
Joined: Oct 19, 2020

by slidefunk »

[quote="modelerdc"]I've never seen a Holton bass with a soldered rim. Is it possible that yours has been modified?[/quote]

It certainly could have been at some point in its life. It came to me presumably standard with the original valves and glanz bar.

Maybe some of the other 180 owners here can have a look at their bells and chime in? Again, it looks like very little solder was used compared to my tenor or the Bach bell posted above, but its definitely there.
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eatanick
Posts: 35
Joined: Oct 11, 2018

by eatanick »

This may not be of much help, but I think all the TR-185s I've owned have had soldered rims. Two are from 1966 with 9.5in bells and close to consecutive serial numbers, and the third's from 1973 with a 10in bell. I assumed the 1973 185 had a flare and tuning slide from a 180 given their size/shape, and the valve wrap looked to be from a TR-183 (the slot in valve from one my 1966 185 fit the F tuning slide legs, but the valve wouldn't clear the main tuning slide).

1966 TR-185 #1
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1966 TR-185 #2
<ATTACHMENT filename="Holton185-2.jpg" index="1">[attachment=1]Holton185-2.jpg</ATTACHMENT>

1973 TR-185
<ATTACHMENT filename="Holton185-3.jpg" index="0">[attachment=0]Holton185-3.jpg</ATTACHMENT>