DCB

I also have a 602, old one, and it playes very well and has great valves. It has many dents and most of the lacquer is gone and I still play it sometimes.

__________________
dcb <><
John 14:6
Kanstul/ Najoom French Besson
Holton Collegiate
Conn 80A
Amati flugelhorn

hrnlip

I have a 30yo ST200 (Bud Brisbois model) that I keep going back to every once in a while. Nice sound, different type of blow and just overall great feel. My 17yo son has been using it alot lately for Summer Jazz Clinic and will be using it for school Jazz Band and his county/state competitions. It's working real nice for him combined with his 14A4a. I've also had an MF2 but just liked something more with the ST200!

__________________
Jay S.

ZeuSter

I just came across this thread and would like to add my experiences
with Holton / Leblanc.
First of all I have an old Holton Stratodyne that was my first horn,
and it still plays great ,great valves.
I have played a ST 307 and ST308 and they are great horns
the 307 is a 468 bore and the 308 is a 459 bore and they are both great lead horns, the 308 really sizzles and really projects well.
And the T101 is absolutely the best copy of a Mt. Vernon Bach that you can buy. The T105 is the same horn( a little prettier though) but it is a lightweight model of the T101.
The Sandoval model T 357 is a fantastic horn, it is a 463 bore which to me is just about right . I have played several of them but i have never owned one, of the ones that I have palyed they were all pretty consistent but i seem to like the silver plated model better than the lacquered
don't really know why , I just do.
Holton has always made excellent trumpets , I don't know why they aren't more widely known and appreciated.

mike ansberry

I have an old LeBlanc made in Paris. Looks a lot like a Selmer Kmodified. It plays great. I also bought a student line Holton on Ebay for my son to march a few years ago. It was an adequate horn. Now the bad news. A few years ago the store that services my school band rented Holton beginner horns. They were made in the Czech Republic. The valves were trash. All of them went bad. The store tried to get Holton to rectify the problem, but Holton denied any problem existed. I called Holton directly and got no satisfaction. I have talked to many band directors and they had the same experience with this model and dealing with Holton. I won't buy another Holton/LeBlanc product. I guess this is kind of silly, seeing as Holton, Conn, King, LeBlanc, Selmer, etc. are all owned by the same company now.

__________________
"Music is a fire in your belly that has to come out of your mouth, so you'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt" (paraphrase of Bleeding Gums Murphy)

talcito

The T101 that used the old bach manufacturing equipment----is there a particular series of these horns that is considered "vintage" or are they still manufactured the same way.

As for the Arturo Sandoval model-----I personally know Arturo has had a difficult time finding a good model himself--Its supposed be a copy of his Shilke but has never really achieved that level of excellence.

Heavens2kadonka

I personally like the old Collegiates. They are very consistent student horns, and is one of the top three student horns, in my opinion (Ambassador, Collegiate, Lafayette, in that order).

Generally, the Holtons tended to go after the student market. A lot of the vintage horns were not competitive with the pro lines of the time, if I remember correctly.

One of my old high school band mates had the Symphony Holton. Darn good sounding horn. The jerk never let me play it!

I would love to try the Al Hirt model Paris LeBlanc...

Van

__________________
Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

regularsopguy

Heard that Conn-Selmer (now owns Leblanc) will discontinue the Martin line. Also heard that they Lebland only sold about 35 or less of the Arturo trumpet in the last 12 months. Also heard that Conn-Selmer let go of almost 200 office, sales and factory personnel recently. I know a guy who plays the Maynard trumpet (ONLY ONE I'VE SEEN in last five years) it's out of tune and not too well made.

Too bad, as Leblanc used to be a good compnay. Looks like Steinway messed everything up.

trumpet blower88

I played a Holton MF Admeral for the last 5 years, up untill last year when I got my Kanstul. It was a great horn for my experiance level and what I was useing it for. Now I only use it for marching band/drum corps and its still a great horn for that, its loud and the intonation is great in the upper register.
A while back it was stolen (lucky I got it back in a couple months). But before I got it back I called a dealer in my area to see how much it would be to replace it. I knew steinway had bought holton/leblanc but I figured they would still have the MF Line of trumpets. But they don't. Basicaly the Holton MF Admiral is now just a typical student level Bach. It really made me upset. I'm not sure if they are still makeing the rest of the MF line of trumpets, but I really doubt it.

But thats just what I've been told. So I'm not positive.

__________________
-David Jacques

Schwab

I seriously doubt that. They are developing a vintage Martin Commitee copy from Chris Botti's horn. I don't think they would do that if they were going to discontinue the line.

__________________
Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York

ZeuSter

I think that the trouble for Holton/Leblanc started with the passing of Vito Passgucci(Sp?), I don't think that the same care and pride he took in running that company is existent tody , even before they were bought ouy by Conn-Selmer. That , of course, is just my opinion !