ecutrumpet

this is my first post into this forum so i would like to say hi first. but i was givin this extremely old nasty cornet about a year ago by my old band director from high school which was givin to him by a family member. well after being tired of smelling it i decided to get it cleaned up so i brought it to the local music store and he did his best. once i got it back i noticed the valves actually move pretty well so i thouht id try playing it and it sounded really nice and mellow. this horn also comes with the complete "set":C, Bb, and something else slides and all. whoever had it last was playing in C and the slides dont come off because we tried and the sauder came apart, so that was a bad idea. my actual question is, does anybody know of flaws about playing horns this old, or pros and cons about old holton cornets. oh yea, i also know now that it is a 1911 horn.
thanks
-matt-

ecutrumpet

...anyone?

wiseone2

Try these sites-

http://www.angelfire.com/music2/thecornetcompendium/

http://www.cornetsite.nl/index.htm

Wilmer

__________________
Be sure Brain is engaged before putting Mouthpiece in gear.
S.Suark 1951

tom turner

Hi,

Welcome to the Vintage Horn Forum . . . and we're glad you signed on!!!

I just got home from a 17 1/2 hour workday getting prepared for a convention, and have to be back in less than eight . . . so I'll keep it short for now and post more information soon.

Holton produced two pretty decent cornets in 1911, the "New Proportion" and the "Holton-Clarke" model that was named after the great cornetist H. L. Clarke.

Before about 1918 the Holton company was based in Chicago, and after that he moved the company to Elkhorn, Wisconsin. The "Chicago" horns were well respected in the time.

As were many cornets in this era, yours came with extra slides . . . evidently a C set and a Bb set. Other horns though came with two sets of Bb sliides, one for the ancient "High Pitch" of A = about 452 Hz and the other for the modern "Low Pitch" (A = 440 Hz).

If memory serves me right, the Chicago Holtons have a mark on the Bb slides to show you how far to pull the valve slides and the main tuning slides to get the horn properly proportioned to play the horn as a Cornet in "A."

OVERALL QUALITY . . .

The Holtons of the 1910-1918 period were definately decent cornets, and better than many. However, they were not of the caliber of the Boston 3-Star and a few other select models by a handfull of makers.

Today, one sees quite a few of them on eBay and they don't command the high dollars of a Boston, or even a top model Conn.

Still, they sound wonderful and they have a nice "wrap!"

WEAKNESS . . .

Look for the spot where the mouthpiece receiver joins the leadpipe. This is near a brace between the bell and the receiver . . . and this is a spot where many Holton New Proportions and H-C models develop a crack (or split) in the leadpipe. Yes, it IS repairable . . . but what isn't.

RESTORATION . . .

Don't worry about stuck slides. A competent vintage horn restoration shop can free everything up and make the repairs easily, if you so desire.

It sounds like you've got a fun "first" vintage cornet, and I'd recommend simply enjoying it!

WARNING: Playing vintage cornets usually turns into an addicting passion . . . one that leads to eventually getting a fine stable of pristine vintage horns that rival or surpass the quality of virtually any production horn made today!!!

Don't let age along prejudice you. There are some super-fine, pristine vintage horns out there that are awesome, both to look at . . . and play!

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

PS: In my photo on my avitar, I'm playing one of my two, identical 1911 Boston 3-Star cornets at a large conference. I'd put that cornet up against any cornet made today, except my Flip Oakes short model "Wild Thing" cornet that costs over $3,500 in goldplate. Vintage instruments are awesome . . . and much more affordable than the top modern cornets!

Here's a photo of the Boston (top), and the "Wild Thing" up close, The "wrap" of the tubing is similar to your Holton:

ecutrumpet

wow tom, thanks a lot. that was a lot of good information. although, i dont know where to bring it for restoration. is it possible that a local place could do it. or just simply brook mays. cause i am a college student with no money.
but yea if i knew how to post an image on here ill show you how my horn looks.
thanks again
matt