Holton Symphony or Statodyne PICS ADDED

coolerdave · Last edited by coolerdave on Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:54 pm; edited 1 time in total

I am having very little luck finding out anything about these horns. I have tried some other forums without much success.
I am trying to find out how I can identify the horn. Not many pics of them on the web much less the value of these horns
any takers?
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Bach 37

cyber_shake · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 769

Holton Symphony = aka ST101 is a beautiful playing horn that originally was pitched as a replica of the Mt Vernon Bach ML bore horns. I played one in 1982 that was 'new' and it was super. I played another one 10 years ago that a friend had and again, I thought it was a fantastic player. Holton didn't use the 'symphony' name for long and offered some variations with model numbers ST101, 102, 103, & 104 (I hope I'm remembering that correctly). I only saw silver plated ones, so don't know if other options were offered or not. I'm sure you'll hear a number of comments from those Holton-ites on the forum that keep up with such things. In my book, a vastly under-rated horn. Selling price could be anywhere from $350 - $800, depending on condition, age, and the sellers anxiety level to get some $$$.
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Blaine
brasshurricane@gmail.com

Schagerl LU5A
DaCarbo Unica
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Adams F1
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ChopsGone · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 1793

The Stratodynes tend to be pretty easy to identify, although there were quite a few changes to the line during its product lifetime. That name will be engraved prominently on the bell at least in the early ones with which I'm familiar (1948 - 1954). Here's a recent eBay auction for one you don't see every day, a Stratodyne cornet:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=300568951502&si=F9dCoHWhsAjED%252FmowFY%252BR%252FQzuek%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT
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Aubertins, Bessons, Calicchios, Courtois, Wild Things, Marcinkiewicz, Ogilbee Thumpet, DeNicola Puje, Kanstuls....

coolerdave · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:14 pm Post subject: Made in 1962

the problem is this horn was made in 1962 ... that's a few years before the T101 -ST304 were made and quite a bit after the 1954 date .. se my dilemma
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Bach 37

ChopsGone · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 1793

Other than the obvious (Googling "holton stratodyne", etc.) and hoping to find a few pictures, I only know of two other sites where you might be able to scrounge a bit more information:

http://www.holtonloyalist.com/

http://www.horn-u-copia.net/

You might find a few photos here and there using the search functions on TH and TM, but beyond that, the pickings are likely to be pretty slim. Good hunting. But if the problem is simply identifying the model, that's usually marked on the horn in Holtons much past the 1920's.
_________________
Vintage Olds & Reynolds & Selmers galore
Aubertins, Bessons, Calicchios, Courtois, Wild Things, Marcinkiewicz, Ogilbee Thumpet, DeNicola Puje, Kanstuls....

royjohn · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:48 pm Post subject: Holton Symphony or Stratodyne

The Holton Loyalist site will give you the description that Holton used in its ads. There has been at least one other thread on the Stratodyne and some on the T101 that you can look for here. I have a Stratodyne and it is a good playing horn, but I like the 51LB better for every day playing myself. As I remember, the Stratodyne is a little brighter, but I don't find it a lot freer above the staff than the 51LB. Perhaps its the gap, which is probably too big.
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

coolerdave · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:36 pm Post subject:

I am picking it up on Saturday ... I hunted down the pics on those sites which is how I narrowed it down to these two models ... I will check the bell out to see if something is written on it.
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Bach 37

royjohn · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: Holton Symphony vs Stratodyne

Dave,

There is a distinctive engraving on the Stratodyne bell, kind of like rays or a flared out peeled banana skin. I think you can see this on the line drawing of the Stratodyne in the catalog picture on the Holton Loyalist website, but it looks like shading rather than the actual design it is. Compare the Revelation bell and the Stratodyne bell and maybe you will see the difference. It is like slightly flaring width ribbons are laid along the axis of the bell. There are seven along the top of the bell. The name Stratodyne is also on the bell below the name Holton.
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

coolerdave · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:34 pm Post subject:

perfect RoyJohn ... will let you guys know how it went
thanks
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Bach 37

Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 6:18 am Post subject: no no no

coolerdave · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 8:21 pm Post subject:

The T101 or LT101 is a later horn .. I think they made it in the 80's .. not positive.. I have played one of them and they are sweet playing horns. They have the model stamped on the reciever. This particular horn I am picking up was made in 1962..before Holton was bought by Leblanc (?). The Stratodyne isn't a T101 although I can see how they could be confused. I hope it is one of those rare horns that plays great. Will let you all know
Thanks agaun
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Bach 37

coolerdave

The Holton's bell was changed .. so no way to know what it was .. because of the date I am going with the Stratodyne. It sounds really cool and plays well.
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Bach 37

royjohn · Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:29 pm Post subject: Holton Symphony or Stratodyne

Curious what bell is on it now . . . .with a different bell one can't ssay it plays anything like a T101 or a Stratodyne, but I'm glad it is a good player for you!
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

cyber_shake · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 769

pictures, please!
_________________
Blaine
brasshurricane@gmail.com

Schagerl LU5A
DaCarbo Unica
Adams A4 LT-S
Adams F1
Schagerl PT-200S

coolerdave · Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:11 pm Post subject:

I know... I really wanted to see how the Stratodyne played ..like I said I really liked the T101 ..
I will get some pics up within the week. It cleaned up nice but it needs a trip to the shop... because one of the previous owners put it in a cheap gig bag and tried to remove a stuck mouthpiece with a pair of plyers ...
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Bach 37

coolerdave

http://s1187.photobucket.com/albums/z387/coolerdave/?albumview=slideshow
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Bach 37

ChopsGone · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 1793

Does that slideshow depict the "Symphony or Stratodyne" horn being discussed? With a Conn bell?

If so, I'd be inclined to guess it's a 47, B-47, or maybe a 50 although the wrap seems a bit narrow for a 50. The general styling and bracing just don't seem right for a Stratodyne, although I guess those could have been toned down to something more generic later in the model's lifetime. I'm not even sure just how long the Stratodyne was produced, but this certainly doesn't look like either of mine.
_________________
Vintage Olds & Reynolds & Selmers galore
Aubertins, Bessons, Calicchios, Courtois, Wild Things, Marcinkiewicz, Ogilbee Thumpet, DeNicola Puje, Kanstuls....

royjohn

I'm thoroughly confused now. These are pictures of two different horns. Neither one has the distinctive braces that my Stratodyne has, and one has a braced tuning slide like my Stratodyne, the other doesn't. The second valve tuning slide on one has two buttons on it, while mine has one. One horn has a first valve trigger, which the catalog shows for the Stratodyne, but mine doesn't have. Both horns appear to have valve buttons and top caps like my Stratodyne. Neither has the "eye hooks" [for want of a better term] that hold the stop rod on the third valve slide, and my horn does have those.

The belll engraving shown looks like it could say "Conn" but I'm not sure and it says something I can't quite make out over that with "del" in the middle.

Like I say, I'm now completely confused. Maybe some of these are the wrong pics?
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

coolerdave · Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:21 pm Post subject:

Royjohn .. the first 3 are the Conn 28b .. the second set of 3 are the Holton .. it was made in 1962..for sure ... since it has a thumb trigger it is most likely a Statodyne or a Symphony .. I think
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Bach 37

royjohn

Hey Cooldave,

Now I've got it . . . from the braces, which are identical to a picture of a B-47 for sale at Quality Brass, I would say it is likely to be a Symphony rather than a Stratodyne. The Stratodyne had very distinctive "airplane wing" braces. These could have changed by 1962, if the Stratodyne was begin made then, but the braces in your pix are the same as the Symphony braces. Both are nice horns. I have a Lllewlyn Model that is probably the ancestor of the Symphony and it is a really nice playing horn. All these Holtons have picked up in value some but still appear to me to be undervalued horns.

Have fun with it!
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .