Holton T101-102 Trumpets

James W. Leach · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:22 am Post subject: Holton T101-102 trumpets

Mine has the T101 engraved on the mouthpiece receiver .

intrepidpooch · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:37 am Post subject:

veery715 · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:53 am Post subject:

Dale Proctor · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:17 am Post subject:

Albert Parrott · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:28 am Post subject:

Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:56 am Post subject: read before post

Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:59 am Post subject: Oops I did it again....

Holy Mac! Albert you just outsmarted me

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nacog · Veteran Member Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 232

I would like to point out that the T101 that SNJ refered to in his post was the one developed in the early 1980's. This was the second version of the T101 that Holton made. The first was version was introduced by Holton in late 1964 and is quite different that the later version (I have owned both). The story about the Mt. Vernon tooling refers to the first version and not the second. That being said I have no idea if the story is true or not but the first T101 came out a couple of months after the Mt. Vernon factory closed. Also Vincent Bach did have a good relationship with the Holton company and Selmer had no interest in the old tooling as they where making their own.
It is also well known that Vincent seemed to strapped for cash quite often and he had a history of reusing parts that didn't measure up to Strad specs to make the Mercury and Mercedes line so selling tooling that was still good and not going to be used anymore would certainly seem to fit Vincent's personality. I would also like to point out that many people consider the very early Elkharts to be among Bach's finest as the overall quality of craftsmen at the Elkhart plant (old conn employees) was greater that those of Mt. Vernon. I would also think that the same would be true of the Holton employees. My point is, no matter if the story is true or not, the Holton T101 is a fantastic trumpet no matter what year you have.

intrepidpooch · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:49 pm Post subject:

Whoops, I kind of came in reading the end of the thread without noticing SNJ's post on the first page, I stand very corrected. I guess that's another brass industry debunked from the horse's mouth. Oh and Manuel, thanks a lot for correcting me with such tact and grace, appreciate it man.

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Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:01 am Post subject: Well...

Albert Parrott · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: 101 102 103 104 105 106 etc.

Paul.Trumpet · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:01 am Post subject:

Invalid post deleted

Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:28 am Post subject: T-101?

derby_mute · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:28 pm Post subject:

A couple of years ago I had a hankering for one of the T-100 series horns. I missed out on a few on ebay. Eventually one came up locally and I bought it. At the time my main trumpet was a 1975 Bach Mercedes.

The Holton was so similar to the Bach I ended up selling it. I regret it now but I play cornet most of the time and I didn't see the point of the horn just sitting. I purchased the Holton from a guy who had bought it as NOS from a store in LA. It was like new as he had barely played the thing.

I think they are one of the great sleeper horns of all time. People will spend $1000+ for a Bach but the T-100 series horns go for slightly more than half of that on ebay. It's amazing how people can be so over-the-top about the brand name of an instrument.

Case in point - my cornet is a "Baldwin", an early 1960s Blessing stencil Artist model. Absolutely, hands-down, the best cornet I have every played! I bought it for $150 on ebay and wouldn't sell it for ten times that amount. It had been a closet horn and still looks like new.
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Cornets:
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1923 Buescher shepherd's crook
1880 F. Besson Paris
Trumpets:
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1935 Olds French model

SMJ · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 5:59 pm Post subject:

I just realized I previously provided incorrect info about the T105.
I had about 100 LT 101 bodies on the shelf with no bells mounted on them.This was a completely lightweight version of a T101 ,bell and all.
From these I created the TM 2000 Millennium model by mounting a standard weight T101 bell on the light LT101 body. This limited edition sold so well that at year end we continued it as a T105.

For some reason I confused this model with the wide Constellation style that the Don Ellis quarter tone horn was made from.(this was before my time with Leblanc) Sorry about that.

Regarding the T102--It was a T101 with a more open mouthpipe(different taper) and slightly rounder tuning bow as well as a shorter 3rd slide. This was made in collaboration with our Japanese distributor that was very heavily into trumpet development. It was more open and flexible than the T101.

T103 was also in collaboration with the Japanese.This started with the standard T101 body with the T102 mouthpipe in a reversed design and slightly rounder tuning bow. The bell was a standard Maynard Ferguson bell that accounts for it's massive sound.These horns may have also had the bayonet style 3rd stop rather than the adjustable rod.

As a side note--prior to the development of the T101,Larry Ramirez pulled a Holton/Bach copy off from the shelf at Holton and I had a chance to look at it and play it. I don't know if they made many of these at Holton if at all.It played alot like a Bach and it was good.He pulled this horn out for Lynn Nicholson to borrow. Lynn was playing for a Sinatra gig and the musical director required he play a Bach so he used the loaner we provided. Interesting.

SMJ · Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 3:45 am Post subject:

Looks like I was right and wrong at the same time regarding my incorrect information on the T105.
I just ran across a Jan 31 posting about the owner of an actual quarter tone Holton and it was marked as a T105. This made sense to me previously as Holton made the Constellation style mode which was a T104 and the Ellis horn(T105) was supposed to be a spin off of that. That was told to me by Larry Ramirez. At the same time it looks as though Leblanc decided to reuse the T105 at a later date for the limited edition Millennium model when it became a permanent part of the line.

JaredT · New Member Joined: 18 Apr 2012 Posts: 2 Location: Maryland

SMJ's story about crafting the T101 settled made my decision concerning which "new" used horn to buy, a few weeks back. I picked up a T102S on Craigslist for $275. This T102 has even response across its range, notes slot beautifully, intonation is splendid, and the look reminds me of my Strad (now the horn my son plays at school and in the Berkshire Symphony).

The horn is not all goodness and light, of course. It's valves are slower than the Strad, it is a heavier horn (though I rather like the heft), and it's tone is less crisp and clear. That said, it beats my old (1920's vintage), narrow bore Conn dance band horn by a long shot. It's less open, but far better in tune, than the student Blessing I picked up for $50 a year ago.

All in all, this was a very satisfying purchase. It's a fine practice horn for most of us dedicated amateurs, and a very fine horn for students, who'll benefit from its consistent response and intonation. My thanks to SMJ for a great story and a fine recommendation.

joensab · Regular Member Joined: 10 Dec 2010 Posts: 23

Dutchman1954 · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:25 am Post subject:

Please forgive me for resurrecting this thread, but it does deal with something that I've been researching for a while. Just came upon this site recently, and have found it very enlightening. I've spent a sizable portion of my life involved in music, went to college as a music ed major. Also spent a fair amount of time working for a pipe organ builder.
Anyway I have owned a number of horns in the course of my life, the last two were both Holtons. The first one was a late 1950's Collegiate. The second one is the one I took to college, an early T101.The serial # pegs it as being made in 1965. I bought it new from a music store in Western PA in late 1969. The store owner told me that it had been sitting on the shelf wrapped in plastic for at least three years. Now here where it gets a little interesting. On the mouthpiece receiver is inscribed "T101A Artist". After countless hours on the net I have found no reference whatsoever about this partcular model. It is laquer finished, and has a spring loaded trigger on the first valve slide. It'sa nice sounding horn, easy to play. I'ts not a light horn, but it's nowhere near as heavy as the Collegiate that I used to march with.

Any thoughts?

supportlivejazz · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 3757

I just bought a T-101G with a factory gold brass bell. Can't wait to get it. thought I'd add this to the thread. Don't believe there was any mention of this variation.
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