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Aside from a review by Norlan Bewley, I don't believe I've ever read anything about these horns.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/msg/d ... 23315.html

this horn is walking distance to my house. nice guy

LeMark wrote: ↑Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:04 pm this horn is walking distance to my house. nice guy

Have you played this tuba before?

No I have not. If someone is interested in it, I can go check it out

I'm not personally interested in the horn, but for those that are, I found a post on the old board from Roger Lewis describing how Harvey Phillips set the slides on his for optimal playing. Also, for what it's worth, the design appears to have been based on a 1911 Holton played by HP's friend Johnny Evans.

This is a great tuba, truly one of a kind. Please feel free to ask any questions. If you are in the market and would like to come give her a toot I don't think you'd want to leave without it.

The more I look at these, the more convinced I become that they are an enhanced version of the 1960's model 560.

The bore size (thought the 560 was three-valve top-action) is even the same as the 331 - .665" (which is a telescoping-tubing size down from another bore size Holton used: .750")

In my experience the 1960's (so-called "student") model 560 tubas are quite rare...

As is known (by those who follow the repairs/frankentubas forum, here) I acquired one and have been reconfiguring it to something (albeit with a 5th rotor, which is an FF half-step length) quite similar (though slightly larger bore size) to the 331.

My project isn't completed, but is completed enough to be playable...and what a player it is (not for sale, It's being built for my own use).



...and (just fwiw) I'm certainly not interested in offering it for sale for $6K...so HERE (with this Holton model 331 listed for sale) is a bargain, in my estimation...

...oh yeah: and the 331 is a REAL Holton tuba, and NOT some "I wonder who actually made that" tuba.

Size wise, how does it stack up for ensemble use? I know it's not a huge bore, but what is the output like?

Big enough to use in a large band? What if you're the only tuba? Orchestra?

I've only ever seen one of these in person, but it must've been 20 years ago.

And BB vs CC... Always interesting when the same model.exists in both keys. Which was the initial design, and which the variant?

My homespun one (ugly brown - pictured above) features a bore size that is only 1/2mm larger, and - just for S’s & G’s – I may (actually: probably will) use it in May when playing the Bartok CFO. At least with my (again: homespun) version, I’m confident that it puts out plenty of sound for any use...but Brett, you know what I think of the lap sousaphone (6/4) genre in general...
Finally, realize that I first played mine (beat-up, and 3V top-action) with the same bore size (.665”) as the 331, and - based on that - I made my decision to enhance the instrument. Had there been a (4V front-action) valve section of that exact size (.665”) that I could have found a stick on my instrument, I would’ve used it, rather than the slightly larger one that I’m using.
I realize that I am answering questions asked of someone else, but I regard my instrument as being extremely similar to the one that is for sale.

Based on a thread “over yonder”, the bell mandrel for the 1911 tuba used as inspiration for the 330/331 was still in the Holton factory when the 330/331 went into production in the late 1990s. Likely because it was being kept and used for the 560 models like @bloke surmises. I’m guessing tooling and patterns for the other large bows were possibly still available as well.

Interesting history there.

I suspect that most of the 560 bow mandrels were reused for the 331, and that a few other bows were engineered for the C version.

There is a little argument that the old 560 is very similar to York 33 bell/bows, overall.
That having been said, the 560 appeared on the scene surprisingly close to the time that the York plant in Grand Rapids was finally and completely shuttered. Again, I find the 560 instruments to be quite rare. The one here is the first one that I have personally touched with my own hands.
I suspect that Conn 10J production and Olds/Reynolds 099/TB-10 production dwarfed the Holton 560 production during that (1960s) era.
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Getting back to the Holton 331 that is for sale, it certainly appears to be in magnificent condition. It’s difficult for us to leave with all of Mrs. bloke’s animals…and frankly I’m staying busy, thank the Lord, but I would love to be able to just pick up and take a little trip to North Texas to visit all of my friends/relatives, and to ask the seller of that BEAUTIFUL instrument for a curiosity-satisfying test drive.

Hi- you are welcome to satisfy your curiosity anytime you’d like. You won’t want to leave without it.

If you make that trip just let me know. I’d love to have you give her a toot!

This tuba has sold