Holton 185 appears on ebay!

[mrdeacon]

A Holton 169 in good shape seems to be mislabeled as a TR185 on Ebay!!!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Holton-Bass-Tr ... Xbass.TRS2

Has the pre Leblanc cursive engraving of many 169 horns... serial number puts it around 1966 which is 169 production years... Bach style linkage which was on the 169 series verses the plastic linkage on TR185s...

Looks like a 169, quacks like a 169, must be a 169!

I wish I had the funds to buy it ): Still my dream bass!! I wish this would have popped up in a few months, I would be all over this if it was November or December!

This is the first one I've seen pop up on ebay in at least 3 or 4 years. I remember the last one that popped up literally was just a pile of parts... some of us almost split the horn 4 ways but it ended up selling for a ludicrous amount considering it wasn't even put together

You guys just have to promise if anyone on the forums purchases it I get first crack at if you guys decide to sell it!!!

Seriously... I get first dibs if you sell it again!!!

*Edit* I changed the title of the post to reflect what Chris said in his post!

[SwissTbone]

Hmm strange, any idea why this would be marked 185?

[BGuttman]

Could be that the slide is from a 185.

I put in a bid, but if this goes where it should I'm going to be out of luck. I can't afford a properly priced 185 OR 169.

[RichC]

Looks very much like my E185 (predates the TR). Same linkage. Only difference I see is the engraving on the bell. Mine says E185 and the Holton name is in block letters. Same case.

[imsevimse]

The TR185 is not a bad horn either if it is not a 169. I've got a 9.5" TR185 with the optional second valve "birds nest". Different case. Holton in block letters. Good horn but the second valve is hard work. One day I should have that rebuilt.

/Tom

[mrdeacon]

Hmm strange, any idea why this would be marked 185?

I think they just saw a single valve and assumed it was a TR185. Unless if you're a Holton aficionado it's honestly hard to tell.

I've never played a 169 so I'm not sure if the model number is marked on the slide receiver like later Le Blanc horns. It's also possible this horn had the slide receiver replaced with one from a TR185... but I'm fairly certain from the pictures it's a 169 as it's got the differences I mentioned from the TR185s I've owned and played.

[mrdeacon]

The TR185 is not a bad horn either if it is not a 169. I've got a 9.5" TR185 with the optional second valve "birds nest". Different case. Holton in block letters. ...

/Tom

I agree with you! The best Holton I've played to date is a early TR185 with block letter engraving that I used to own. That thing was absolutely killer and I still regret having to sell it!

[blast]

Interesting horn. Having owned quite a few 169's and 185's I think I have a reasonable eye for them. One of my 169's has the same bell engraving as the ebay horn.... but it says 'model 169'. Every 169 I have owned and seen has 169 on the flare. This ebay one does not. It does have the early style serial number. not seen any 169's that late though. Most 169's have a 9 3/8" bell flare. 185's have 9 1/2" or 10". My feelings are this is a 185... early, but a 185. Many people prefer the 185 so this is not saying this is a lesser instrument.... it's not.

Chris

[mrdeacon]

Ahhh I stand corrected then! Thanks Chris!

I changed the title of the main post to reflect what Chris has mentioned!

[blast]

Ahhh I stand corrected then! Thanks Chris!

I changed the title of the main post to reflect what Chris has mentioned!

I may be wrong, but this is my best guess without seeing it. As it says that it is marked 185 we must presume that it is stamped in a place not shown in the photos. I have a bass stamped 183 that is totally 185 spec. The factory simply stamped it with the new model number. With Holtons, you have to take each instrument on it's own merits.

Chris

[elmsandr]

Dangit!

After this topic I sorta took this horn off my radar as one that might go cheap. Guess we all did that. Not that I have time to work on ANOTHER single bass, but this was well within what I would have paid.

And to think, that destroyed 169 went for >$1200 and this for <$800.

Cheers,
Andy

[blast]

I thought that was about right for a well used 185. I would have paid the final price, but I have two great 169's....also I recently bought a 1978 Bach 50B2 that is well used but plays great. Anybody looking for one could do worse than this one...I'm not a Bach player but took it from an ex student going abroad.

Chris

[SwissTbone]

I would have paid that and probably a little more. But than my wife put the veto in.

[BGuttman]

Being retired and short of money, I couldn't go as high as it went. I am glad it went for a proper price (not too high, not too low).

[mrdeacon]

And to think, that destroyed 169 went for >$1200 and this for <$800.

Andy, I'm still bitter about that one! Didn't it go for even higher? For some reason I remember it being around $1600...

[elmsandr]

I gave up my spreadsheet, so all I have is memory. I remember thinking it was worth about $1200 and it went well over than, just don’t remember exactly, I actually stopped by the seller and played that horn, sounded great, but needed a complete slide rebuild, maybe some tubes, too. Probably still shoulda bought it. What’s worse, the guy picked it up for $20 at a sale from a house that was on my way to and from work.

Cheers,
Andy