Info on a "Rudy"

[blackfrancis]

I'm seeking any info you can give me on the Rudy Weidoeft model alto. History, playability, quirks (there have to be quirks with all those keys...), market value, etc. Any help will be much appreciated!

[newking70]

from another website:
Holton made a lot of very good brass instruments (trumpets, trombones, etc.). Perhaps the best Holton instruments were their nickel-silver French Horns. Holton saxes were not as highly regarded as these brass instruments. In fact, their acceptance in the sax community is rather lacking. For this reason Holton saxes are not of premium value as vintage instruments. In the early days (post W.W.I thru the 1920's), Holton saxes often tried to make up for low acceptance with exotic (and esoteric) special keywork. One such item seen on early Holtons is a high C/D trill key. Not just (almost) useless, the high C/D trill key also complicates the mechanism to where these instruments are more difficult to service. In the Early 1930's Holton introduced a 'Rudy Weidoeft' model, named after a famous saxophonist of the time, that carried the esoteric keywork to the ridiculous. There are double pad cups on several keys, including the low C. These RW Holtons have complicated mechanics which are all but impossible to keep in play adjustment (having restored a gold plated RW alto, I know first hand). The Weidoeft models also had the high C/D trill key, and in short, they are a technician's nightmare. This is all background about why Holton saxes are not of high reputation. Now the good news: into the 1930's Holton started to copy Conn body design and keywork as Conn patents expired. Although still not widely accepted -- and clearly of little value -- these later Holton 'Conn' copies play very well. In fact, we have (the horn has now been purchased) a silver stencil Holton tenor from later in the 1930's that truly wails. Your Holton Collegiate is a later model, but it's also a student edition. Still, some of them have a great big fat sound and play very well. The keywork is good, except perhaps for the left pinky spatula....flimsy and hard to keep in adjustment. If you have a Holton you like, by all means keep it and enjoy playing it. It will be worth more to you than to anyone else

[cas01]

I own a 35xxx Rudy, silverplated. I am very happy with it. They are somewhat difficult to maintain, but that's why techs make the big bucks!
Also, the extra keys are not so strange as it may seem at first. The forked Eb was standard for the time, the G# trill is better than Conn's since it is positively actuated, the C/D trill can come in handy. the extra low C vent is problematic, but may help speech on Ds and Ebs. Also the front F opens F and Eb keys. All in all, I find it a very solid player-just find one that's really well maintained and adjusted and use an appropriate mpc.

[musicwriter2001]

i have a rudy alto, and although it does need a little work, it sounds really good. i have a holton tenor from about 1905 that is getting re-done, and that has most of the extra keys as well. they take a little getting used to, but i find them to be functional. i dont know what the tenor sounds like yet, because it needed a lot of work and i havent played it yet, but i have an alto from the 20's that just screams, and based on that i went with the rudy model and the older tenor. i like the old silver horns, seems to project a lot more than brass. i use a vandoren a-35 for the alto and a selmer d metal mouthpiece for the buescher 400 tenor i have, and they are both big sounding. after the rudy gets its work done i will be able to play it more and see how that goes.