Klarinet Archive - Posting 000454.txt from 2000/12

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Contra advice (lots!)
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 10:17:35 -0500

I just found and went to the Leblanc web site. They still show the big,
French made clarinets. They're offering the straight EEb to low Eb, the
paper clip EEb to low C, the straight BBb to written low Eb and the BBb
contra bass in the paper clip configuration to written low C.

The bore listed for their two plastic horns, the Vito EEb to low Eb and the
BBb, again to a written low Eb is a bore of 1.182" for both. That would sure
be one reason to explain why the Selmer plastic contra alto with a bore of
.987" plays so much better.

Richard Bush wrote:

> I could be wrong, but several years ago while talking to Dave Serber at
> Leblanc, he told me that the large metal Leblanc contra altos and basses
> were no longer in production. The plant in France that made them was
> inefficient and a very old fashioned plant. All of the woodwind keywork
> stampings were to then done in this plant, as well. They closed that
> plant and brought all of their key stamping to an American plant. He
> felt that they probably would not go back into production on these
> instruments because there wasn't much demand for them. Like I said, I
> could be wrong. Does anyone have more current information?
>
> I've set up a brand new BBb Vito contra bass clarinet. The folks at
> Leblanc don't have a clue as to how it should be set up. When I got it,
> it really didn't play and the tuning was really stupid.
>
> If one looks at both Selmer and Leblanc catalogs, there are some
> distinct differences between the large instruments offered. The Selmer
> USA contra alto is a .987" bore. The rosewood French Selmer is a .988"
> bore. The BBb, rosewood Selmer is a 1.333" bore. I don't know off hand
> exactly what the Leblanc bore is, but both of their plastic instruments
> in EEb and BBb have the same bore. If one were to conclude that the
> Selmer bores of the Eb and BBb are closer to right, then the Leblanc
> instruments are quite a compromise.
>
> What use to be called the Bundy contra alto, but is now Selmer USA, has
> keywork that closely resembles that of the more costly Selmer. Three of
> the four side, jumper keys are two part mechanisms that cam. This is
> much better than having one piece keys that tend to flop from side to
> side. Like the Bundy or Selmer USA bass clarinet, the contra alto has
> the same dumb, un-ergonomic feeling keywork. In my opinion, one can live
> with it because the plastic Eb contra alto is a huge bang for the buck.
> When set up properly, it plays very similar to the Selmer from which it
> was patterned. Put a quality mouthpiece on it and it becomes a killer
> horn. I would recommend this instrument for jr. high, high school and
> even university use.
>
> If the Leblanc paper clip, metal clarinets are no longer made, I would
> start saving because my guess is that the Selmer BBb in rosewood is
> probably the sweetest big horn ever made. I sure can't recommend the
> Leblanc plastic. And, after checking Selmer's web page, it seems that
> the American company isn't making a BBb in plastic.
>
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