Klarinet Archive - Posting 000501.txt from 2004/11

From: "DWH" <dwh46@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] "Older" Leblanc cases
Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:00:14 -0500

Bruce -
I just measured my 1975 Buffet R13 and my late-seventies Leblanc "LL" Bb
clarinets. The older Leblancs have a shorter lower joint - 9-13/16" versus
10-1/16th" for the Buffet. But the difference is in the upper joint and the
barrels and bells. When I measure both assembled with the original barrels,
they are identical in length. When Leblanc began making their new line of
clarinets a little over a decade ago, they went to a more "Buffet-like"
design, the reason neither of your instruments work in the older cases from
Leblanc.

The older Leblancs had a different bore design than that of the current
models, and the R13 as well, so there was resulting compensation in the
length of the main body of the clarinet.

Don Hatfield

> Over the last year, I've won two Leblanc Bb clarinet cases from two
separate
> sellers on E-bay. Both were very reputable.
>
> One of the cases seems to be from the '70s or '80s, and the second was
> advertised as new (which I'm sure it was), but was a discontinued model,
> according to a Leblanc sales rep.
>
> Thing is, neither my Leblanc Opus nor my R13 B-flat instruments fit in
> either of them! The upper joint, bell, etc. fit just fine, but the insert
> for the lower joint is about 3/8-inch too short, and there's no way I can
> get a B-flat clarinet in the case!
>
> Did Leblanc at one time manufacture instruments with shorter bell tenons
> than they do now? A 3/8-inch bell tenon? Both my R13 and my Opus have
> 3/4-inch bell tenons.
>
> I'd give worlds to know.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Bruce

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