 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-18 18:16
Greetings.
I was doing some searches here regarding these instruments...
But some of those searches brought me to messages ten years ago, which helped a lot...but currently what is the rating today on Vito's? I mean how do they stand with other instruments in the same price range and so forth.
I got so curious because near where I live, I happened upon a shop that had four used LeBlanc's for sale, used and all plastic. Very pricey, I believe because some of the pads looked like a repad was due...bugs you know.
Each one looked different.
I do not recall seeing the name Normandy on any of them.
But are all plastic LeBlancs pretty much Vito's?
Each one looked different, and now that I am back at home, was wondering what I actually was looking at.
Is there a page of Vito symbols online anywhere to examine?
Also, how can one tell which are newer Vito's and so forth?
What caught my attention was that two of these did not have the Vito in the oval or the Vito in the harp looking symbol, but were printed on, and I don't think engraved, but looked kind of cool too. And both of those differed as well.
I only ask because I looked at this with joy and got interested in these clarinets.
Would love current comments about them or anything that you all would like to share about them.
Thanks.
Even more, I saw online green and blue Vitos for sale, but they are not at the LeBlanc website. Are these made elsewhere? Or already older items? Oh, and how do these rate?
Thanks so much.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2011-11-18 21:09
The bright colored instruments are probably Vito "Dazzlers". I don't know if they are still being made.
As far as the more mundane looking Vito clarinets, I still see them recommended here all the time, and I know that q quite a number of clarinetist s in the community bands I've been in use them. Reputation is they are well- built and relatively indestructible.
There are different models of Vitos, as you have discovered. Hope you can find someone here who knows more about that.
Susan
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-18 21:25
Thank you both for your comments. Yes, Susan! I remember seeing Dazzlers on that...thanks. One that I saw was quite expensive!
I wanted to add, I remember (per the four I saw in store recently) that one had a peg/something right into the cylinder of one of the joints and where it met the other joint, that ring had a little carved away area for this projecting peg (I guess for support)?? Anyway, this was also an unusual thing on one of these Vito's?? I am not sure if I saw anything like this on any other clarinets that I have ever seen.
Hence, another one of my curiosities about all of these different models in plastic.
Oh, and they all seemed to be in rectangular black cases with black interior, some having LeBlanc on the outside. This was so intriguing because while it was apparent that these clarinets were of different labellings, they all seemed to have similar original cases that looked the same, except some did not have LeBlanc on the outside...perhaps these came off??
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Author: BobD
Date: 2011-11-19 11:17
"However, any auction clarinet will need adjustment and new pads. Figure $200."
Replace the word "any" with "some"...........
Bob Draznik
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-11-19 11:39
I concur with BobD. I've bought clarinets seriously in need of TLC on EBay, but I've probably bought just as many that were ready to go. Luck is a factor, but most times if it needs work it will say so, or it is obvious from the pics. There are a number of people on EBay that advertise that they sell refurbished instruments. Some of these may even be honest. Good luck.
Tony F.
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-19 16:36
Does anyone know how much the green or blue Vito's retailed for when they were just made?
Also, there were "clear" Buffet B12's made some time ago, and I missed that completely...were those expensive? Or just same price as a black one?
Thank you everyone for your advice and comments.
Ken Shaw, do you happen to know which one of the LeBlanc have that peg on it? Or is that standard on all their beginner ones? I just don't remember now.
Thanks everyone.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-11-19 21:25
The Woodwind & Brasswind sold off a bunch of red and yellow Vito Dazzlers for $299 not long ago, and I believe they sold for about the same amount back when they were a current model. They've been out of production for years, but as with most any mass-market student instrument, a stray inventory of them turns up in a warehouse every now and then.
The oval-logo Vitos are the Model 7212, while the lyre-logo Vitos are the Model 7214. The most highly-regarded Vito is the V-40, which has a big V logo.
I own and play a Vito 7214 and a Vito V-40, and they are decent instruments. But, you can easily purchase a good used wooden clarinet for what a used plastic Vito can be bought for. Wooden Normandy and Selmer Signet clarinets are worth checking into.
For what it's worth, I gave a new Buffet B12 a test play in September and thought it was significantly better than any Vito I've played.
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