 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-08-30 00:58
Is the L7 the predecessor of the LL? If it is than the bore is probably 14.80 mm. The smaller bore Leblancs are around 14.60 mm and the large bore "Pete Fountain model" is 15.00 mm.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-08-30 01:22
Right, R S, pretty much matches my knowledge, [see above thread], I believe the LL was made earlier than L7 [which may have LeB's earliest polycylindrical bore character] and has been followed by the LX and the L2000. The best source of info here would probably be Tom Ridenour, and it may have been discussed earlier, Search the Phorum. Luck, Don
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-08-30 03:59
Dave, I'm really not sure. I searched and found that "Ted" in Oct 99 said he was sure that the LeB's thru L7 were cylindrical, and that the LX may have been the first polycyl. I'll take mine to our music store and measure bores at top and bottom of the upper joint and inspect the upper bore for signs of enlargement. Not knowing of the French [and other] patents, and their expiration dates, on bore modifications, Carree's inventions of the early '50's may have prevented adoption by competitors until the mid '70's, thus dating at least the publication of bore characters until the '80's. My suppositions only!!! Don
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-08-30 13:17
The L7 does have the slightly larger bore size and is loved by doublers because it's a free-blowing clarinet with a big sound--almost as large as the Fountain.
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Author: Dave Williams
Date: 2001-08-30 21:13
I have an L7 here on trial ...I like the response
a lot better than my '68 R-13 ; at least for
the material that I want to play .
How does this `LL` model differ from the L7 ?
I notice it's still in production, so the L7 must
have preceded it , correct ?
Are older Leblancs ; e.g. ,Classic , Symphonie ,
and others, large bore clarinets also ?
Any older Leblanc experts(?) on here with any
spec. information ?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-08-31 00:56
I believe the various Symphonie (sometimes spelled Symphony) models were all small bore.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2001-08-31 04:07
I called Dave Surber at Leblanc a year or so ago to ask about an L7 I picked up. (Mark has his number in the "How old is my..." section.) He told me that it is a small bore instrument (though I didn't ask for the actual measurements). The LL and L7 are completely different lines and designs. He told me that my L7 was made in the 70's. I think (but wouldn't bet the farm) that the LL has been around at least that long, if not longer. Give him a call. He has old catalogs at hand and, if anybody can answer your questions, he probably can. (And he struck me as a really nice guy who enjoyed helping.)
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: B.F.
Date: 2001-08-31 14:39
I have the numbers somewhere in my house from my call to Leblanc around 1995. I bought Jack Silver's L7 from him in 1994, and it was one of the worst decisions I've made in my life when I sold it 2 years ago. The L7 *IS* a small-bore clarinet, but nothing like an R13. The LL and L7 cannot be compared for bore size. To those that have palyed them, the L7s are one of the finest-playing clarinets ever. I have been told that they were the favorite of Leon Leblanc. The only down side was the strangle chrome-like finish on the keywork, which was a little annoying. The springs and pins are not of blued steel but of gold. If you have one, keep it!!!!!!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-08-31 18:00
Interesting to see Jack Silver's name mentioned. I bought some nice instruments from Jack through the years and was sad to hear of his passing not too long ago. Jack loved good horns and was buying and selling them right up to the end.
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Author: Charles
Date: 2001-08-31 18:11
I have L7 and R13. I didn't measure the bore but I can say that L7 bore is bigger that R13's. I can feel when I put the swab and pull it out. I'll measure tonight and post it here.
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Author: B.F.
Date: 2001-08-31 19:06
I'm sorry to hear Jack died. I spent an afternoon play-testing clarinets in the basement of his Bethesda, MD home, and he showed me his collection of boxwood clarinets, many of which he got in rural PA (Amish country) auctions. --Bill.
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Author: Dave Williams
Date: 2001-08-31 20:40
I play the L7 for about 5 hours yesterday ; every
so often going back to my R-13 to compare .
The L7 is not really that much bigger in sound
than my Buffet after all , and maybe just a bit
brighter in sound ; maybe not . I was starting
to experience some ear fatigue in the comparison
process(!) . My R-13 has a more resonant bottom,
to be certain .
But , it seems that since the L7 is a small bore
horn after all , that I'm not experiencing what
I expected , sonically speaking .
So , the LL may, in fact , be what I'm after .
OR - a Pete Fountain , or something of that ilk .
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-09-01 18:35
I finally got around to "mic-ing" my L7, yes its cyl., right at 14.80mm [583"]. More interestingly is my 1952 Selmer-Paris [believe its an un-marked {FR} CT] is 15.0mm at top, 14.61mm at bot of UJ, not sure if its conical or polycyl, BIG! Don
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Author: Dave Williams
Date: 2001-09-01 20:18
Thanks , Don .
Say .... how does your Selmer compare to your L7
in terms of volume and tonal characteristics ?
I'm wondering if I should keep the L7 or go after
an older CT , BT , Pete Founatin or one the pre-
P.Founatin big-bore variants ..
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Author: David dow Sympony NB
Date: 2002-04-26 10:39
Bores are facinating because some large bore instruments sound more focused than small ones...this may has as much to do with our own individual characteristicss in terms of mouth and ways of blowing. For examply Frederick thurston and Reginald Kell played large and small(kell) bore insturments...yet Thurston had a really focused narrow sound on the larger bore!! So that apart if the insturment is in tune and plays flexibly, its definitely fine.
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