 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: perryg114
Date: 2007-10-27 18:46
I have done some research on here but can't find out when the plastic Normandy's were made and when they started making the woodend ones. Best I can tell the plastic ones were made up until they were replaced by the Vito and then the Normandy was upgraded to wood at that time. I am thinking the plastic Normandy was a product of the 50's and the Wood Normandy came on around 1960. I also read somewhere that Normandy was a separate company until 1978 but I don't believe that since the plastic Normandy that I have had a Leblanc case and that was standard as far as I can tell based on what I have seen on Ebay.
Perry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: stevesklar
Date: 2007-10-27 22:29
At one time Normandy had many models ... the plastics, 4, 8, 10, 12s etc. (have you seen these models - in their original cases to come to your conclusions?) I assume the time they were bought out by Leblanc then they widdled down their offerings so as not to have so much overlap with their current offerings/competition (such as the cheapened early 40s with plastic barrels and bells)
remember, the Normandys were sold as student, Noblets as intermediate and Paris as the pros. I believe Leblanc distributed Normandys in the US until they bought them, which meant, they could come in Leblanc cases.
My Normandy 4, which was bought during the year of the buyout came in a plastic Noblet case. The only thing signifying it's a Noblet case is a piece of plastic in the handle .... could be a normandy piece of plastic or anything else for that matter. The case mine came in came in all flavors of student clarinets. Of course, the case could have been changed at the shop I bought it at too.
i suggest you check your serial number against some SN lists .. then use that as only a frame of approx reference.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: perryg114
Date: 2007-10-28 00:44
Are there comprehensive serial number list for the plastic Normandys? I have only seen lists for the wooden ones.
Perry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bbarner
Date: 2007-10-30 13:26
My first clarinet was a plastic Normandy. I was born in 1950 and started playing the Normandy in the fifth grade. I suppose that could have been arround 1960.
Bill Barner
http://www.billbarner.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: stevesklar
Date: 2007-11-01 10:03
Are there comprehensive serial number list for the plastic Normandys?
--> No
matter of fact, I got my lists by contacting someone inside Leblanc before Leblanc USA was bought out. These lists, if you called their regular support line, did not exist and they only had the stuff on the computers which only went back a few years.
I guess if you speak french and don't mind an expedition to France to search out a SN list and have some internal contacts you may find what you are looking for ..... (being light hearted here as there is no "final" answer)
one of my Normandy Resotone has a sn 78120, Leblanc case (made by Hartmann). I assume its' a 1978 model as the SN lists do not differntiate plastic, from model 8, 10 & 12s. and has "USA" on it
another plateau Normandy sn # 14000 with identical case except different vintage badge - I assume it's actually a Vito, made in 1975. But it has "France" on it
as mentioned, it could be very likely that some of the Vito and Normandy clarinets were made in the same plant (speculation), and vice versa, or versa vice .. =-)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-11-01 13:18
Hi Perry and Steve, FWIW, I also have a plastic Plateau Normandy # 348xx, which shows only the ?heart-shaped? logo with Normandy across it on UJ, LJ and bell, the barrel is a Vito [later addition ?]. Its in quite good condition, ?fairly playable. I agree with the 70's estimate. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: perryg114
Date: 2007-11-02 00:26
My plastic Normandy has the serial number 2490J I am not sure if the J is important or not. This the only serial number list that I know of. Mine does not seem to match up.
http://www.saxmaniax.com/snclarinet.htm
Perry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
