 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SJ
Date: 2004-10-02 07:20
Since Leblanc is the only major manufacturer that doesn't have serial number lists on the internet, would anyone know the year of manufacture for LL model Bb clarinet serial # 172XX? Thanks!
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-10-02 14:09
My LL is #23XXX and dates from 1964 according to Leblanc. From other data I have, I believe yours is a bit earlier than Vitas' estimate, say, 1960-1961. Close enough for jazz!
Henry
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-10-02 14:10
Not too old, S J, based on my Dynamic 2 [14xx] an early 1950's ???, IMO, yours is from the 1960,s, when Leon Leblanc was in charge, and their sales [and reputation] were rapidly increasing. There are many LL owners on our BB, and we have had many discussions [do a search], so hopefully they will give you a closer date estimate. Leb has many US patents, on some large and small-detail improvements, in that time period, which [with a horn-in-hand comparison] could help also. Their older cls were very good ! Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2004-10-02 18:53
Henry,
I believe your clarinet was made in 1967 and the clarinet in question was made in 1965.
I owned 476 "Classic" (serial # 2306X) that had the original warranty card which indicated that this clarinet was crafted in 1967.
If I remember correct Leblanc introduced the LL model in 1961?
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-10-02 19:57
Vytas:
For some reason, your age scale for the LL seems to be shifted a few years relative to mine. My own LL (# 232XX) was definitely dated by Leblanc (Michael Kamphuis) as being from 1964. Other serial ## and years that I am reasonably confident about (using a variety of sources) are:
# 4999 1958
#25286 1966
#27411 1967
#28007 1968
#32839 1973
#42580 1983
If you plot the above 7 data points, you'll see a steep rise in the numbers at about 1957 which I would therefore estimate as being the starting year of the LL (rather than 1961 as suggested by you). From 1964-1983 the rate of production seems to be roughly constant at 1000 per year. This probably includes the "Classic", as Mr. Kamphuis indicated that the LL and the Classic were on the same SN track.
I am mystified by the SN and year of your old "Classic".
I hope this helps.
Henry
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-10-02 21:15
I gave my grandson a Classic a few years ago, my recollection of what the original owner said was that it was a 1950's horn [like my Dyn 2]. I have the ser# somewhere, will try to find and report. Leb kept making their best sellers for years !, I have several brochures showing the LL's along with the LX's of the ?"80's. From what Vytas and Henry [etc] have posted, with a few more datings, we will have an approximate Leblanc ser# list, could it be added to our lists of "How Old Is My", Mark C ?? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-10-02 22:03
On request, Leblanc will give you the year of any of their clarinets built after 1964, once you give them the model and SN. I hope that info is reliable. Why can they not at least publish this limited amount of information? Certainly not a Herculean task! Leblanc seems to be the only major supplier that does not provide such basic data.
Anyway, does anyone know how they "lost" the info for anything prior to 1964? Most peculiar!
Henry
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-10-02 22:12
Aren't some record gaps/losses blamed on fires in the maker's plants [small operations perhaps! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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