 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-03-23 08:58
I'm going slowly crazy! I've been offered an old Leblanc Normandy 10 for a very low price and I can't find any information about it.
The only links are about the Normandy-4 which appears quite popular.
Does anyone know ANYTHING about the model 10? Is it better or worse than the 4? Beginner/intermediate?
Any info at all would be welcome!
Steve
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-03-23 13:41
Ten dollars is probably a very low price....
Bob Draznik
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-03-23 13:44
Some of these OLD horns, [wood preferred] were fairly good, better than earlier Vitos and not quite as good as the better Noblets, in Leblancs "stable of cls". I'm not sure that they are still marketed [even tho they have a good French name !!], Used ones are cheap ! Help, please, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-03-23 13:57
Well it's definitely wood. What I find amazing is that I can find absolutely nothing about the Normandy 10. Google searches, Yahoo... nothing!
As for the Leblanc website, well that's a complete joke! I couldn't even find a search function!
Steve
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-03-23 17:31
One was sold on ebay.com just a week ago. Easy to find with Google.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-03-23 17:47
Thank you David. I know they are occasionally sold on Ebay, though it's usually the Normandy 4 model. However I don't need to find one for sale, I simply want information about it. Any information!
Steve
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-03-23 18:05
I was merely reacting to your statement that "I can find absolutely nothing about the Normandy 10". I was able to find some sort of description, including a claim, accurate or otherwise, that it is better than the Normandy 4. Also a price, which was rather more than I would expect a beginner instrument to fetch.
I would agree with you that the Leblanc website leaves something to be desired.
Did you look at http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/BBoard/read.html?id=5888
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-03-23 18:25
Yes, the website is awful. Given that Leblanc is one of the 4 main manufacturers, you'd think that they'd be more willing to help research the older models and supply useful information. It gives the impression of simply being another 'We're in it for the money. Pile 'em high, sell 'em quick. Like it or lump it!' business.
I've found all the references on the forum and searched everywhere I can. I guess I just have to wait till I receive it and see for myself.
Thanks for your help.
Steve
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-03-23 21:12
I would think that if you phoned LeBlanc in Kenosha you would get some help....You must realize that the troops are probably undergoing their own level of frustration with all the changes taking place. So, a positive attitude will help.
Bob Draznik
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Author: susieray
Date: 2005-03-24 02:38
It is a beginner horn, or maybe a low end intermediate; they usually go on ebay for $50 to $100. These will normally need overhauls, but even with that added cost, the horn would still be quite affordable....however if I were shopping for an instrument in the Normandy/Noblet family, I'd go for a Noblet 45 instead....they can be found for not much more than Normandys and are closer to a pro horn.
Sue
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-03-24 13:54
Looking in some of my older Leblanc brochures, I found their listing of soprano cls and other insts dating from about July 1961, the Normandy [France] 10 being described [in glowing terms] as the best Bb Norm. Noblet and Leblanc cls are also pic/described here, but not [?yet?] Vito [which is the first name of the [then] new president, Pasccuci, following Leon Leblanc, ?founder]. The 10 is described as all grenadilla, while it's [comparable Bb] 7 has plastic barrel and bell, "screw-in" speaker and thumb tubes, nickel plated keys and other features, possibly described in their US patent #1,926,489, better known as the "jump trill keys" invention. At least the comparable Noblets are similarly described, as are the Leblancs [top of line], but the L's have the "raised speaker tube", which in my Leb experience, gives a much better-sounding "pinch" [mid-staff] Bb. You might look for this on your Norm. Also in this brochure, the Noblet "Stubbins" Model 240 [his invention for an even better Bb , which was adapted [more] successfully for the larger cls, is described briefly. I have one of these, quite good ! Guess I wrote a book !!, Much luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-03-24 16:48
Wow, thanks for that little look back in time! I really appreciate it!
You know, it's just an idea, but wouldn't it be great if this board could start a database of all makes of clarinet, collecting info including each model, terminology (eg buffet/evette etc), type of clarinet (beg/interm/prof) links to websites, grenadilla/plastic, anecdotes, serial numbers, .... Well you know what I mean.
Who knows? Perhaps we could charge Leblanc for access to our data?
Now there's a thought! ;-)
Steve
PS I used the Buffet model/serial number search facility today. Excellent!
Shame on you Leblanc!
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-12-20 07:53
>>>Normandy serial numbers:
Thanks so much for that.
My Normandy 10 is from 1966. Plays beautifully!
Steve
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-12-20 13:22
My TKS also, John B, quite a run-down. Are you coming to BVL for CHR?, would like to say hello in person and talk a bit! Steve, I found somewhere in my stuff [ !!] a "Normandy Made by Noblet", no #, with "Special" on the U J, ser. # 614xx, dating it per the list to 1970. My Stubbins- Noblet is 32425 which would put it in 1964, coinciding with Wm S's PB book [editions] dates of '65, '69 and '74 in which his "glowing, revolutionary" description takes several pages !! So, perhaps the list is also for Noblet cls, of that time period ?? After tweaking the Norm. up to my desired level, playing with a good glass mp, its the most dark-mellow toned of all my sop cls, only my best C T approaches it !! It also feels "heavy", ?thick-walled?, need good scales for weighing. Will measure the UJ diameters and post later. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2005-12-20 13:31
Don,
I don't think so this year. Too many -(finances) involved. The oldest is practicing with the Capitol Regiment drum corp in Columbus, OH and having to fly him there on weekends once a month is taking its toll at $300 a trip. That plus paying car insurance for a 17 yr old male is almost like making another house payment.
The list came from the repair bulletin board which originated from a Conn-Selmer (formerly LeBlanc) customer rep. I thought there would be those on this BB that would like to have a copy.
jbutler
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-12-20 14:48
>>I found somewhere in my stuff [ !!] a "Normandy Made by Noblet", no #, >>with "Special" on the U J, ser. # 614xx, dating it per the list to 1970. My >>Stubbins- Noblet is 32425 which would put it in 1964, coinciding with Wm >>S's PB book [editions] dates of '65, '69 and '74 in which his "glowing, >>revolutionary" description takes several pages !! So, perhaps the list is >>also for Noblet cls, of that time period ??
Don,
As well as my Normandy 10, I also have a Noblet (#61787) and the table places it at 1970, so I guess you could be right.
I vaguely remember reading that Normandy was an independent manufacturer that was taken over by Noblet, then by Leblanc.
Is this right?
What on earth is a Stubbins-Noblet? Never heard of it.
Steve
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-12-20 16:02
Steve, I'm quite unsure of the Leblanc, Noblet, Normandy relationships, but believe, [a Search of our archives might reveal] that Norm was the earlier student line of Leb, and Nob became their intermediate at about the same time that Vito P became president, and made the "four-some". Prob. in the 50-60's, Noblet was their "farm-out" maker as my "evidence" shows. Wm Stubbins invented [a US patent # 2,508,550] what is probably the best register key - "pinch"Bb mechanism [a long-standing, compromised problem], which was made available to several makers, to my knowledge Leb and Selmer, and a "kit" form for the experimenter. The other competitors were Mazzeo's [Selmer] , McIntyre, others and ?Galper?, but all "fell by the wayside" via better designed reg. key tubes and their location [my over-simplified summary!]. Others. please help Steve and me, TKS, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Dee
Date: 2005-12-20 22:50
Noblet was the original name of the company. The existing Noblet owner had no heirs so the company went to Mr. Leblanc. The company was renamed and the Noblet became one of their models. After World War II, Vito Pascucci. Eventually a student level instrument was branded with his name.
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