 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: J B Lansing
Date: 2006-01-07 14:53
A while ago I wrote the board about an old Leblanc Symphonie that I had bought in 1956 used. It is a full boehm instrument and I was having some issues with intonation and key adjustments. Because of that, I got a hold of a Leblanc Sonata and have been using that as my main istrument. I have contimued to tinker with the older Leblanc and have managed to get the keywork adjusted. At the same time there was a Thread here on older mouthpieces being better for older clarinets which I took to heart and started using my old Selmer HS* on the Symphony. What a difference! Intonation has improved dramatically and the tone is now very consistant. It also seems to blow freely and easily. Much better than the Sonata which has a stuffy Bb and bell tones (I don't know if that is even a accepted term, I mean the Low E and middle B) that tend to be loud and resonant even though the tone overall is smoother than the symphony. Anyway I just wanted to say I am impressed with the symphony and find myself playing it more all the time. I am also impressed with the quality of the keywork. It is has interesting features like a separate shaft for the C/F key for instance. Now I am wondering if there might be a better mouthpiece for this instrument that is not too expensive. So far this is a low budget endever. I paid $124.00 for the Symphony in '56 and $255 for the Sonata on Ebay last fall. So I am reluctant to spend $200 for a mouth piece.
If anyone has any suggestions I would be intersted
thanks
JB
Post Edited (2006-01-07 14:54)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-01-07 15:19
Think of how much an equivalent clarinet is worth now - you may have paid $124 for your full Boehm Leblanc back then, but try buying one now - only a few smaller companies make full Boehms (as opposed to Buffet, Leblanc and Selmer who all made full Boehms until fairly recently) and the equivalent price today will be in excess of $6000 for a full Boehm of the same quality as your Leblanc (Amati full Boehms are nowhere near as good), so spending anything up to $200 on a mouthpiece that gives good results is worth it.
And there's no reason to keep your Leblanc Sonata if you prefer playing the Symphony - and you can probably get back what you paid for it which could go towards what is for you a better mouthpiece.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2006-01-07 20:56
JB, I also have a Leblanc Symphonie. Mine is a Symphonie 3 in A of early '60s vintage that I bought about 1980 to play in Jr. College orchestra. I paid $600 at the time, which was probably too much, but it plays beautifully and I had to have it.
This instrument was recently overhauled and most of its nagging problems are greatly reduced. Throat Bb is the best of any clarinet I have owned, by far. It is very even through the registers and intonation is good. An M-15 mouthpiece actually plays better than a Selmer HS*, but it tends to be sharp. My tech also commented on the overall high quality of the Symphonie.
Decent 17/6 Symphonies seem to be running around $700. I'd expect the price of a full Boehm, or even a 19/7, to be quite a bit higher, and you'll wait a long time to see one for sale.
In spite of what you paid, your instrument is well worth a professional mouthpiece. At least, it would be to me. Figure that $124 in 1956 equates to about $1240 today, and $200 for a good mouthpiece seems more reasonable.
By the way, your Sonata would probably benefit from a trip to a first class tech. The long tones ought to be fixable, if not the throat Bb.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: J B Lansing
Date: 2006-01-08 01:08
Thanks for the reply. I have not quite decided to play just the Symphony, mostly because of the smooth sound of the Sonata in most of its range. I was suprised at to relatively strident long tones which are very diferent from the rest of the range. I noticed that the inside of the bell is textured (on purpose?) I wonder if it is to help counter the problem. If so, it is not helping much. (I should not over state this the B is controlable with some care. The low E is the more difficult note.) Low F is OK.
As to the mouth piece for the Symphony. I think I will agree that the older mouthpieces may well work better and I think you have convinced me to stop being cheap and get a good one. So what early models do you recomend. I find the Selmer HS* a little more close than I like, although I do get use to it after a bit and I expect I could optimise by exploring different reed typs and strengths.
Once again I am greatfull for any advice.
Thanks
JB
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
