 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jen
Date: 1999-03-03 20:28
I am currently playing on a plastic Bundy and am interested in buying a wood clarinet. A friend has a wooden LeBlanc Classic no. 23007 that he is willing to sell. It was his daughter's clarinet and is about 25 yrs old. Is this a student or proffesional model? The two places that appraised it didn't know, but they said it probably was $2,000 new and is now worth $700-$1000. If anyone knows something about LeBlanc Classics I would love to hear about them. Thanks
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Author: Doug
Date: 1999-03-03 21:55
The first professional model Leblanc marketed was called a
"symphonie" model. After that they marketed a great number
of other models: Dynamique, SymphonieII, Dynamic H, "LL"
etc. Often they would have two or three "top of the line" present in their catalog at the same time. During all this
design experimentation, they reintroduced the symphonie
model, but called it the "classic". It was considered a
professional model at the time rather than a student model.
In a 1957 Leblanc catalog I have, the classic is described
"Free-blowing model for musicians preferring modern relaxed
style. Ideally suited to dance and school bands. $295.00"
At the same time the models Dynamic and Symphonie II was
listed at $325 each. Note that 1957 is much earlier than
"25 years" age you were given. It is probably a good clarinet, certainly better than the plastic you note. It
does have the larger bore in vogue at that time and not
the smaller, polyclindrical bore of today's models. A reasonable price would be more likely $400 to $650 at best.
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-03-04 00:06
Doug wrote:
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... It does have the larger bore in vogue at that time and not the smaller, polyclindrical bore of today's models. A reasonable price would be more likely $400 to $650 at best.
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The small bore was introduced independently of the polycylindrical shape bore. In other words, you can have a small bore instrument that is not polycylindrical.
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-03-04 00:10
Call Leblanc. They can tell you the approximate time frame that this instrument was made. Check the equipment section listed in the menu below the bulletin board and somewhere under "How Old.." it gives a phone number and reference person.
If it was made after about 1964, they can pinpoint the age from the serial number. However if it was made before 1964, they did not maintain a serial number reference and can only pinpoint it approximately.
They can tell you if it was a professional model and often tell you what is the nearest equivalent in their current line of instruments.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 1999-03-04 02:50
Several years ago I was fortunate to find a Classic in Tulsa and bought it for $175 !!! Checking it out I found it was very good, rivaling my superb LeB L7. I gave it to my CA grandson who is playing better and better [now into jazz ad-lib] and his pro-teacher is much impressed with it as well. I estimated then it was a 1950's model. Get it, but like stocks etc, B L and S H ! Don
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