 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-18 22:08
I have been looking at the new line of clarinets from Leblanc/Backun, but I was unable to drop everything and fly out to NYC for the introduction last month. So... I sent off an E-mail to Backun Instruments, any number of info requessts to Leblanc/Conn-Selmer/Steinway (or whatever their personality disorder is demanding they call themselves nowadays) and an e-mail to WWBW. I have yet to get a reply form ANY of these resources. This is disappointing. All I want is some basic info and an answer to a few of my questions. The rosy picture painted on the Leblanc website is woefully short on actual information!
I know that they have their hands full with the instant demand these instruments raised, but one would think that they would *somehow* respond to a potential customer. When I was in sales, this would not have been allowed. Sigh.
Well, I know I can always count on Walter Grabner to get me a great Buffet if Leblanc has no interest in selling clarinets.
Jeff
Post Edited (2006-11-18 22:09)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: massa
Date: 2006-11-19 03:05
Have you tried Backun directly?
info@backunmusical.com
or their web site: http://www.backunmusical.com/
- m
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-11-19 03:58
I just bought a new Leblanc/Backun Cadenza from woodwind and brasswind. Go to their website (http://www.wwbw.com) and get their phone number and give them a call. They do have the Cadenza in stock now and will have the Legacy and Symphonie in stock in March. Phone calls will certainly do the trick.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed
Date: 2006-11-19 11:00
I find that people do not always respond to email promptly (or sometimes at all). Often the old fashioned phone call works better.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-19 12:11
Actually, I called Sybill (my name for Leblanc/Conn/Selmer/Steinway) directly, and they were *supposed* to send me info a number of weeks ago. ![[right]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie8.gif) This was after requesting info online several times. Yes, I e-mailed Morrie Backun directly, but got no reply. I know he may be busy, but I was hoping for SOME response. I may end up calling WWBW, or maybe the store in NYC that was sponsoring the East coast debut event.
By the way, Brenda, how do you like the Cadenza? Is it as nice as the buzz claims all of these instruments are?
Jeff
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Morrie Backun
Date: 2006-11-19 14:51
Hello Jeff,
I saw your message and checked my E-Mail and the server, but I can't find any message from you.
Feel free to contact me at: morrie@backunmusical.com and I will get back to you offline.
Thanks,
Morrie Backun
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-19 15:05
Thank you very much, Morrie. I am fairly interested in these instruments, so I will soon be in touch.
Jeff
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-11-19 20:21
Jeff, Do get in touch with Morrie. He's fantastic to work with.
I just got the Cadenza Friday and haven't had adequate time with it to make a full report, but it has a beautiful tone. It reminds me of the Buffet R-13 Vintage as far as tone goes. Much nicer than any R-13 I've ever played (and I used to sell instruments and hand-selected around 30 a year for customers).
Check back next week for my full report.
I had wwbw overnight the instrument to me, by the way. I don't like having them on the truck for several days at a time. I highly recommend the extra cash for having this done. Morrie recommends that as well and if you get something from him he'll tell you that.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-19 21:55
Thanks, Brenda. I wil take you up on that advice, and look forward to hearing your report in a week or so.
BTW... I have already reached Morrie through e-mail (man, that was quick!) and I will be contacting him personally and talking the two instruments over with him, as I'm weighing the cost/benefits of the Symphonie versus the Cadenza. The Legacy is just way too much money for me at the moment!
Now, if I could only find someone near Detroit who actually will be stocking these clarinets, so I could try one out.... The place near my home that is *supposed* to be a Leblanc dealer, only seems to stock student-grade Vito models. Of course, talking with anyone in the local music store on a Sunday is risky at best. They suggest I call in during he week, so I can talk to someone that has a clue! Seriously, their suggestion, not my own. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Jeff
Post Edited (2006-11-19 21:56)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-11-20 13:13
So many music stores are not carrying professional level clarinets these days. Cost problems involved have caused them to shy away from the big buck inventory. And, the online retailers have taken over most of that business.
You can always have woodwind and brasswind send out more than one for you to try.
By the way, I'm not affiliated in any way with woodwind and brasswind or any other retailer. There are lots of good sources out there for purchasing instruments, I only mention what I've personally tried.
Post Edited (2006-11-20 20:46)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: gatep5
Date: 2006-11-20 20:51
Does anyone know if they are going to make an "A" version of the Cadenza? Thanks!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2006-11-20 22:29
I would absolutely love it if they made an "A" Cadenza. It would be more affordable than an R13....I, as a poor college student, would love it if there was an "A" Cadenza in the works.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-21 00:02
I will find out about Cadenzas in A. I got Morrie's direct nnumbers, but was unble to connect with him today, so I will try again, tomorrow.
Also, on a happy note, the shop I deal with locally actually will be stoccking the higher-end instruments. The new manager knows clarinets, and is trying to get them more pro-oriented nowadays, rather than just supplying student-grade pieces, so he is going to try to get a Cadenza in for me tp audition in the near future. If he can do that for me, I will definitely owe him one! ![[toast]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley15.gif) He's a really great guy who used to own another store in the area, but got tired of the hassles and sold his share of the business, dumping the headaches.
Stay tuned for updates,
Jeff
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-11-21 04:34
"so he is going to try to get a Cadenza in for me tp audition"
Assuming that by 'tp' you meant 'to', do you mean he wil order a clarinet for you to try, without you commiting to buying it at all? Is that how it works in the USA in most stores?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-21 11:26
I don't know if that is the norm, but he said he would try to work it out with the Leblanc rep to do it that way, since he plans on stocking them in any case. He had a nice R13 Preestige in the display case, so I know he's serious about getting better instruments into the store. The next case over had a Selmer Series 9 (used, of course) in the key of A.
And yes, that was a typo. Sorry, I'm one of the world's worst typists... I never took a class in typing, just learned the basics decades ago on my first computer, when I had to learn BASIC programming, just to get the thing to do anything.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-11-21 15:03
After working for years with a friend who owned a music store on things like special orders, it is possible for the owner to ask the representative for Leblanc to bring a certain instrument for a customer to try. The rep comes by several times a year and usually has several top instruments with him. These are normally very good quality instruments because the company is presenting them in hopes of getting the stores to buy several of them. So, to get a rep.'s instrument is usually a good thing. I bought an Opus from the rep. at my friend's store once and it was wonderful. He had it set up just right and it had beautiful wood.
I also bought a Concerto A clarinet from the same rep and had the same results. It was a very nice instrument.
So, if he'll arrange it for the rep to bring a Cadenza (which should be absolutely no problem) and have you come in when the rep is there, he (the owner) won't be obligated to purchase it in order for you to try it out.
Many stores have special times when the company reps from several makers come and demonstrate their new instruments. This is also a good time to go try instruments. However, you'll have to check with your local music store to see if they do such a thing. If not, ask them if they would consider doing it. Most instrument companies are willing to send reps and instruments out. My friend always gave big discounts on the instruments if you bought them that day.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jmberch
Date: 2006-11-21 20:49
brenda,
would you prefer a cadenza to the concerto/opus II...only speaking in comfort of playing...not tone
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2006-11-21 20:52
Well, I have good (actually great) news, and not so great news...
I spoke with Morrie Backun just a few minutes ago. What a fantastic person to deal with! He wa so informative that I have made up my mind to give the Cadenza a try. According to Morrie, the Symphione would also be an excellent instrument, but he felt that I would be better suited with a cadenza, and for an appreciably lower price than a Symphonie would be. I am probably going to order it this week. It's not often that someone tells you that you would be better off by spending less money!
Now for the less happy tidings: He said that they are getting so swamped with orders that they never expected to get, that they will not be able to offer the Cadenza in the key of A for some time, if at all. Also, the first several months' of production of the Legacy and Symphonie models were ordered sight-unseen by a number of top professionals and their stuedents, far more than Morrie ever expected. I guess that is what happens when you make such excellent products that folks are willing to order a new, untested model from you, based simply on your past reputation!
As we were talking, his shop was in a minor state of chaos, as he just received more than 55,000 pounds of new machinery and several tons of wood for making the instruments. While it sounds like the folks at his shop will be extremely busy for the forseeable future, I hope everyone will agree that this is a pretty good thing for him, and for the clarinet world, in general.
Thanks to everyone who replied to my original query, as well as a special thank-you to Morrie Backun.
Jeff
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-11-22 13:58
That's great news, Jeff. I'm glad I already got my Cadenza. And, yes, that's the experience I had with Morrie as well. Julian Bliss was just walking into Morrie's shop when I called and Morrie asked him to hand-select a bell for my Opus II. They were working on an overhaul on one for a professional and happened to have one in the shop to use for the testing. The match was perfect and I have a wonderful bell at a lower cost than the advertised price because they found one that had a slight flaw and Morrie said he actually thought it was better than the full-priced models. I asked for him to send out 3 bells for me to pick from and I decided the bell with the slight (cosmetic only) flaw really was the best sounding one. He didn't even have to offer it because the other bells were much more expensive.
I found that the Backun group really does try to match the player with the merchandise. They love what they do and it shows.
Man, maybe I'd better get my name in the hat for a Legacy.
jmberch, as to your question about the Cadenza vs the Concerto/Opus II:
Since I own an Opus II and have compared them side by side I would have to say I prefer the key-action of my Opus II--but the tone of the Cadenza. My Opus II has fantastic key-action--but remember, it is a $5,000.00 (suggested retail) instrument compared to a $2,200.00 (retail suggested price on the Cadenza) instrument. So, it isn't a fair comparison.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
