 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: fontan29
Date: 2007-12-15 14:53
I have read several posts about the new Leblanc/Backun Legacy and Cadenza, but not much about the Symphonie model. I have played the Cadenza, which I liked very much. It's tone, feel and tuning were great, and I am surprised that it hasn't gotten more attention from other clarinetists outside of this board. Is the Symphonie model all it's cracked up to be? I have heard from some people that the tone is a little brighter, but otherwise it is a great instrument. I am currently playing a '97 R13 with a cocobolo Backun Barrel and Bell. I am also using a Brad Behn Mouthpiece with a close tip. Tone is much more centered and pretty darn dark, but I still find the tone to not be everything I wished it was above third space C. I have also been looking at the Opus and the Vintage. Any advice is appreciated- thanks!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2007-12-15 14:57
I just had a VERY quick audition at a show (so it was noisy and busy) but my impression was that it lacked any real resistance which means to me that I could not build any real body to the sound at all. Intonation was probably very good but I found the basics lacking enough not to pursue it further.
Just try a Yamaha CSG (all it'll take is one MINUTE!!!!) before you buy anything.
...........Paul Aviles
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Author: cpark
Date: 2007-12-15 15:12
I tried all three models. I remember liking the top model and the lower model the best. The keywork on these horn are the most ergonomic I've played. Crossing the break etc was very easy.
That said, since you are not afraid to try non buffet(good for you!) give the CSG a try. A lot of people still don't know about it. It has the evenness and intonation of the Backun(better IMHO) and the sound is much more colorful. The price is also amazing at less then a nickel R13.
Backun also makes custom barrels for the CSG.
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Author: ASBassCl1
Date: 2007-12-15 16:35
I just got a Leblanc Symphonie as my first professional/wood clarinet this week. My teacher wanted to check them out and see how they play. Him and I both love it. It's a very excellent clarinet with just the right amount of resistance and the keys feel great. The cocobollo barrel and bell are a little bright, but still a good tone and nothing that faster air can't fix. There's the grenadilla barrel there if you don't like it or want the different sound and style the clarinet offers. I think that people are just scared to try it, it looks very different, but it's still beautiful, try something other than a Buffet R13!
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2007-12-15 16:47
Try before buy. There are some fine clarinets out there among all makes and models . The difficulty is finding them. It is largely many trials unless one can get others to do the job or visit the factories for yourself and try the ones on hand. Another approach is to find a good one and take it to a skillful technician for upgrading to artist quality.
richard smith
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Author: SVClarinet09
Date: 2007-12-18 00:09
Ah. I wish I had not bought the clarinet I have because I tried a YCL650 and a CSG at the NCMEA Convention and I must say, the 650 amazed me. For $1500, it was great. And the CSG for around $2200(I think) oh man, the tone was great, intonation, keywork. It was amazing. The tone was just more focused than the Buffets I tried and the throat tones weren't airy. They were also set up better. But nothing compared to the Signature I tried. But then again, nothing compares to that price tag, ha.
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2007-12-21 04:36
Check out The Atonement concert at Winter Namm, I will be performing on my Leblanc symphony. It's a great clarinet, much better than my Morrie tweaked Sevs. I just spent my first sessions recording our debut CD, so I had a chance to play them for about 5 hrs or so in a non stop blow fest, much like my old army rehearsals. The leblanc symphony is a joy to have in your face for that amount of time. I look for a very flexible sound in a clarinet I can use the same mouthpiece reed combo to play classical music or klezmer (which I do alot in my shows). I just got a cadenza and it plays great. tunes great, I prefer the sound of the symphony, it's just a little more "complex"
Tom Puwalski,Leblanc performing artist, former soloist with the US Army Field Band, Clarinetist with The Atonement, and Author of "The Clarinetist's Guide to Klezmer"and most recently by the order of the wizard of Oz, for supreme intelligence, a Masters in Clarinet performance
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