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clarinet question

Author: carpediem
Date: 2008-04-24 22:40

Thank you for this forum. I'm a new poster and I had a question for the group. I studied clarinet for 9 years growing up and have recently resumed playing. The clarinet I am playing is a LeBlanc Normandy, and I know it to be over 40 years old (because that's how long I've had it!). I understand that the Normandy line is the student line, but I do wonder if back then its place in the hierarchy was somewhat different. It is still in great shape and plays wonderfully, and is in its original Hartman case. I've called LeBlanc to find out its age but they do not have records going back that far. Is there a LeBlanc afficionado who could tell me something about this instrument? The SN is 11136. Many thanks. I've very much enjoyed the numerous threads on this board.

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Re: clarinet question

Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-04-25 13:31

search the internet for a serial number-date chart.

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Re: clarinet question

Author: William
Date: 2008-04-25 14:21

This link should help: http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/HowOld/Leblanc.html

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Re: clarinet question

Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-04-25 14:23

Hmmm, as an associate member of the Buffet mafia, dare I query whether the lack of useful responses to date is perhaps an indication that "LeBlanc afficionado" is an empty set? [rotate]

The only serial number list I have ever seen for the Normandy model starts at 1964 (date) with serial number 24000 so it doesn't go back far enough to cover yours. FWIW, it's currently online at:

http://drrick.com/leblanc.html

That list suggests that Leblanc made around 11,000 of the Normandy model that year. I don't know the list's original source, however, and I have no way of knowing how reliable it is. In any case, given the manufacturing capabilities of the time, that seems rather high and is out of line for the numbers reported for subsequent years. On the other hand, it appears to be in the ballpark for the general age you report for yours.

Normandy was a student model back then. That's no reason why your clarinet shouldn't be a good one.

BTW, here's some interesting commentary I came across searching for "Normandy clarinet history" without the quotes. It may be more useful than the serial number list.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060701080435AAumxIi

Best regards,
jnk

[Edit: I see William found the same list, now on our site, and posted it while I was writing my message.]

Post Edited (2008-04-25 14:25)

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Re: clarinet question

Author: stevesklar
Date: 2008-04-26 15:22

here's more information about the various Normandy models, etc throughout their history

http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clsnLeblanc.htm#EmblemNormandy

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Re: clarinet question

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-04-26 15:52

> Hmmm, as an associate member of the Buffet mafia, dare I query whether
> the lack of useful responses to date is perhaps an indication that "LeBlanc
> afficionado" is an empty set? [rotate]

I think the problem is that Leblanc is sailing under many more different flags than B are. (did I tell you that my metal Selmer-Montreux Army clarinet is in effect a - horribile dictu - Leblanc stencil?)
Heck, with a monoculture it's easy to remember what weed is growing in your gardens. [tongue]

--
Ben

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