 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinettefaerie
Date: 2010-07-04 16:28
I know, I know... yet another person wondering about the curious Leblanc L series... I have been searching around on here (as well as other places) about this particular vintage Leblanc. I've come across a Leblanc L27 that a friend in Michigan is selling, and I know pretty much nothing about it.
I played on an L7 last spring while my 1960's era R13 Buffet was being "repaired" (long story...), and I absolutely loved it. The keywork seemed to fit my hands so well, and the tone was colorful and lively.
But...
1. It had a Taplin-Weir ringless barrel and bell, which could have had an effect on the tone color when I played on it.
2. I was not able to actually compare it to my Buffet, since it was not in any condition to be play tested with the Leblanc.
What I've found out about the L27 is that it has a large bore, which allows for playing in higher volumes more than perhaps a Buffet (which has a smaller bore). This would be good for me, because I'm an orchestral player. Also, I've learned that it has a "reverse cone cylinder" bore. I have no idea what that means acoustically... Any thoughts on that one?
What I'm most concerned about is tone. I haven't really found any good or helpful info concerning tone with this instrument. I play on a Kaspar mouthpiece, which has made a big difference in my vintage Buffet, but I don't want to "regress" with the L27.
Tone-wise, any opinions? Could the L27 have a better (possibly darker) tone than my vintage Buffet, or would I need to seek out an appropriate barrel to make up for the tone?
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-07-05 15:10
Ken's caution is good general advice and his experience demonstrates that not all L7's have acceptable intonation, but: (1) his experience is with an L7 not an L27, (2) the instrument's intonation might well have been better with a different mouthpiece, and (3) his sample is very small. So, while I would agree that, with an instrument as old as the one you are looking at, you should give it a very rigorous tryout, I would not be concerned that poor intonation is characteristic of Leblancs in this line from this period.
As you may have found, the L27 is the third in a line that included the L7, L70, L27, L200, L300 and probably the LX and the LX2000. When these instruments were in production over the years, they were generally the top of Leblanc's professional line. The general rap on Leblanc clarinets from the time period when these were made is that their intonation was better than the R13's but their tone was a little dull compared to the R13. They don't have the R13's "ring," whatever that means.
I don't know where you got the impression that the L27 is a large bore instrument. My information is that, while the bore may be a little bigger than an R13, according to Dave Surber of Leblanc, the company still considered the instruments in this line to be small bore instruments. The LL, which is not part of this line, and the Pete Fountain were Leblanc's large bore instruments. I have an L7 (I used to have two but I sold one to a friend). Again, bearing in mind that this is not an L27 but is similar in design, the intonation is fine in both of my instruments though I agree with those who found the tone a bit dull. I would also say that it plays much more like my R13 than like my (large bore) Selmer Series 9.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: clarinettefaerie
Date: 2010-07-05 22:15
Wow, thanks for that link Ken.
I'm in the process of seeing if I may be able to play on the L27 before buying it. If that is not possible or if there isn't any trial period, I would not ever spend that much money on something that I don't even know if I'll like.
Pertaining to the link you posted, Ken, I know that uneven tuning in intervals and across registers is a possibility in a lot of clarinets, particularly vintage ones. I do love my Buffet in that aspect; the tuning is brilliantly even across all registers. That is something that I'll be sure to double and triple check for if I can play test the L27.
JNK, I came across a website that listed serial numbers for various makes of clarinets... Clarinetperfection.com is the name, I believe. With some of the brands and models, there's some explanation and history. It seems that they claim that the Leblanc L27/L7 both have a larger bore. That may not be true, I don't know. Again, play testing would reveal whether or not that's true. I do remember reading about the quite large bore in the LL model in a post on here.
It's funny that you mention that the tone can get dull in the L7/L27 compared to Buffets. When my Buffet was being, uh, repaired, like I said, I borrowed an L7 from my band director. I happened to have a rehearsal for my clarinet quartet during that time, and I wasn't entirely sure what to think of the L7. A friend in the quartet said that my tone "seemed to die." He's not exactly reliable, but it's an interesting thing to think about.
My Buffet was manufactured in 1963 (quite an antique, as my clarinet professor claims...). I purchased it from a local instrument repair technician in August of 2004, and I've been happy with it. I do know that Buffets have a smaller bore (which creates a more focused tone?). But, I know that my clarinet is much more lightweight than newer R13's (my boyfriend claims it to be anorexic...), so I have to wonder if the bore is thin as well as small. At soft volumes, my tone is very dark, but even at a mezzo-forte, my tone begins to get raucous and bright. Part of this is probably me, but I have to wonder if it could be the clarinet also.
Going back on topic to the L27, I would like to calm down my tone a bit in my Buffet, but I don't want it to sound dead on the L27 either. If I did find the tone to be too dull in the L27, could a barrel solve that problem?
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Author: CWH
Date: 2010-07-07 12:15
The bore size of a L-27 14.75 / [.5807"].
Study, Practice, Play and Enjoy.
Post Edited (2010-07-07 12:15)
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