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LeBlanc paperclip octave mechanism

Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2011-12-23 17:55

I just purchased a used LeBlanc BBb paperclip contra to low D. It is a very cool horn but I have a question about the octave mechanism.

There are two octave keys and the first one makes a good Bb but I'm not sure where to transition to the second one. Above G the first one doesn't work but it will work up to E fairly solidly. Did LeBlanc every specify when to make the transition on these paper clip models or is there sort of a gray zone where both will work, leading to easier transitions and trills?

Thanks for your opinions.

EEfer guy

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Re: LeBlanc paperclip octave mechanism

Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-12-23 21:10

If it works anything like a bass fitted with simple speaker vents (with two thumb touches), then the lower vent with the thumb touch above the thumb plate is used from throat Bb up to Eb and the upper one (with the touch off to the right of the thumb plate) is used from upper register E and upwards.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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Re: LeBlanc paperclip octave mechanism

Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-12-23 22:33

Leblanc went to a 3-vent (throat Bb/low clarion/high clarion) automatic register mechanism fairly early. If yours has two register keys for the left thumb, it's a very early example which matches with the fact that the instrument goes down to D rather than C. The age hardly matters with Leblanc metal contras, since, with very minor changes, the design did not change over the years.

You switch manual register keys between clarion Eb and E, the same as on an old bass clarinet. That's also where the automatic mechanism makes the switch.

Ken Shaw

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Re: LeBlanc paperclip octave mechanism

Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2011-12-24 00:38

Thanks guys. I had figured about there as the F was coming through fairly fuzzy.

This is #188 but the horn is in beautiful, nearly mint shape. Of course most contra parts you don't see anywhere in the staff, let alone anything above.

Eefer guy

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