 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mike
Date: 2001-04-17 21:15
I have a question about the Leblanc LL. Is it a jazz instrument or a classical one? I am looking to buy a pro clarinet and I am just looking at all of the possibilities. Also, how does it fare against the R-13 in terms of quality? Is it a good instrument? Any advice is welcome.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-17 22:16
It is a high quality professional grade instrument. Leblanc's quality is the equal of Buffet and the other major makers. It basically is aimed at the classical player but does have a slightly larger bore than typical horns for this market. It is not as large as that on the Pete Fountain model, which is intended for the jazz market.
The only way to tell if it suits you is to go play test some.
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-04-18 01:25
I just recently sold a Leblanc LL clarinet in the key of A. It is an orchestral clarinet and has very good keywork. I personally prefer the Buffet key mechanisms, but I liked the Leblanc sound. The LL is an old leblanc classic instrument, but it does deliver.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-04-18 02:09
I have had only slight acquaintance with the LL, but felt that my L7 was quite superior. Some time back, I was much impressed with a Dynamic H as a jazz cl, which I believe is a Pete F. having a 15.0 mm bore [named for LeB's acoustician of the 60-70's] on doing a minor repair-check-out for a friend who didn't realize she had a "jewel" . Don
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-04-18 15:45
I just bought a new LL and am tremendously happy with it and I'm quite particular about my clarinets. In fact, too particular. The LL has a slightly larger bore than most professional model instruments (.582mm compared with .575). It gives a bit fuller and darker tone compared with the R-13 Buffet.
Although it is an older design, it has a reputation for being one of the finest professional clarinets on the market. I play both jazz and classical with it. I also own a couple of other Leblancs (including the Symphonie VII rosewood), and have found that I prefer to play the LL for most of the stuff I'm doing right now.
I would highly recommend it. I bought mine at a great discount from a dealer who had had it for a while and had to polish up the keys a bit because it had been sitting around here in "Buffet Country" for a while. I almost passed it up and would I have been sorry!!!!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-04-18 18:49
I own a LL semi-full Boehm (articulated G#/C#, forked Bb/Eb, left hand Eb/Ab key) and it's a great horn. It makes a good doubling horn for a sax player as it is very free-blowing (at least with my Ralph Morgan J7 mpc.) and is very responsive throughout the registers. It also has a quick action and comfortable feeling keywork.
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Author: Evan
Date: 2001-04-19 03:59
I have owned one for 2 years now and I have yet to play on a horn that works better for me. The tone is amazingly versatile and controlable. The keywork is so smooth and has a feeling of sturdiness that the buffets lack. I have also heard that the LL not only has a larger bore, but also a straight bore. This makes a huge difference in tone quality,making it what I believe to be a richer tone. I also own a leblanc L300 that is a truly great yet I like my LL better.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-04-20 17:20
Yes, I agree about the LL tone. It's wonderful! Dark, rich and creamy. The key action is very nice. I also agree about the sturdiness. It does seem to be more sturdy than the Buffets I've played in the past. It's a very well designed and often overlooked clarinet. Pros used these for years and should probably go back to them and give them another try. I only bought the one I have now because the dealer offered it to me at his cost. I thought I would buy it and resell it until I tried it. It's too nice to play. I'll sell something else---
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