 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mmatisoff
Date: 2016-04-05 03:07
I looked up the serial number on my Opus (67020), in the hope of finding when it was made. The only thing I found was a site that listed it as a Noblet. Yet, the barrel, joints, and bell all have the Opus logo. Is there another way to find out when it was manufactured? Thx
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Author: ClaV
Date: 2016-04-05 03:53
Here what is the common knowledge about Leblanc numbers: http://drrick.com/leblanc.html
You can extrapolate for 67XXX to very early 1990-ies, 1990 or 1991, which is in reasonable agreement with the Opus production timeline.
My son plays Opus 69xxx with few extra keys - gorgeous sound!
I just play few notes and for me Noblet Artist is a perfect match (poly-cylindrical Opus is harder to blow right ).
Compared to Yamaha 20, I can only imagine what joy of play you experience!
Thank your wife for this love as well )
Post Edited (2016-04-05 03:55)
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Author: Luuk ★2017
Date: 2016-04-06 18:44
59797 here. Picked personally in the plant in La Couture-Boussey, France, around 1994. Need to look that up, but cannot be much earlier. Maybe 1993.
77080 is with my wife. Bought new, directly from the importer in The Netherlands, around 1998. Have to check that, also.
According to Tom Ridenours website, he started working for LeBlanc in 1989. That makes 1990 really very early for an Opus.
Regards,
Luuk
Philips Symphonic Band
The Netherlands
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Author: Luuk ★2017
Date: 2016-04-06 18:51
Found it: I picked the 59797 in October 1995, in the factory.
Regards,
Luuk
Philips Symphonic Band
The Netherlands
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2016-04-06 22:35
Thanks, Luuk. That's the lowest Opus serial I have seen so far. It could be an early batch that was made well before 1995. In fact, interpolation using the known "official" list of serials and some later numbers where I know the date of purchase, indicates it was made in 1987!
I have an even more strange case with an L300 A clarinet that has serial 21XXX. The serial indicates a production year in the mid 60s, but the L300 was introduced in 1982! That's mysterious... They might have reused old bodies but it is my impression that the serial numbers were stamped very late in the process. Some bodies from the factory circulate on Ebay and all I have seen with serial numbers have had tone holes.
The "Ridenour" line of instruments seems to have been introduced to the market in 1991 or 1992.
Here are some headlines from the "Music Trader" magazine:
January 1, 1991: "U.S./French collaboration at Leblanc yields new pro clarinets; since acquiring French firm, Pascucci probes needs of top pros."
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-9303178.html
May 1, 1991: "Leblanc breaks new ground with trans-Atlantic clarinets. (G. Leblanc Corp.) "
https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-10706434.html
Dec 1, 1992: "Leblanc honored for two new instruments. (Leblanc Corp.; Leblanc Opus 1190S Bb clarinet; Holton Ultra Farkas H109 double French horn)"
https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-13807039.html
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2016-04-07 02:57
Leblanc had so many different serial number systems that even they couldn't figure them out.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2016-04-07 15:44
Steven Ocone wrote:
> Leblanc had so many different serial number systems that even
> they couldn't figure them out.
>
AFAIK, for soprano clarinets from the 80s and on, there were only three:
1. French professional instruments (running number)
2. French student instruments (letter plus + 5 digit running number)
3. US [student] instruments (letter plus + 5 digit running number)
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