 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dan
Date: 2002-07-27 20:01
I would like to hear some comments from those who either own or have played the 1176 LL in the past. Your personal perspectives and opinions would be greatly appreciated. (Couldn't find anything at all in the archive search.) Thanks. Dan
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Author: John Gibson
Date: 2002-07-27 21:36
Dan..
I owned an 1176 for about a year. A "vintage" model from 1976.
I now regret having sold it.
Reason I sold it....I thought its sound was too close to my R-13, and I was looking for a second horn that was different in tone and texture, etc. Ended up with a metal SILVER KING which is fantastic.
As for the LL. It was a bit stuffier than my R-13. The keywork felt different than the R-13. A little bit "cramped". I probably could have had my repair tech do a bit of "bending" and adjusting to eliminate the closeness. I did and still do love the look and feel of the Leblanc "patented" in line trill keys. Just looks substantial, and so much different than the typical "sculpted" Buffet style. Intonation was superb. It was even through all registers. Tone was good, but I like the Buffet better.
Wood on mine was very good. Very tight grain. Almost like plastic it was so tight. On my Buffet which is a 1967 R-13, the wood is grainy. May be due to age, I don't know. Perhaps due to where the grenadilla came from, age of tree, etc.
At any rate Dan, the bottom line is the Leblanc 1176 LL is a good clarinet. However I don't think I'd pay more than $500 for a used one. Best to you....
John Gibson
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-07-28 13:53
I and my son/grandson have a number of older LeBlancs, most [the LL included] are cylindrical [as diff. from poly-cyl/conical] bores which may not have the precise tuning of the 12ths [clarion vs chalemeau] which is now available from the major makers. [A long way of saying that cls have been improved in the past 30-40 years??]. Some "lipping" may be required to "tune-up" the earlier cls! Experience is the teacher!! Luck, Don
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Author: Jim S.
Date: 2002-07-28 16:47
The LL1176 was top of the line when it was introduced in the early 1960's. It is still being produced according to their web site, while many of the other medium bore (.583") models have diseappeared along the way. So it must have something to recommend it. I prefer the R-13, but I lust for that totally legit sound, while the larger bores are for a broader jazz sound. This clarinet is in between.
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Author: Jim S.
Date: 2002-07-28 16:55
Re Don's remarks: The proper mouthpiece-reed combination, practice, and a good ear can easily take care of the slight intonation difficulties, as the jazz players of the 40's and 50's showed with their clarinets. But the primary difference is the sound. Lee Gibson has been fulsome in his praise of Leblanc's later small bore instruments. I think it was beginning with the LX that Leblanc began really competing with Buffet in the small bore area.
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Author: Jim S.
Date: 2002-07-28 17:17
An L300, which was introduced in the 1980's, just sold on e-bay for $950 to an experienced ebay participant, while a 1977 R-13 (in the middle of the good years according to Kalman Opperman) went recently for around $450. So one never knows, do one?
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Author: Dan
Date: 2002-07-28 23:24
My thanks to everyone. All of the comments were quite informative and very much appreciated. Dan
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