The Concerto and Opus clarinets I think were the best clarinets they ever made (designed by Tom Ridenour). I wish they did that back in the 1960s because they dropped the ball in respect to the tapered bore and polycylindrical bore. Selmer Paris did the tapered bore with the later CT and Series 9. Leblanc just stuck with the cylindrical bore for several more decades. Even though I love my LLs the R13s (and Leblanc Concerto/Opus) is just so much better for player feedback and flexibility.
The LL is so easy to play. My old high school teacher from the mid 60s switched to a LL plateau a few years ago when his arthritis got bad. He is in his mid 80s and brings all his instruments for me to repair.
I forgot to mention in the video I was emailing with a clarinet teacher for years. He loved the Symphonie / Classic line and got those as starter instruments for his students. I was finally able to get him to try an LL and he absolutely loved it by comparison and jumped up to the LL as his primary instrument. My first clarinet was a Normandy 4 I bought from Herbert Couf (of Couf saxes) from his Royal Oak store. Then a Noblet 45, then fiddled with all the early Leblancs. They're so easy to work on too.
Thank you for your video. It is so hard to get information on older leblanc clarinets. I have a nice old LL full Boehm bflat clarinet from 1966. ( It is even harder to get information on full Boehm clarinets! ;-)) So it is a real dinosaur with cylindrical bore, articulated g#/c#, low E flat etc. It's one issue it has for me is the all fingers on B flat is very sharp. (It is also quite a heavy instrument with a lot of extra wood but I live with that) I find it ironic that Buffet is releasing clarinets with these features (except articulated g#/C#) and promoting them as some amazing new developments in clarinet design. I look for your thoughts on those instruments one day.
Full Boehm clarinets were mostly seen in pit orchestras back in the day. They were helpful for transposing an A part or other parts. But college professors taught Standard Boehms. So that is what people bought. I stopped refurb/selling Enhanced or Full Boehms a long time ago as they would just sit and there is such a small market for them. . I checked Buffet's website quickly. I see the alt Eb LH pinky key and an add'l RH pinky speaker key but not all the other FB stuff. But I'll take a deeper look. I still have my LL Bb/A set but will be selling it sooner or later. 1963 Bb and 1967 A if I recall. Have too many clarinets and I don't play them much at all anymore. Leblanc really dropped the ball after tapered bores of Buffet and Selmer in the 1950s.
Back in my high school years (mid-90's) I had both a 1983 Buffet R-13 and an even older Leblanc "LL" A clarinet. I noticed many of the differences you cited, particularly how the LL keys were laid out compared to my Buffet. It was certainly helpful considering that the Leblanc was my A clarinet and the rod placements and key designs helped to make it easier to transition between the two. The Leblanc was an easy instrument to play, but I probably didn't appreciate it that well. Today, I have a Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet after over 20 years of not having played the clarinet.
How do you like your Ridenour? I haven't played any of his own brand. I'm a big fan of when he designed the Leblanc Concerto/Opus clarinets. Those are one of my favorite models. I don't play my LL set anymore. I've learned to play and respond to the conical - polycylindrical bore after I really loved the response and ease of playing of a Buffet Master Bore clarinet (preceeded the R13 bore); that got me hooked away from cylindrical bore.
Thank you so much for this video I have had an LL Leblanc bass clarinet to bottom see since the 1960s It’s a terrific instrument I also own a C Clarinet of the make and model - thank you for sharing I do like your videos - it’s nice to come across someone was great enthusiasm like yourself - may God bless you and yours - Bill - UK
This is so cool… I have never delved into this, but am interested in learning more about my clarinet. I believe what I have is an LL. Serial number 26356. My dad hunted it down for me when I was in high school, and it’s been my favorite clarinet to play ever since. From my understanding it’s from the 50s? Lol I don’t really know very much about it.
If you send pictures of it to gottalovetheknowledge@gmail.com then I can take a look at it and help you confirm it's an LL. The LL will have two backfaced L's that look like a hat above the emblem on the upper joint.
I started on the Normandy 4 back in 1978, Then a Noblet 45 then the LL. Had those forever. Such great keywork and a very nice clarinet. I still have my set of LL Bb/A.
Buffet really revolutionized clarinet design back in the 1950s. The 1960s adjustments (I have a video coming up about the register vent locations) really made it the tone to have. It also helped the marketing and getting many university professors to use the R13, teaching it as the primary tool to use for decades to come.
Great video. I have about 30 clarinets. From 1923 French stencil that I rebuilt, To my 1960s wood body Normandy. Fun stuff. I keep going back to my Leblanc Infinité. I purchased it new back in 1995. I regret now that I asked for one without silver plating. (Price wasn’t really that much of a concern but since I tend to ruin silver quickly) I was told that the Infinité, with nickel keys is the same instrument as the opus and concerto. Would you agree with that? I also have 2 consecutive serial numbered 1966 series 9‘s in A and Bb which I’m likely to sell. They have articulated C# & alt. Eb LH levers. Happy to send you photos if you know someone interested in the Selmer’s. Just not sure what to do with them. I’m 71 and just play for my piano playing wife & myself. Thanks for your videos and effort! It’s appreciated!
You might want to email Tom Ridenour directly for a concrete answer, but from what I recall the Infinite is a clone of the Buffet R13, just a better tweaked intonation version. The Concerto and Opus are identical to themselves (sans some wood density). But the bore is designed for a more even scale and very consistent resistance. The Sonata is apparently the same as the Concerto/Opus.
Forgot ... the Serie 9's are great clarinets. Students nowadays tend to get only standard boehm. So all the enhanced/full keywork tends to be harder to sell. Selling instruments during Covid too has hit prices. I found another Buffet clarinet (full Albert with rollers) in a cabinet. I've sold a lot of mine but still have too many. :)
@@gottalovetheknowledge4749 I know... I need to sell some too. Just not sure where or how. It's just that they're so cool! I'm familiar with Tom and have seem most of his vids. Thanks for the suggestion, I just sent him a request for that information. If you like, I'll share his (or his sons) response. - Rex
Sure post the info you get from him here and I'll put it in one of the videos or a new one for all to know. :) I used to sell instruments on my website - mostly refurbished. I found it was far easier to sell 1975 and newer Buffet only clarinets than anything else. So when I start doing that again, I'll be strictly Buffet as I was before. I used to have Each generation model Selmer Paris from the late 1800s up to thru the Series 9/9*. And most of the Leblancs, and All of the Buffet models from late 1800s thru about 30 yrs ago. I can't play that many so sold most off. You learn a lot though of the evolution.
The Concerto and Opus clarinets were the pinnacle of Leblanc IMHO and in my top 5 favorite vintage(ish) clarinets. If you can get one they are fabulous clarinets from tonal fluidity, keywork smoothness, more expansive ease of dynamics, etc. Though if you are looking for that very specific R13 tonal quality and tonal color then the Concerto /Opus is lacking a bit. But I mention the Concerto /Opus in other videos as my favorite Leblancs. They are more like the RC in a way though. I normally play a Buffet RC Prestige over my R13s. The RCs (like the Concerto /Opus) have (all else equal) more ease of playing dynamics from the design, but lack the tighter core tonal qualities of the R13 but by design.
@@gottalovetheknowledge4749 There are also a bunch of rumors regarding the difference between the opus and concerto, seems like the extra price tag was largely attributed to the keywork.
I'm sure Tom Ridenour could clear that up for you. I've been meaning to contact him but priorities and time get in the way. His website is rclarinetproducts.com and he's on RU-vid too.
I've been meaning to do a video of Leblanc mish-mash of various clarinet bores in the 90s which seemed like them throwing everything against the wall hoping something would stick. They seemed to have lacked a powerful marketing/sales department through the years.
Hi, I have an LL , B. The A has no logo on it and therfore I don’t what modell it is. It says only Leblanc nothing more.. do you know what it can be. I also recently bought directly from Tom the Noblissima modell. It a gorgious clarinet realy and so even and a sound that carries way out in a big hall. Wood or not , doesn’t matter Thanks Joachim
I did not. I just noticed the email address in my reply yesterday was incorrect somehow (someone else's email address). my email is gottalovetheknowledge@gmail.com
I have a leblanc Opus II and it has no serial number.. it's in mint condition, certainly doesnt have a removed SN.. just doesn't have one. Can anyone explain this
Many times an individual or a tech will polish the body to make it look new. I've in the past have wiped out a few Serial Numbers from machine buffing / polishing until I realized why they disappeared. So it's easily explained especially by machine buffing. Otherwise I probably would ask Tom Ridenour as he was the designer of the Concerto/Opus clarinets.
The Normandy 4 is a student clarinet with smaller toneholes for small hands (Normandy was the student line; Noblet the Intermediate; and Leblanc the Professional line). My first clarinet in 1978 was a Normandy 4 which I still have. The LL is designed differently (I have a Bb/A set). But, for instance, let's say your embouchure pinches and your tone is muted (compared to a professional). Then your tone may not be 100% and you may not hear a tonal difference. Of course there's more differences but the LL itself is a much better clarinet than the Normandy. I have both and the LL is one of the best cylindrical clarinets from a past generation generally available in the used market In My Opinion.
