FRENCH LeBlanc-Noblet Bari Sax, orig lac, new case. New pads, keys tight, pearls sharp, with warranty! Start Price USD 1,850.00 Current Price USD 1,850.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, September 06, 2008 End Time Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Location Wichita, Kansas See more about 'FRENCH LeBlanc-Noblet Bari Sax, orig lac, new case.' Description WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY 2525 East Douglas Avenue Wichita, KS 67211 Telephone (316) 684-0291. FAX (316) 684-6858 Email wbic@wichitaband.com GOOD LeBLANC-NOBLET BARITONE SAX, MADE IN FRANCE BEFORE 1975 ORIGINAL LACQUER. Long story on this one… G.LeBlanc (France) and G. LeBlanc (USA) were two separate companies until about 15 years ago. LeBlanc-France was owned by Georges LeBlanc and his son Leon. I never knew Georges, did visit with Leon a couple of times. He died in his mid nineties, some years ago. LeBlanc-USA was owned by Vito Pascucci. Vito was assigned to the Glen Miller band during the Second World War, got to know the LeBlanc family and when he returned to the States a couple of years after the war was over, was made their USA distributor. Vito told me he considered setting up a factory in Wichita, but since he had family connections in Kenosha, Wisconsin, he started his American firm there. Five decades later, he employed more than 400 workers, producing wind instruments stamped “Vito”, “VSP”, “Martin”, “Holton” and quite a few other names. We’ve sold their instruments since 1963, have had a very good relationship with the Pascucci family and with the company. Vito was able to convince the French government to let him buy the French LeBlanc firm about 15 years back. Clarinet specialists, with a small factory in LeCouture, west of Paris about 40 miles. But Vito died several years back and both his American and French companies have now passed to Conn-Selmer division of Steinway. We like Conn-Selmer, have no complaints with them in any way. As for saxophones, well…. LeBlanc never made any in France. Vito told me all were made for them by Beaugnier, saxophone specialists with a large workshop (200 workers, at one time) in Mantes, the same town where the factories of Buffet-Crampon and H. Selmer are found, to this day. All the French “Noblet” and “LeBlanc” and “Vito” saxes sold by LeBlanc were made by Beaugnier, a firm that was eventually absorbed also by Vito. Regretfully, their saxes are no longer in production. When I started at Wichita University, there were a number of music majors who played Noblet saxes. The late Robert Austin, Texas sax virtuoso, had a good Noblet soprano and an alto: he sat right in back of me in Wichita U’s “Symphonic Wind Ensemble”. Bob used Noblets until I sold him a set of Buffet saxes, in the late 1960’s. And that just serves to point out that the Noblet saxes were marketed by LeBlanc-USA as “superior French saxophones similar to Selmers, but at two-thirds the price”. In the late fifties, Vito also imported a number of the “LeBlanc System” saxes, the ones with the “semi-rational” keywork. They were basically the same saxes as the Noblets, but with more keys than anybody ever knew what to do with them. So that’s as much as anybody needs to know about Noblet saxophones. More info is available on the internet, of course. Our Noblet baritone saxophone is stamped with number 13841 and we’re pretty certain it dates from 1965 to 1970. It still wears 75 – 80% of the original French lacquer and the nickel-plated keywork shows minimal wear, mostly to the palm keys. Key pearls are still sharp and we’ve burnished out all the dings and dents. Beaugnier always used good French brass in their saxes, so it wasn’t difficult to put the tube and end-bow back where it should be. New pads and corks on this one and it’s also got a new case and mouthpiece. If you locate a “Vito” baritone that’s stamped “made in France”, it’ll be a newer version of our saxophone. Same playing characteristics which we call “like a fifties Selmer, but with less resistance, arguably with less quality to the sound”. But definitely French, not from the Far East. Range is to low B-flat and our two-year service warranty applies, of course. Run over it with a truck and we fix it for free for two years. NO low A on it, of course. When these were made, few baritones had low A key. Need a low A? Man, everybody knows how to do it…cross yr. legs and stick the heel of your left foot in the bell. I’ve done it myself hundreds of times. Simple trick, but it works! Thought everybody knew it… Start price on this beauty is a mere $2150. Seems to us it’s quite a Best Buy…. ******************************************************************************************** Wichita Band Instrument Company is a small musical instrument emporium located in the center of the USA. We’ve been in business since 1953 and have had the same owner since 1963. Originally we were a repair shop that specialized in woodwind and sax restoration. Today we have 18 employees including eight of the finest repair technicians in the country. Virtually ALL the items we sell have been fully reconditioned in our own shop, although we do sell the occasional unrestored historical instruments each year. Due to the heavy demand for our services, we do no school repairs, and very few “walk-in” repairs. It’s sometimes possible to buy a good saxophone on Ebay for a lower price, but unless that instrument wears all new pads and corks from a reputable shop, you won’t know how it plays until you spend another five to seven hundred to have it mechanically overhauled. With a saxophone from OUR shop, you know it’s in the finest condition when it arrives at your home! Here’s what we do to all used saxes we sell: The instrument is taken apart and everything washed clean. We don’t believe use chemical dips, but do use plenty of soap and water! Dings are next burnished from body, bell, end-bow and neck. With a little effort, we can make things look “like new” again. After the body-shop work’s been completed, we swedge hinge-tubes tight again and re-fit to the sax body. Finally, pads and corks are replaced and the instrument play-tested. Most customers tell us that our saxes are then actually “mechanically better than new”. Wichita Band’s service warranty is the same as it’s been for more than thirty-five years: “ALL new and all used instruments sold by Wichita Band Instrument Company come with our 24 month service warranty. It’s in addition to any factory guarantees. For two full years, we will repair or replace, whichever in our estimation is the more advisable, pads, corks, springs or other parts required, at no charge to the customer. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance charges. Cases and plating finishes are not covered by our service warranty but are sometimes covered by factory guarantees.” Wichita Band’s service warranty does cover dents and dings to your sax. If your instrument sustains damage to the body, end bow, neck or bell, we’ll burnish out the dents and make it look “like new” again. The cost you is absolutely nothing except shipping and insurance charges. Wichita Band Instrument Company maintains a repair department capable of restoration work of the highest quality. Even though repairs are essentially “free” for the first two years, after that period has expired, we remain at your service to maintain and repair your musical equipment forever. It’s our “service after the sale” promise and has been since 1953! In the event that a customer requires service under factory guarantees or Wichita Band’s service warranty, the item must be returned to us and not directly to the manufacturer. Anything we sell can be sent to you for a short approval period without obligation. We collect NO SALES TAX, unless you’re lucky enough to live in Kansas. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance and must pre-pay back to us any freight charges on returned equipment. International shipping is available. Returned items will be refunded within 3 weeks of receiving the item. We’re happy to send any instrument “on approval” for ten days, but ask the prospective buyer to pay shipping both ways and to please reimburse us for restocking and clean-up charges (2.95%) on any returned instrument. VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER/MONEY ORDER/CHECK/WIRE TRANSFER ACCEPTED. Credit cards not accepted from some countries. We must ship to the credit card billing address with exceptions made only at our discretion. We’re happy to correspond with musicians, players, parents and enthusiasts of all types. Written appraisals are always available, but please don’t write or telephone and ask “what’s granny’s mellophone worth?” Do an Ebay search and you’ll be able to figure it out for yourself. Feel free to call or e-mail for any additional information. Wichita Band Instrument Co. 800-835-3006 order line (USA and Canada), 316-684-0291 outside the USA and Canada order line, and info line, e-mail: wbic@wichitaband.com. Place a Bid!