Leblanc Saxophones are back! Range Overview with Jim & Ryan

[@kevinbuck5379]

Sounds great! Love that aged brass look.

[@richardjones990]

II liked the sound of the soprano, dark and rich, beautiful sound for sure.

[@robertoiriarte6828]

It is so refreshing to hear someone play a bari in a bari review correctly and not sound like an alto player who has never played bari. Thank you! Great sounding bari! Will this be available in the USA?

[@Ratmo_beewee]

Might get one of these! Surprisingly reasonable prices

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

They should have some innovations from the past, like Systeme Rationnel and derivatives, that made Leblanc saxophones unique.

[@bebopisthetruth]

The old LeBlanc saxes, circa 1970s-80’s had some really bizarre features- you could play a C using any of the first three fingers on either hand; there was a high F# key alongside the palm keys are a few I remember, but my college sax teacher hated the sound and insisted I find a Mark 6 if I was going to be a sax major.

[@saxworldwide]

Yes, Ryan explained some of these Leblanc innovations to us when we were 'off air'!

[@edwarddesenne6153]

Technical modifications a waste of time if the sound quality is so poor !

[@AdamSaunders-b7g]

You gotta make a separate video about the necks! Yani players would love more neck bore options with the underslung octave key.

[@saxworldwide]

Feedback noted

[@hansmathiasthjomoe4817]

Is the Leblanc tenor saxophone the same as the Conn Selmer Prelude?

[@MichaelCorner-l7o]

The biggest bargain I ever got buying a new saxophone was a "LeBlanc" bari. It only said LeBlanc on the bell...elsewhere on the horn it says what it really is....a Yanagisawa! As a LeBlanc it was $2000 less for the absolutely identical instrument with the Yani label. Go figure!

[@saxworldwide]

This might be explained by the following extract on Wikipedia, explaining that "Yanagisawa Saxophones were first marketed by Leblanc in the late 1960s under the Leblanc and Vito brands, and the Martin brand after 1971, prior to their distribution under Yanagisawa's own name. In 1981 Leblanc became the exclusive marketer and distributor of the Yanagisawa products in the United States and Canada." Still surprised it should be $2000 less than a fully Yani branded sax of same era?

[@charlesswanson8664]

Taiwanese build? Not that I have a problem with the quality instruments coming out of Asia but it’s like every new sax coming out (save for the ridiculously priced premium brands) is the exact same body, construction, and bracing. They have different finishes, engraving, and branding but seem to be all birds in the same flock.

[@okayfine6342]

Yep, you see it all the time. Oh, a youtuber or a store puts out a "custom" "exclusive" horn? just another brand deal they worked out with the same factories. niche example: the modern bass sax market... the vast majority are jinbao basses that have some light finishing touches, yet they vary by thousands of $$$

[@Craig2760]

This isn’t new phenomenon. My repair tech from 30 years ago said he was contacted by a foreign manufacturer. They asked if he would be interested in them building horns with his name on them. He declined. Same thing has been going on in the bicycle industry. When I worked for Trek some of their frame models were built in the Giant factory, along with dozens of other labels.

[@saxworldwide]

Correct, it's a Taiwanese build

[@MrDude667]

Just because a horn is made in Taiwan does not mean that it’s the exact same materials, body tube, construction etc… something that’s apparent when trying different Taiwanese horns and learning about the testing and manufacturing process from different brands.

[@charlesswanson8664]

@@MrDude667 But in reality they all share some of the exact same keywork and bracing and are basically copies of well established premium brands. It’s like Strat copies: they can all be fine instruments but they forsake uniqueness in design and tend to homogenize the market. I’ll say one thing they have going for them is that they aren’t priced between $8000 and $15000. FTR in play on a couple Cannonball Vintage Reborns and I love them, but take off the branding and engraving and they look the same as just about every other Taiwanese horn.

[@stevekeller4814]

Been a fan of Ryan’s for years. I assume that these new saxophones are being distributed by Conn-Selmer? I know Ryan has been working for them for a while, and I *think* they own the Leblanc brand. My only gripe about the video is the overly edgy sound Ryan is getting on these horns. I don’t think it really helps promote them. Good sound for a rock band, maybe, but a bit much even for the smooth jazz fans. Nice looking horns though. Like to hear Jim play them!

[@saxworldwide]

You are correct in Saying they are being distributed by Conn-Selmer, who have owned the Leblanc brand since 2003. Ryan is their new director of product management. At some point down the line I'll be demoing these horns in a video, possibly a comparison one in order to give these new horns further context. Jim

[@kwolenberger5202]

The saxes sound good. Who sells the neck strap he’s using?!

[@david100r3]

BG

[@pimeye]

They look very good value (except for the bari). I will interested to know what the other KZbin sax gurus think of them.

[@pravi_81]

The only Leblanc instrument I have is a Bass clarinet I got for 500€ on Ebay

[@robertp2934]

That’s real honey dripper of a sales pitch!

[@saxophonejacqueshelmus4670]

Any leblanc curved soprano?

[@saxworldwide]

Not as yet, but watch this space.

[@coin777]

1:10 So, no 9/11 model?

[@fredfonseca6034]

Dude really... 9-11 ???? Brother that hit a nerve cuz I lost friends

[@josephstratemeier8619]

I guess Ryan no longer works for Cannonball?

[@saxworldwide]

Correct, he's the director of product management at Conn Selmer now.

[@edwarddesenne6153]

I dont feel that the player’s tone creates the full warm tone as shown by the greatest jazz saxophone soloists in the best models they prefer to this day. The early Leblanc clarinets of the 70s were made in their factory in Paris but their quality was never equalled after that factory closed down. The quality of manufacture may show improved invention but the tone in this review is thin and needs a better player to show if it can express beauty in the hands of an expert performer.

[@rhrh2025]

Never been a fan of LeBlanc.

[@j.r.1210]

Saxophone buyers don't really need more saxophone brands. Slapping a different name on essentially the same old horns adds nothing. A truly new saxophone manufacturer could be interesting, but that would mean fabricating one's own horns from scratch. It's easier just to order something from an OEM factory, and then rely on the retailer to promote it.

[@davidrennie8197]

Sounded a bit too much of an advert. Lots of punchy key phrases, repeated.

[@markomiletic6163]

Well, it's a saxophone store after all :)

[@davidrennie8197]

True:) But Jim's videos are usually more info-heavy and far less pushy: it's the Le Blanc guy who does too much selling here