Question:
Leblanc versus Dolnet
Anyone else here have a Leblanc System sax?
I picked one up (an alto) way back in 1989 or so from a family friend who runs a music shop and now I love it.
When I first got it, I hated the thing. Saying they are hard to adjust to get all the leaks out is an understatement, especially when they have just been overhauled as mine had back then.
I found through trial and error and inspection the order you have to use when adjusting all the set screws to get the leaks to all go away. It now plays like a dream. I sound just like Johnny Hodges (haha, yeah right!) now with.
I used to truly believe the horn didn't make that big of a difference, but now that I own this horn and a Dolnet I know the horn makes a huge difference. It's almost impossible to play rock and roll style sounding stuff on the Leblanc. While the Dolnet has a huge powerful sound that makes me want to play acid jazz or rock and roll, the Leblanc makes me want to play classical stuff.
Apparently, only a few thousand were made, and they never really took off due to the high amount of knowledge needed to set them up properly. After working on this horn, everything else seems as simple as a VW bug in comparison. :D

Answer:
Obviously you haven't worked on the Leblanc Rationale system or a Grafton Plastic Alto or a Buffet-Powell or a ... :).
You're probably the first person I've ever heard of that has said that the Dolnet is an "acid jazz" horn. Dolnet did have a Royal Jazz model, though, but most people tend to equate the Dolnet with Buffet horns in terms of sound and use -- in other words, primarily classical.
Steve Goodson once contacted Leblanc and he's sent me an actual number of Leblanc System horns (it'll take me awhile to find it), but the number was under 2,000, if I remember correctly. I dunno if that number also includes the rare few Vito horns that were produced with this keywork design.
These horns were advertised in saxophone magazines, but they never were extremely popular. I think the keywork design coupled with left-hand bell keys probably shot it down.
I think some of the Dolnets are extremely beautiful horns and I think that the M70 could probably give the Mark VI a run for its money in terms of design.

Answer:
When I think acid jazz, I'm thinking Red Holloway not James Carter.
I've also never seen a leblanc with a ser no over 2,000. Actually, I've never seen one over 1500 or so. I always thought that Leblanc was kind of "testing the waters" with that horn, and when there wasn't enough interest they got out of the sax making biz.
The only saxes I've ever worked on have been my own, and that's a pretty limited range. I don't think I'd want to own anything more complex or difficult than my Leblanc was to me when I first got it. Oddly, it seems pretty simple to me now that I'm used to it.
I think the left hand bell keys would have been ok if it had been produced in the 40s, but by the 60s, it was too much of a throw back. My real complaint with the bell keys is that the pinky table keys put the low Bb way too far away from your hand, and required quite a stretch to reach them. The action was light enough just too far to reach for most folks, especially seeing as how Buffet and Selmer had been making BA style table keys for quite some time when the leblanc showed up.
I was surprised to see comments about the (supposedly) poor quality of the dolnet's manufacture. Mine seems quite well built, and considering I'm sure it's seen a lot of use, it's holding up very well.

Answer:
i've got several of the Leblance System horns and a Rationelle, and am quite interested in getting some of these in restored shape(planning on using Jim Schmidt's pads, etc). As this is definitely a spare time thing, and i've got some other horns queued up ahead, have no idea when any of 'em will be ready.
One of the Leblanc System horns i have is a tenor. When i got it it, i was surprised at how poorly it sounded, but am gonna hold off on final judgement until repadded, as we all know that can kill a horn.
First ran across the altos in the early 1970s, worked briefly in a music store that was one of the biggest Leblanc dealers in the U.S. Was a clarinet player, decided to play an alto sax solo for contest, borrowed a horn out of stock, turned out to be a Leblanc(!). Nice horn.
Contrary to what a lot of people think, i believe these horns were made over at least a 20 yr period, from somewhere in the 1950s to somewhere into the 1970s.
No idea about numbers, but wouldn't surprise me if it was <2000 horns. Have never seen a serial >= 2000.

Answer:
The Leblanc Rationale/Semi-Rationale was patented in the US in 1932, but the patent was filed for in 1926. The last patents for the horn were issued in 1937.
The Leblanc System horn's application was filed for in 1961. I have an early 1962 ad on my website, as well as a 1974 ad. I think the last advertisement I saw (in the Saxophone Symposium magazine) was 1981. 1970-ish does make sense: that's when they started churning out Yanagisawas as their pro model.
Generally, European horns were introduced a couple years prior to their US application date.
I've got pics of only two Rationales. The only serial number I know is 33. I've got pics of a dozen or so Systems. The lowest s/n is 7x and the highest is 12xx (the Vito Leblanc System horn is 2009a).
All indications point to under 100 Rationales being made and 1500 to 2000 System horns. (I still can't find that exact number.)
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How 'bout using Top Tones or Resoblades? That'd be kewl.

Answer:
aha, the details surface, don't they? My rationalle(pick your spelling, eh?) is 9x....would guess they woulda made it up to a round number like 100, but who knows. Tried to find out from the guy(French dealer) i got it from if Leblanc made any tenor Rationelles(another spelling? have to dig my horn outa the attic to doublecheck!), but he didn't know, and had not seen any.
Saxpics, we corresponded some on this a few yrs ago when you were just getting going, but the reason i never sent you pics was that i wuz waiting till i got it fixed up...
Well, i'm still waiting... :cry: , in the past, i'd buy a horn, then stuff it in closet, haven't yet had the spare time/priority to get 'em all fixed up, and since they're just in the closet/attic, they ain't goin' anywhere or deteriorating any more from current condition.
EVENTUALLY, maybe, possibly, i'll get going on this stuff :shock:
HOWEVER, for the most part, i'm pretty much done buying horns(well, maybe get a FEW more, but $$ are going other directions now), so fixing these babies up is ...starting... to percolate onto the list of things to do(nowhere near the top, but is at least now on the list!)

Answer:
as an example of my new found(temporary?) fiscal restraint, i passed on a tenor leblanc system horn a day or two ago on ebay that went for < $900, good buy...just didn't feel like ponying up >=$900 for another horn that'd just go into the closet, plus, as mentioned above, already have a tenor, which i'll probably never use much, as i'z kinda partial to the pre-Mark VI Selmer stuff(altho, you never know, if the leblanc tenor turns out to be a killer, in tune ax, may just make the switch)

Answer:
LeBlanc Rationale
I just purchased a LeBlanc Rationale on e-bay because it sounds like a very cool instrument. I would appreciate any advice people can give me about regulating techniques to keep it in tip-top shape. What is the sequence of key adjustments that works best? I don't yet have the instrument, so I don't know what it might need, but I anticipate it will need adjustmenting on a regular basis. How often do those of you who have one have to adjust yours?