CLARINETS DIRECT

020 8893 3172 or 07787 770071

NOBLET, BY LEBLANC, PROFESSIONAL BASS CLARINET, £1195

This is a nice condition Noblet, Paris, Bass Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This instrument is an early model Noblet Bass, which features a side trill keys design which works through shorter rods and adjusting screws, as is found on Selmer Bass clarinets, see photo 7. This, though more complex to manufacture, gives a much more precise action, with fewer problems of regulation which are inherent with the very long trill keys as found on more recent Noblet Bass clarinets. Indeed these early professional Noblet Bass clarinets do seem to respond and play extremely well.
This instrument was originally sold by ourselves some 4 years ago, and the condition is largely unaltered since that sale. The Nickel Silver plated key work shows some wear, mainly to the main finger touchpieces, the plating is about 85%. There is an old, pinned repaired crack to the upper joint which runs through the first two trill key holes, see photo 4. This is an old stable repair, and the current owner has had no problems during the period of her ownership. The screw holes for the marching band lyre fitting on the upper joint have been filled. The bell is in good condition with only minor dents, the crook has no dents but does show some plating wear. The Bass has Tan leather pads, all sealing well, the majority of which were originally fitted by Clarinets Direct some 4 years ago. The instrument has been back down to our workshop for pad replacement and regulation as necessary. There is a floor peg attachment to the base of the bell. There is a bracket attached to keep the two joints permanently fixed together; this can be an advantage with younger players in that it removes the likelihood of damage when assembling a 2 piece Bass due to the correspondence linkage. The matching serial nos. are 3417, which dates to the 1960's. The case is an Aquae Sulis in good used condition, with back pack straps as well as a handle. The m'piece is a Selmer D, again in good condition.