Leblanc 700 Series Saxophones - A Review

Leblanc, a name with a rich history in the woodwind manufacturing world, recently launched a new range of professional quality saxophones. Formerly under the name of Conn-Selmer, this 700 series ‘Premiere’ range has been re-imagined and now bears the renowned Leblanc name. The company has gone to great lengths to deliver a carefully crafted instrument boasting a host of professional features, all at a very affordable price point.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why these new 700 series Leblanc saxophones are a serious competitor and worthy of consideration if you are in the market for a new horn…

The Look

On a purely aesthetic level, these saxophones look great. The 700 series come in two finishes across all sizes of sax (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone) - Aged Brass or Dark Lacquer. The Aged Brass model is manufactured from a proprietary bronze alloy to make it strong and durable, and is treated with chemicals and heat to accelerate the ageing process, resulting in a fantastic vintage look. The beautiful engraving on the bell is done after this process so that the underlying bronze can shine through. This saxophone is unlacquered, allowing the metal to resonate a little more to produce a free-blowing and responsive sound.

The Dark Lacquer version, exactly the same model as the Aged Brass, is engraved before adding a beautiful dark lacquered finishing to give it a more refined look and has white pearls on the key touches in contrast to the black pearl touches on the Aged Brass model.

The Tech Specs 

Leblanc has put much thought into the build quality of these instruments and have included several features that you would expect to see on saxophones in a much higher price bracket. We asked our woodwind technician to point out some of the features that make a real difference to the stability, strength and playability of these saxophones:

Ribbed Body Construction

On some saxes, the pillars that hold the keys on the instrument are individually soldered directly on to the body. On these new Leblancs however, the pillars have been soldered on to a plate, also known as a rib or strap. The plate is then soldered on to the body. This not only gives each pillar a lot more strength and stability, but the plate also adds weight to the body of the instrument, often a feature of higher end saxophones.

Pisoni Pro pads

Leblanc has chosen to use Pisoni Pro pads in these saxophones. These pads are firmer and flatter because the felt inside is more dense, meaning they are less forgiving in terms of how well the pad seats on the tone hole to create an airtight seal. However, Leblanc boast a manufacturing process known as a ‘multi-step tone hole levelling process’ to ensure that the tone hole is absolutely level indicating their awareness that, to be able to use pads of this quality, their manufacturing processes need to match the quality of the parts they use.

Rods and Screws

The regulation screws for G# and long Bb have a rubber domed bumper. This is cushioning, quiet and stable. Key rod protection guards have been added – another nice feature adding an element of protection against the rods getting knocked and damaged.

F# regulation strengthening arm

Important when moving between F-F# and F#-G#, this strengthening arm provides an extra level of defence against things slipping out of regulation which Leblanc have included on both the alto and tenor saxophones in this range. It is a feature seen on many high-end instruments, crucially showing Leblanc’s awareness of the impact that this area of regulation has for the overall performance on a saxophone.

Brilhart Ebolin Mouthpieces

The new Leblanc 700 series saxophones are now supplied with Brilhart ‘Carlsbad’ Ebolin mouthpieces as standard.

The distinctive features of these legendary mouthpieces have been faithfully preserved – the white bite plate integrated into the black ebonite, the Brilhart logo stamped at a slant across the barrel, the model stamped on the shank and the serial number printed on the right of the table. Each mouthpiece is carefully moulded and machined and undergoes a meticulous hand-finishing process to ensure the highest possible quality. The mouthpiece comes well packaged and protected in a box with the original Brilhart trademark design from 1942, and on the sides of the box are stickers with the facing number on one side and the serial number of the mouthpiece on the other. Inside the box is a card with the serial number, finishers signature and the play tester’s signature on it, adding a personal touch that attests to the quality of the mouthpiece.

Significantly, the original moulds from Brilhart’s Elkhart production in the 1950s are being used to manufacture the mouthpieces - an opportunity to acquire a genuine piece of musical history, following in the footsteps of legendary artists who played on these mouthpieces during their careers, including amongst others Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges and Lester Young.

And Finally…

Leblanc 700 series saxophones come complete with everything you need to take care of your instrument. They are supplied in a premium case with back-pack straps that can be tucked away so that you can choose to carry the case either on your back or in your hand. There is an outside pocket big enough to carry sheet music and inside the case, a neck strap, polishing cloth and cork grease.

So, if you are in the market for a new saxophone, we think that Leblanc’s 700 Premiere range are worthy of serious consideration, offering decent competition against other well-known premium brands, and with a very favourable price tag.