The 'Official' ClarinetPages Vito Reso-Tone thread.

[KSCop]

This thread makes me want to dig through my Vito's.

I think I have a reso-tone, a reso-tone 2, a reso-tone 3, as well as some big lyre 'Kenosha WI' ones

[Airflyte]

This thread makes me want to dig through my Vito's.

I think I have a reso-tone, a reso-tone 2, a reso-tone 3, as well as some big lyre 'Kenosha WI' ones

Dig 'em out!  I think Reso-Tone 3's outnumber the 2's for some reason. Feel free to post serial numbers if you want.

[Airflyte]

The E99*** serial number doesn't even make the lists and to be from 1984 would mean a production run of over 70,000 that year.  The lists I have found show them going from E13605 to A07632 in 1984.  Another reason I think the painted big V is a late models is the addition of "Classic" on the big V. 

This is strictly conjecture on my part, but I think the logos will have a lot to do with dating the Vito's.  Here's my guess as to how it will all pan out:
Big V stamped into the clarinet (as seen on the clari-tone) will be the earliest, and not on the lists.
Oval Vito, pre 1972 to mid 1984.
Lyre Logo, mid 1984 to early 2000's
Big V painted on, early 2000's
Big L Leblanc, post Conn-Selmer purchase (2005).

I'm about 75% confident in the first 3 logos/times, the painted on ones- not so much.

This is good mechanic - a nice and simple guideline. You're most likely right about the 1984 production. I keep forgetting how long ago the 90's actually were!
As far as the very common Oval Vito logo, it's entirely possible that it was a 12 year run. This seems to be the most popular style.
Thanks for posting this, I think progress is being made.

[Windsong]

For what it's worth, the Claritone may have preceeded the Resotone in the Vito line, but the Resotone branding was alive and well as early as 1958 in the Normany line.
I have a 1959, a 1961, and had a 1962 that I gave away to a neighbor's kid.  All are branded Resotone USA.

[Airflyte]

Thanks Windsong. Yes, from Reso-Tone to Clari-Tone and then back to Reso-Tone!
I can see the advertising team having a good time with this.

[mechanic]

Thanks to the shopgoodwill folks in San Antonio, Texas, we have this picture of what I have been referring to as the Big V logo stamped in.  I've see this same style on both reso-tones and clari-tones.  The serial number on this one is 2117F .

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=36727925

[Windsong]

Thanks Windsong. Yes, from Reso-Tone to Clari-Tone and then back to Reso-Tone!
I can see the advertising team having a good time with this.

Curious, the waffling, innit?
Typically, this would be seen as a bad advertising technique, as folks are easily confused, myself included.
It does cause a person to wonder just what they were up to--if they even knew, themselves.

Nevertheless, these early instruments, made of "new" materials, should be worth more than the common, newer stock (whether branded Vito or Normandy) as they pioneered the mainstream market in the USA, and allowed modest budgets to enjoy music deemed off-limits prior. 

[Lisa]

Vito leBlanc, plastic, with harp logo, Kenosha WI, USA
PLATEAU KEYS!!!!!!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-PLATU-CLARINET-VITO-Leblanc-/222399449016?

YES!! PLATEAU!!

Lisa

[mechanic]

Thanks Windsong. Yes, from Reso-Tone to Clari-Tone and then back to Reso-Tone!
I can see the advertising team having a good time with this.

Curious, the waffling, innit?
Typically, this would be seen as a bad advertising technique, as folks are easily confused, myself included.
It does cause a person to wonder just what they were up to--if they even knew, themselves.

Nevertheless, these early instruments, made of "new" materials, should be worth more than the common, newer stock (whether branded Vito or Normandy) as they pioneered the mainstream market in the USA, and allowed modest budgets to enjoy music deemed off-limits prior.

I saw reference to a lawsuit between Leblanc and Selmer concerning the reso-tone trademark.  Found this from 1962.
http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/thetmr53&div=45

Could explain the waffling between clari-tone and reso-tone.

[Airflyte]

Well how about that? A battle of Resonite vs. Reso-Tone in 1962. Great find mechanic!

[Airflyte]

Thanks to the shopgoodwill folks in San Antonio, Texas, we have this picture of what I have been referring to as the Big V logo stamped in.  I've see this same style on both reso-tones and clari-tones.  The serial number on this one is 2117F .

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=36727925

That looks like a very early logo to me. And we have another (F) as a suffix (or postfix). So, do we say mid 1960's on these?

[Windsong]

Mechanic,
I doff my hat to you, sir!
Excellent sleuthing, there.
Fascinating, and I suspect you are spot on with your assumption.
Thanks for that.

[mechanic]

Found an interesting site to add to the confusion, and a couple that just make for a good read if you've got some time and are interested in the history of Leblanc in the U.S.

This first one offers up a timeline and a pre-72 serial number list for the Vito but I believe the start date is based on a faulty assumption.
 
https://stockinstrumentrepair.wordpress.com/normandy-reso-tone/

The assumption is that the Vito line started in 1963, after the 1962 lawsuit with Conn-Selmer, because only the Normandy reso-tone was mentioned in the suit. After Windsongs comment about advertising I looked in that direction and found an ad for the Normandy and Vito Reso-tone in the Music Educators Journal from Feb/Mar 1962.

Next link is an oral history featuring Vito Pascucci.  I haven't watched it yet, so don't know if it's any help.

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/vito-pascucci

And finally, the results from a search of Leblanc in the University of Wisconsin digital collection.  360 results, so it could take awhile to dig through them all.

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/WI/WI-idx?type=simple&submit=Search&work=WI.KLILeblancBell&rgn=Entire%20work&q1=Leblanc&amt=0&size=more

The oral history and Leblanc search probably won't be much help with generating a serial number list, but buried in there somewhere may be a start date for the Vito line and its various incarnations.

[Airflyte]

OK, the 1st link (wordpress) has me befuddled!

So now we have 2 series of Normandy Reso-Tones. The first series with no less than 5 variants!!! . . . . . . and that's before we get to the Vitos.   

[Airflyte]

The median selling price of the last 9 Reso-Tones on shopgoodwill was $32.01. Just a market update!

There was an exceptionally low priced Normandy in the group that sold for $11.99.