Am a beginner at playing the accordian and have a Hohner black dot at the moment. I would like to move on to a more advanced model and was thinking of the Castagnari Dinn 111 Would welcome any information that anyone could give me on this model. I haven't heard it being played and I am wondering what the sound is like. Is it a good model to play ?
Mate of mine plays a Cast and it has a nice crisp sound but my own preference is for the Saltarelle as played by yer man Jackie Daly and many others. Especially popular with young box players.
Nephew of mine and his mate travelled to Italy and had them personally spec'ed and made over a weekend. The whole lot including flights, B&B, drink, grub etc., still worked out less than Irish high street prices!!
The Dinn III is a good box, I owned one before I got a Gaillard. Very responsive. My preference over the Saltarelle which was also one of my instruments for a number of years. Question of taste I guess. Also excellent resale value if you opt for something else down the road.
I reccomend you get a high-end Irish Dancemaster. The name may sound dubious, but if you are after a small box with a sweet tone, get a Dancemaster. I have one, and I can guarantee you that it has a wonderful sound and playability to it. Billy and Sean McComiskey would agree, as they have both played it, so there you go.
the castagnari is vastly more responsive, easy & fast to play than the saltarelle. the dinn 3 has hand-finished (tipo-a-mano) reeds as compared to the saltarelle's factory-grade reeds, which may account for some of the difference. saltarelles are notorious for stiff action and take a lot of brawn to play to speed. they do break in over time, but they are never as easy to play as the castagnaris. and the castagnari has a beautiful voice.
but having said all that, even three-voice castagnaris like the dinn3 are hard to hear in a loud session. the saltarelle has a far more powerful set of lungs, and its voice personality has a growl and bark to it that i prefer to that of the "prettier" casti.
i think a castagnari is fantastic for learning to play at session speed and will increase your box chops faster than the stiffer saltarelle. but once you're there, it's then easier to manage the saltarelle. bottom line, even a saltarelle two-voice bouebe is way louder than a three-reed dinn 3.....
A friend of mine who has owned Dinn IIs and Dinn IIIs says that the III doesn't have the punch of the II. One of my favourite box players, Noel Scott, is a Dinn II man.
When I went from my Hohner to a Castignari, I had to get used to the closer button spacing but I now find it faster and easier to play. My only complaint, other than the delayed delivery (It was due in November and came in March), is that some of the high notes seem to go off pitch.
Could Breandan give me with details (address etc) of his nephew's purchase in Italy at cheaper than high street prices. I have a quote for Euro2300 for a Castagnari Dinn 111.
Info on Castagnari accordians ?
Info on Castagnari accordians ?
Am a beginner at playing the accordian and have a Hohner black dot at the moment. I would like to move on to a more advanced model and was thinking of the Castagnari Dinn 111 Would welcome any information that anyone could give me on this model. I haven't heard it being played and I am wondering what the sound is like. Is it a good model to play ?
# Posted on July 29th 2006 by dunoll
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
Mate of mine plays a Cast and it has a nice crisp sound but my own preference is for the Saltarelle as played by yer man Jackie Daly and many others. Especially popular with young box players.
Nephew of mine and his mate travelled to Italy and had them personally spec'ed and made over a weekend. The whole lot including flights, B&B, drink, grub etc., still worked out less than Irish high street prices!!
# Posted on July 29th 2006 by breandan
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
some Castagnari boxes on eBay at the moment. e.g. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Castagnari-Tommy-D-G-Melodeon-Button-Accordion_W0QQitemZ300012087421QQihZ020QQcategoryZ16218QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
# Posted on July 29th 2006 by breandan
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
The Dinn III is a good box, I owned one before I got a Gaillard. Very responsive. My preference over the Saltarelle which was also one of my instruments for a number of years. Question of taste I guess. Also excellent resale value if you opt for something else down the road.
# Posted on July 30th 2006 by pennhorse
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
I reccomend you get a high-end Irish Dancemaster. The name may sound dubious, but if you are after a small box with a sweet tone, get a Dancemaster. I have one, and I can guarantee you that it has a wonderful sound and playability to it. Billy and Sean McComiskey would agree, as they have both played it, so there you go.
# Posted on July 30th 2006 by Zazzaliss
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
the castagnari is vastly more responsive, easy & fast to play than the saltarelle. the dinn 3 has hand-finished (tipo-a-mano) reeds as compared to the saltarelle's factory-grade reeds, which may account for some of the difference. saltarelles are notorious for stiff action and take a lot of brawn to play to speed. they do break in over time, but they are never as easy to play as the castagnaris. and the castagnari has a beautiful voice.
but having said all that, even three-voice castagnaris like the dinn3 are hard to hear in a loud session. the saltarelle has a far more powerful set of lungs, and its voice personality has a growl and bark to it that i prefer to that of the "prettier" casti.
i think a castagnari is fantastic for learning to play at session speed and will increase your box chops faster than the stiffer saltarelle. but once you're there, it's then easier to manage the saltarelle. bottom line, even a saltarelle two-voice bouebe is way louder than a three-reed dinn 3.....
# Posted on July 31st 2006 by ceemonster
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
So.... louder is best!! There you go - straight from the box players mouth!!!!
# Posted on July 31st 2006 by the wounded hussar
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
A friend of mine who has owned Dinn IIs and Dinn IIIs says that the III doesn't have the punch of the II. One of my favourite box players, Noel Scott, is a Dinn II man.
# Posted on July 31st 2006 by Jeeves Tones
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
When I went from my Hohner to a Castignari, I had to get used to the closer button spacing but I now find it faster and easier to play. My only complaint, other than the delayed delivery (It was due in November and came in March), is that some of the high notes seem to go off pitch.
# Posted on July 31st 2006 by BurtDaBard
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
Castagnari accordeons are one the few things that makes me proud of being born in Italy.
# Posted on August 1st 2006 by gian marco
Re: Info on Castagnari accordians ?
Could Breandan give me with details (address etc) of his nephew's purchase in Italy at cheaper than high street prices. I have a quote for Euro2300 for a Castagnari Dinn 111.
# Posted on October 10th 2007 by Pat Duff