Please, tell me everything I need to know before I buy a concertina. What kind of concertina fits best to ITM? Where to get (inexpensive) one? Etc. Any advice is welcome!
My ITM concertina playing husband says, that in his view, you need a 30 key concertina with C and G rows and steel reeds. You can't buy cheap concertinas that are worth playing.Good makes are Dipper, Jefferies, Lashenel and of course Wheatstone (THE BEST, apparently).
Dear Jani,
If you wish to buy a fairly good cheap 30 key Instead of the £1000 & 1,000+ models above reccomended yopu might buy a Stagi, w15 a Hohner ( the same thing, 30/60/8 )or a Boorinwood W15, or the slightly dearer W15S ( chrome plated "wrought iron " ends ) or the dearer one the W15MS ( mahogany ended one.
Thers is another 30 key budget Boorinwood model, BAP15 & £240 incl. case all viewable on page IV of the www.boorinwoodmiusic.com
From N. Ireland
Best regartds,
fz022296
personally, i'd buy a guens-wakker anglo concertina if i were just getting started. of all the new mid-range anglos i've tried, the guens-wakker comes the closest to getting a 'traditional' concertina sound out of accordian reeds. they seem solidly made, and the action is quite good.
having started on an italian-made concertina myself, i'd suggest staying away from them. they're crappy to play on & they don't hold any resale value ...
and like gzeg said, make sure to check out concertina.net before you make any decisions.
As noted above, the eternal arguments over this are endlessly detailed at www.concertina.net
To sort things into categories:
== very cheapest are from China and sometimes eastern Europe. I don't know anyone who feels these are good to learn ITM on.
== Italian boxes; includes Stagi, Gremlin, and other badge names, but all are from the Stagi factory in Italy. Subject of vehement disagreement: Many will tell you you'll learn a lot faster on a better box, but more people than you might think started on these because it was all they could afford. For true session-speed ITM, however, they are not good enough, so you would need to spend into the next group before you can do a session..
== The accordion-reeded reproductions: Morse, Norman, Geuns, Edgley, Herrington, Tedrow, Marcus. Get universally good reviews for ITM; they are fast enough. I use one of these and it beats every Lachenal I've tried, for about the same money (US $1200-1800).
== Better vintage and new: Crabb, Connor, post-war Wheatstone. Used by folks impatiently waiting for box in next category:
== Suttner, Dipper, Wheatstone (Pre-WWII or new), Jeffries. I'd die for any of these, I like em all (some folks don't).
I've probably bored everyone else silly, so go to c.net for more!
My husband had a Boorinwood to learn on. And as said, it has no resale value. Also, it's tone was not to his mind suitable for ITM. However, as an instrument to learn on at home, it was quite acceptable.
Concertinas to consider in the $1000-$2000 range are: Morse, Herrington, Guens-Wakker, Edgley, and Tedrow. All excellent, and choice seems to be an individual preference. Each maker has a website. Search on the maker's name and 'Concertina'.
If you can't afford the above, a Stagi is a good compromise between the cheap German / Italian / Chinese boxes and the above mid-range models. The Button Box seems to have good prices on Stagis.
Dippers, Suttnors, and new Jeffries are the best if you can afford the dear price.
English is chromatic, but ergonomically challenging. You can certainly live with this. Prices are a bit lower than Anglos, but are rising lately.
Anglos are not chromatic. They may give more drive to your playing, since they operate better ergonomically than an English.
Wheatstones, Lachneals, and old Jeffries range in quality from OK to outstanding. These are old instruments that may have been played to death. If they are not restored, you may have problems. Older models may not be in concert pitch, which means you will be out of tune with the other session players. The internals may be rotten with worms. Valves may be shot and reeds, if damaged, are nearly irreplaceable. If you are new to concertinas, and want to purchase one of these older instruments, it may be best to buy from a reputable dealer, like Chris Alger at Barleycorn Concertinas. You will get what you pay for.
If you buy on Ebay, best have some knowledge. Good deals can be had if you know what you are doing. You can get ripped off badly too.
My suggestion would be to buy from the makers listed in the first paragraph. You will have an excellent warrentied concertina, and are contributing to the continuation of the concertina-makers craft.
Take care, Wheatstones are still being made by a modern day craftsman. ( He lives 2 miles ffrom me). Not all are old and worm ridden.They are probably the most expensive.
Anglos ARE fully chromatic. That's what the third or upper most row of keys is for on the 30 key models.Sharps and flats.The buttons are push/pull. In other words you pull and you get one note and you push on the same button and you get a different note. English concertinas play the same note an both push and pull. Anglos sound difficult to play, but players of them say not so. Many old Lachenals etc. have been overhauled and have a delightful tone. The only way to know what to chose is to try out on trial loan.
My spouse has several different models. Bought through trial and error. Mostly error. Try out before buying would seem to be sensible to avoid this if possible.
Hi folks, I'm new to this concertina lark and as such have not invested heavily in a top of range instrument - I'm the proud owner of a dreaded Stagi bought from the Music Room in the UK.
The instrument seems fine to me as a beginner, however I'm concerned about the noises people are making about not being able to get up to session speed on the cheaper instruments.
To me the Stagi seems fine and more than capable of achieving breakneck speed - though it's tricky to tell if it's my playing or the instrument - I assume there's no simple test other than trying a more expensive model in a music shop or playing in front of a concertina tutor (not the easiest of people to find).
Dear Jani,
Having read all the comments hers & on another thread, it is rather amusing to hear some people advocating beginners to start at the top ( quality at prices beyond their ability )
Would one NOT be better to start motoring on a Meseratti or Rolls Royce etc. Why start with a Ford or a Mercedies ( excuse the spelling ).
It's not unusual to crawl, walk & then race rather than the other way round. Sure" look at me I have a Meseratti & I havent even done my driving test yet. " SO WHAT!
Get a reasonable Italian Boorinwood/ Stagi etc & see if you really need a dearer one first A £300 invest can only loss £300, ( possibly £50 ), a £1,500 / £2,000 could easily loose £500 if you cannot find a buyer quick enough
fz002296
This is a bit of an old discussion, but I have another question.
Rather than buy an expensive 30 button, I have the opportunity to buy another 20 button in different keys for under $300.
Is this a good idea as a way to buy myself off cheap? Or is it going to drive me nuts going from one to the other while trying to read sheet music and remember which button is which?
i have a 20 button Hohner D40 concertina and it works just great for me
i think for someone just learning the concertina, it's your best bet. usually costs about 150$
Any person hoping to play music well should buy the best instrument he can possibly afford. That will have the best resale value if he later decides to give up or to buy a better instrument.
A poor instrument will impede your development more than you can imagine. While a 20 button Hohner D40 concertina may seem fine to a beginner it will become obvious that it isn't very fine at all. It is crap. The sooner you realize this and get a good instrument the better your playing will become. If you don't ever realize it then your playing probably isn't ever to become very accomplished. And you may never think that if you never play with other people.
Sorry- don't mean to rain on your parade.
Irish concertina
Irish concertina
Please, tell me everything I need to know before I buy a concertina. What kind of concertina fits best to ITM? Where to get (inexpensive) one? Etc. Any advice is welcome!
# Posted on December 27th 2002 by Jani
Re: Irish concertina
Most everything you need to know before you buy a concertina can be found at
http://www.concertina.net
Good luck!
# Posted on December 27th 2002 by Gzeg
Re: Irish concertina
My ITM concertina playing husband says, that in his view, you need a 30 key concertina with C and G rows and steel reeds. You can't buy cheap concertinas that are worth playing.Good makes are Dipper, Jefferies, Lashenel and of course Wheatstone (THE BEST, apparently).
# Posted on December 27th 2002 by Susie-Lee
Re: Irish concertina
Dear Jani,
If you wish to buy a fairly good cheap 30 key Instead of the £1000 & 1,000+ models above reccomended yopu might buy a Stagi, w15 a Hohner ( the same thing, 30/60/8 )or a Boorinwood W15, or the slightly dearer W15S ( chrome plated "wrought iron " ends ) or the dearer one the W15MS ( mahogany ended one.
Thers is another 30 key budget Boorinwood model, BAP15 & £240 incl. case all viewable on page IV of the www.boorinwoodmiusic.com
From N. Ireland
Best regartds,
fz022296
# Posted on December 27th 2002 by boorinwood
Re: Irish concertina
personally, i'd buy a guens-wakker anglo concertina if i were just getting started. of all the new mid-range anglos i've tried, the guens-wakker comes the closest to getting a 'traditional' concertina sound out of accordian reeds. they seem solidly made, and the action is quite good.
their website is here: http://www.concertinaconnection.com
having started on an italian-made concertina myself, i'd suggest staying away from them. they're crappy to play on & they don't hold any resale value ...
and like gzeg said, make sure to check out concertina.net before you make any decisions.
sarah
# Posted on December 27th 2002 by eleyne
Re: Irish concertina
As noted above, the eternal arguments over this are endlessly detailed at www.concertina.net
To sort things into categories:
== very cheapest are from China and sometimes eastern Europe. I don't know anyone who feels these are good to learn ITM on.
== Italian boxes; includes Stagi, Gremlin, and other badge names, but all are from the Stagi factory in Italy. Subject of vehement disagreement: Many will tell you you'll learn a lot faster on a better box, but more people than you might think started on these because it was all they could afford. For true session-speed ITM, however, they are not good enough, so you would need to spend into the next group before you can do a session..
== The accordion-reeded reproductions: Morse, Norman, Geuns, Edgley, Herrington, Tedrow, Marcus. Get universally good reviews for ITM; they are fast enough. I use one of these and it beats every Lachenal I've tried, for about the same money (US $1200-1800).
== Better vintage and new: Crabb, Connor, post-war Wheatstone. Used by folks impatiently waiting for box in next category:
== Suttner, Dipper, Wheatstone (Pre-WWII or new), Jeffries. I'd die for any of these, I like em all (some folks don't).
I've probably bored everyone else silly, so go to c.net for more!
# Posted on December 27th 2002 by KenC
Re: Irish concertina
My husband had a Boorinwood to learn on. And as said, it has no resale value. Also, it's tone was not to his mind suitable for ITM. However, as an instrument to learn on at home, it was quite acceptable.
# Posted on December 28th 2002 by Susie-Lee
Re: Irish concertina
Concertinas to consider in the $1000-$2000 range are: Morse, Herrington, Guens-Wakker, Edgley, and Tedrow. All excellent, and choice seems to be an individual preference. Each maker has a website. Search on the maker's name and 'Concertina'.
If you can't afford the above, a Stagi is a good compromise between the cheap German / Italian / Chinese boxes and the above mid-range models. The Button Box seems to have good prices on Stagis.
Dippers, Suttnors, and new Jeffries are the best if you can afford the dear price.
English is chromatic, but ergonomically challenging. You can certainly live with this. Prices are a bit lower than Anglos, but are rising lately.
Anglos are not chromatic. They may give more drive to your playing, since they operate better ergonomically than an English.
Wheatstones, Lachneals, and old Jeffries range in quality from OK to outstanding. These are old instruments that may have been played to death. If they are not restored, you may have problems. Older models may not be in concert pitch, which means you will be out of tune with the other session players. The internals may be rotten with worms. Valves may be shot and reeds, if damaged, are nearly irreplaceable. If you are new to concertinas, and want to purchase one of these older instruments, it may be best to buy from a reputable dealer, like Chris Alger at Barleycorn Concertinas. You will get what you pay for.
If you buy on Ebay, best have some knowledge. Good deals can be had if you know what you are doing. You can get ripped off badly too.
My suggestion would be to buy from the makers listed in the first paragraph. You will have an excellent warrentied concertina, and are contributing to the continuation of the concertina-makers craft.
Harlow Pinson
hpinson@indepthl.com
# Posted on December 28th 2002 by hpinson
Re: Irish concertina
Take care, Wheatstones are still being made by a modern day craftsman. ( He lives 2 miles ffrom me). Not all are old and worm ridden.They are probably the most expensive.
Anglos ARE fully chromatic. That's what the third or upper most row of keys is for on the 30 key models.Sharps and flats.The buttons are push/pull. In other words you pull and you get one note and you push on the same button and you get a different note. English concertinas play the same note an both push and pull. Anglos sound difficult to play, but players of them say not so. Many old Lachenals etc. have been overhauled and have a delightful tone. The only way to know what to chose is to try out on trial loan.
My spouse has several different models. Bought through trial and error. Mostly error. Try out before buying would seem to be sensible to avoid this if possible.
# Posted on December 29th 2002 by Susie-Lee
Re: Irish concertina
I find chromatic scales easier on c/g 3 row anglo than english! It's only practise.
# Posted on December 30th 2002 by geoffwright
Re: Irish concertina
Hi folks, I'm new to this concertina lark and as such have not invested heavily in a top of range instrument - I'm the proud owner of a dreaded Stagi bought from the Music Room in the UK.
The instrument seems fine to me as a beginner, however I'm concerned about the noises people are making about not being able to get up to session speed on the cheaper instruments.
To me the Stagi seems fine and more than capable of achieving breakneck speed - though it's tricky to tell if it's my playing or the instrument - I assume there's no simple test other than trying a more expensive model in a music shop or playing in front of a concertina tutor (not the easiest of people to find).
# Posted on January 1st 2003 by Concertina Player
Re: Irish concertina
Dear Jani,
Having read all the comments hers & on another thread, it is rather amusing to hear some people advocating beginners to start at the top ( quality at prices beyond their ability )
Would one NOT be better to start motoring on a Meseratti or Rolls Royce etc. Why start with a Ford or a Mercedies ( excuse the spelling ).
It's not unusual to crawl, walk & then race rather than the other way round. Sure" look at me I have a Meseratti & I havent even done my driving test yet. " SO WHAT!
Get a reasonable Italian Boorinwood/ Stagi etc & see if you really need a dearer one first A £300 invest can only loss £300, ( possibly £50 ), a £1,500 / £2,000 could easily loose £500 if you cannot find a buyer quick enough
fz002296
# Posted on May 12th 2004 by boorinwood
Re: Irish concertina
This is a bit of an old discussion, but I have another question.
Rather than buy an expensive 30 button, I have the opportunity to buy another 20 button in different keys for under $300.
Is this a good idea as a way to buy myself off cheap? Or is it going to drive me nuts going from one to the other while trying to read sheet music and remember which button is which?
# Posted on July 25th 2006 by Dan 04617
Re: Irish concertina
i have a 20 button Hohner D40 concertina and it works just great for me
i think for someone just learning the concertina, it's your best bet. usually costs about 150$
# Posted on July 27th 2007 by fiddlergirl100
Re: Irish concertina
Any person hoping to play music well should buy the best instrument he can possibly afford. That will have the best resale value if he later decides to give up or to buy a better instrument.
A poor instrument will impede your development more than you can imagine. While a 20 button Hohner D40 concertina may seem fine to a beginner it will become obvious that it isn't very fine at all. It is crap. The sooner you realize this and get a good instrument the better your playing will become. If you don't ever realize it then your playing probably isn't ever to become very accomplished. And you may never think that if you never play with other people.
Sorry- don't mean to rain on your parade.
# Posted on November 11th 2007 by cocus
Re: Irish concertina
A bit like Packie Russell starting off on those German yokes that fell apart after a week, he never got anywhere with it .
But I do agree with you David. Up to a point.
# Posted on November 11th 2007 by kilfarboy