I don't normally do this, but a little while back someone here was looking for a B/C box... that, and the auction will probably end for little more than the price of a new Weltmeister.
(I should add this isn't my own auction and I don't know the seller)
Well, since there's a reserve, it's hard to say at what price this auction could end at. But, this box seems very well suited for Irish music since it's MM dry-tuned. It's probably very light and has a clear, focused sound. A lot of the Castagnaris are overkill (lots of reeds and switches) for fast dance music, but this would definitely serve someone well.
old ebayer here (feedback=113)
I looked at this one also and asked the seller the bass setup. He replied that he had no idea.
Often sellers will tell you the reserve price on the items if you ask.
"Studio" Castagnari accordions are in an average quality, made for beginners, at a lower factory price than the others models (check on their site : www.castagnari.it. they have an english version) : reeds not handmade, but what they call "super dural".
But still it's a good box, with a nice sound. And the kexboard is definitely stepped on that model.
Quick question: I play a Hohner with a flat fingerboard. Can anyone tell me the advantages or disadvantages to having a stepped fingerboard? Thanks in advance...
csharpd's right - a mate of mine plays a stepped board Castignari, and it doesn't stop him!
The Castignaris have a distinct sound, which may or may not be to your taste. Personally I like it, but prefer my Mengascini.
One thing to note is that these boxes are SMALL - I borrowed one in a session on the Isle Of Man, and the lady who leant it to me wouldn't stop laughing and telling everybody it looked like I was playing a handbag (I'm six foot three, so it didn't look so much small as minute). That might not bother you, or it might; I don't know. At least it makes them easy to carry to sessions.
Certainly every Castiganri I have seen has been beautifully finished and I've never heard any complaints from people who have bought them. Personally I found that I ran out of air on them really quickly, so was constantly on the air valve, but that's more likely to be my poor technique and lack of experience on these little boxes than any fault in the instrument itself.
Devinomatic - what box did you end up with? And have you got over your sore wrist problem yet? You wouldn't have had that problem with the Casti since it's so small. My Mengascini is light, but it's about half as big again as one of these, which I feel is the right 'size' for me. I didn't like the bigger pearloid boxes because they felt too 'clunky' to me.
I am told that the concern about stepped keyboards is somewhat overblown. I have a stepped keyboard and actually find that you have a better sens of where you are at if that makes sense.
A freind told me that the flat keyboard is popular because historically some players-obviously none of those here may not have the technique and find the flat keyboard easier.
Castagnari
Castagnari
I don't normally do this, but a little while back someone here was looking for a B/C box... that, and the auction will probably end for little more than the price of a new Weltmeister.
(I should add this isn't my own auction and I don't know the seller)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Castagnari-Studio-Button-Accordion_W0QQitemZ150113642939
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by gravelwalks
Re: Castagnari
Well, since there's a reserve, it's hard to say at what price this auction could end at. But, this box seems very well suited for Irish music since it's MM dry-tuned. It's probably very light and has a clear, focused sound. A lot of the Castagnaris are overkill (lots of reeds and switches) for fast dance music, but this would definitely serve someone well.
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by mcdevincabe
Re: Castagnari
old ebayer here (feedback=113)
I looked at this one also and asked the seller the bass setup. He replied that he had no idea.
Often sellers will tell you the reserve price on the items if you ask.
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by Chellam
Re: Castagnari
I was looking at the same box!
Quick word of note, this one's got a stepped keyboard.
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by devinomatic
Re: Castagnari
"Studio" Castagnari accordions are in an average quality, made for beginners, at a lower factory price than the others models (check on their site : www.castagnari.it. they have an english version) : reeds not handmade, but what they call "super dural".
But still it's a good box, with a nice sound. And the kexboard is definitely stepped on that model.
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Castagnari
Quick question: I play a Hohner with a flat fingerboard. Can anyone tell me the advantages or disadvantages to having a stepped fingerboard? Thanks in advance...
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by buttons 'n' whistles
Re: Castagnari
With a stepped keyboard you cant do rolls
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by dinn2
Re: Castagnari
dinn2: "With a stepped keyboard you cant do rolls."
Not true. I play a Castagnari Tommy, C#/D, with a stepped keyboard. I don't have any problem playing rolls.
What you can't do on a stepped keyboard is slide from the outside row to the inside row. But I've never perceived a need to do that.
The stepped keyboard doesn't seem to have impeded Sharon Shannon, whose playing popularized the Castagnari Tommy.
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by boxist
Re: Castagnari
csharpd's right - a mate of mine plays a stepped board Castignari, and it doesn't stop him!
The Castignaris have a distinct sound, which may or may not be to your taste. Personally I like it, but prefer my Mengascini.
One thing to note is that these boxes are SMALL - I borrowed one in a session on the Isle Of Man, and the lady who leant it to me wouldn't stop laughing and telling everybody it looked like I was playing a handbag (I'm six foot three, so it didn't look so much small as minute). That might not bother you, or it might; I don't know. At least it makes them easy to carry to sessions.
Certainly every Castiganri I have seen has been beautifully finished and I've never heard any complaints from people who have bought them. Personally I found that I ran out of air on them really quickly, so was constantly on the air valve, but that's more likely to be my poor technique and lack of experience on these little boxes than any fault in the instrument itself.
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by bc_box_player
Re: Castagnari
Devinomatic - what box did you end up with? And have you got over your sore wrist problem yet? You wouldn't have had that problem with the Casti since it's so small. My Mengascini is light, but it's about half as big again as one of these, which I feel is the right 'size' for me. I didn't like the bigger pearloid boxes because they felt too 'clunky' to me.
# Posted on April 22nd 2007 by bc_box_player
Re: Castagnari
I am told that the concern about stepped keyboards is somewhat overblown. I have a stepped keyboard and actually find that you have a better sens of where you are at if that makes sense.
A freind told me that the flat keyboard is popular because historically some players-obviously none of those here
may not have the technique and find the flat keyboard easier.
# Posted on April 23rd 2007 by zippydw