I'm going to buy a button box for irish music but i don't know which one to pick and i don't know where to buy. I checked ebay but i found no good.
I'm wondering about a G/C or a B/C but all i could find on ebay was GCF ones or similar, but maybe that's the same plus one extra F-row at the top.
However, i don't want to buy anything from the US because of the shipping. Can someone post a link to a store in the UK or Germany (europe..)? I don't want to spend a lot of money on my first accordion so i'm ready to pay about $150-300
Patriarch if i'm honest i'd say that your not even going to get an entry level accordion for $300. If you want a good starter then go for a Hohner blackdot. That's providing you want a B/C. They are going on e-bay at the moment for about £300. My dad got me an accordion when i was about 10 and at the time i didn't know any different but looking back it was a bad starter to learn on. It was a cheap Eastern European make with buttons that stick out so far you couldn't preform any rolls or accidentals. Any way good luck and one day you'll get a nice Castagnari or Beltuna.
A key of D melodeon would be nice. You're going to want to play in B/C or C#/D eventually, though, because if you have one of those, you've got all the notes in the chromatic scale on one box. Which system you want depends on the kind of sound you want-C#/D is more old-school box playing, much more rhythmic and melodeon-like. B/C is what most modern players play in-it's a bit smoother, more fluid, and easy to do rolls and other such ornaments on.
As for what accordion to get, I have two words for you: Irish Dancemaster. Based in Florida, Dancemaster accordions are well-made, inexpensive, and very, very nice boxes. You can get a beginner's box for about... I dunno, $500 to $650. The highest-level boxes are around $1500 (only 3/4 of what you'd pay for an entry-level Saltarelle or Castagnari!) and they have sound as good as or better than the other beginning boxes, as well as having light construction and smooth-as-silk playability. Billy McComiskey himself played mine and told me that it was a great instrument. Furthermore, Michael-the guy behind Irish Dancemaster-is incredibly friendly, patient, and informative-you can email him and he will tell you everything you will need to know. He is a delight to work with. If you tell him what kind of sound you like, he can recommend a system for you to ask for, and then put together for you an instrument in that system.
And don't bother with eBay.... I've been looking for years, and I have not once found a good Irish box for under $2000. I did, however, just get a steal on an old Hohner D melodeon for $175, so that's a possibility. However, a melodeon is not a box, and a box is much more useful than a melodeon as it allows you to play many more tunes. Also, it took three years of waiting for this meldoeon to crop up; until this, the sum total of my eBay experiences was 1) looking at Paolo Sopranis way out of my price range and 2) drooling. So yeah, forget eBay and go with Dancemaster. You will not regret it.
Oops... I did a quick fact check and found that the entry-level ones are $795. Still a lot cheaper than even a Hohner Black Dot, and much nicer and easier to play.
What would be the difference ( except the bigger name ) between a Hohner Arietta @ £289 & a Boorinwood 3002 @ £190 ?. Almost definitly made in the same factory in China
& on sale in Ireland www.boorinwoodmusic.com
You won't find much worth a Tinker's Damn for that money. Used you will end up puttinig three/four times in to make it playable. New, it will be one of those cheapy Chinese or Eastern European numbers.
Stick with the Italian factory ones-magic phrase is made in Castlefidardo. You probably can't afford the French or hand made Irish ones.
I bought Gustozzi. Reputable brand. Soprani reeds. Not particularly expensive, still had to put some money in to get the tuning where I wanted. But nice instrument. But two years ago, it would have been about 7-800 euro retail.
My friend bought one of those Giustozzi's for €900-€1000.
Much better than Hohner.If your sure you want to take up the box this is a perfect instrument. Bit dearer than Hohner but the difference in playing is unbelievable.
Oh. I notice someone mentioned IrishDancemasters. Also a nice box. I didn't mention it because it is probably way out of the price range. Reviews on them are very good. Once I get the last kid out of college, it is one of the step up boxes I will be looking at if I can afford it.
I know Michael Usui (he is Irish btw) who hand builds them and he is a master with reeds and can customize whatever you want.
Agree with zippydw. Don't waste money on a cheap box that ends up in the corner of the room, or hanging as a wall decoration. I made that mistake myself, and have regretted it. Save your money, and buy a quality box that you can play for years.
I've been playing the accordion now for 10 years and I started of with a hohner black dot. It done the job for me and I won many county fleadhs playing it. When i became more advanced I bought a castagnari 2 years ago when I started 2 lay in a grupa cheoil. The hohner black dot set me on my way to where I am now ao I would advise you to start off with a simple cheap accordion like a hohner. Then when u are advanced enough buy a nice wooden box like a castagnari ,paolo soprani or mengacini
Irish Dancemaster, Irish Dancemaster irish Dancemaster. I have had one for four years now, no problems, and it still works and plays as good as day one. Amazing instrument for the price. I have played a Paolo Soprani and, yes, there are pluses to the more expensive box, but, I still prefer my Irish Dancemaster for sound, speed, and playability.
What accordion to buy?
What accordion to buy?
I'm going to buy a button box for irish music but i don't know which one to pick and i don't know where to buy. I checked ebay but i found no good.
I'm wondering about a G/C or a B/C but all i could find on ebay was GCF ones or similar, but maybe that's the same plus one extra F-row at the top.
However, i don't want to buy anything from the US because of the shipping. Can someone post a link to a store in the UK or Germany (europe..)? I don't want to spend a lot of money on my first accordion so i'm ready to pay about $150-300
What do you recommend for me?
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by Patriarch K
Re: What accordion to buy?
Patriarch if i'm honest i'd say that your not even going to get an entry level accordion for $300. If you want a good starter then go for a Hohner blackdot. That's providing you want a B/C. They are going on e-bay at the moment for about £300. My dad got me an accordion when i was about 10 and at the time i didn't know any different but looking back it was a bad starter to learn on. It was a cheap Eastern European make with buttons that stick out so far you couldn't preform any rolls or accidentals. Any way good luck and one day you'll get a nice Castagnari or Beltuna.
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by upmine3
Re: What accordion to buy?
If you want to play Irish music, choose BC, C#D or possibly DG. There was a discussion about all this recently here
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/14368
and there have been lots of other ones in the past. GC or GCF are no good to you - no C# in the basic scales.
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by Jeeves Tones
Re: What accordion to buy?
If I had limited funds, I'd think about a melodeon in the key of D, it would be a good stepping stone to a C#D at a later time.
Rob(BC)
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by mellow_bellows
Re: What accordion to buy?
A decent 4 voice one-row would probably cost more than a black dot or (if you want to do D up and down the row) a G/D Erica or a Pokerwork
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by millionyears_bc
Re: What accordion to buy?
A key of D melodeon would be nice. You're going to want to play in B/C or C#/D eventually, though, because if you have one of those, you've got all the notes in the chromatic scale on one box. Which system you want depends on the kind of sound you want-C#/D is more old-school box playing, much more rhythmic and melodeon-like. B/C is what most modern players play in-it's a bit smoother, more fluid, and easy to do rolls and other such ornaments on.
As for what accordion to get, I have two words for you: Irish Dancemaster. Based in Florida, Dancemaster accordions are well-made, inexpensive, and very, very nice boxes. You can get a beginner's box for about... I dunno, $500 to $650. The highest-level boxes are around $1500 (only 3/4 of what you'd pay for an entry-level Saltarelle or Castagnari!) and they have sound as good as or better than the other beginning boxes, as well as having light construction and smooth-as-silk playability. Billy McComiskey himself played mine and told me that it was a great instrument. Furthermore, Michael-the guy behind Irish Dancemaster-is incredibly friendly, patient, and informative-you can email him and he will tell you everything you will need to know. He is a delight to work with. If you tell him what kind of sound you like, he can recommend a system for you to ask for, and then put together for you an instrument in that system.
Seriously, check it out. You will not regret it. http://www.irishdancemaster.com/accordion.html
And don't bother with eBay.... I've been looking for years, and I have not once found a good Irish box for under $2000. I did, however, just get a steal on an old Hohner D melodeon for $175, so that's a possibility. However, a melodeon is not a box, and a box is much more useful than a melodeon as it allows you to play many more tunes. Also, it took three years of waiting for this meldoeon to crop up; until this, the sum total of my eBay experiences was 1) looking at Paolo Sopranis way out of my price range and 2) drooling. So yeah, forget eBay and go with Dancemaster. You will not regret it.
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by Zazzaliss
Re: What accordion to buy?
Oops... I did a quick fact check and found that the entry-level ones are $795. Still a lot cheaper than even a Hohner Black Dot, and much nicer and easier to play.
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by Zazzaliss
Re: What accordion to buy?
If you are interested in a refurbished old Hohner then you could give me a try!
www.theboxplace.co.uk
I have a B/C and a C#/D on the shelf at the moment!
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by Theo Gibb
Re: What accordion to buy?
Hmm, do links work like this:
http://www.theboxplace.co.uk
# Posted on July 15th 2007 by Theo Gibb
Re: What accordion to buy?
What would be the difference ( except the bigger name ) between a Hohner Arietta @ £289 & a Boorinwood 3002 @ £190 ?. Almost definitly made in the same factory in China
& on sale in Ireland www.boorinwoodmusic.com
# Posted on July 16th 2007 by lenamore Man
Re: What accordion to buy?
Probably not much - both have severely limited playability in my experience, and too light to much use as a doorstop.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by Theo Gibb
Re: What accordion to buy?
You won't find much worth a Tinker's Damn for that money. Used you will end up puttinig three/four times in to make it playable. New, it will be one of those cheapy Chinese or Eastern European numbers.
Stick with the Italian factory ones-magic phrase is made in Castlefidardo. You probably can't afford the French or hand made Irish ones.
I bought Gustozzi. Reputable brand. Soprani reeds. Not particularly expensive, still had to put some money in to get the tuning where I wanted. But nice instrument. But two years ago, it would have been about 7-800 euro retail.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by zippydw
Re: What accordion to buy?
My friend bought one of those Giustozzi's for €900-€1000.
Much better than Hohner.If your sure you want to take up the box this is a perfect instrument. Bit dearer than Hohner but the difference in playing is unbelievable.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by dinn2
Re: What accordion to buy?
This is the box he bought:
http://www.giustozzi.it/Catalogo/vetrina/scheda_eng.asp?IdC=C0063&PCat=;0;C0035;C0063;&IdP=118/A
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by dinn2
Re: What accordion to buy?
Mine was similar. It was actually made as a special production run for Italo American in Chicago.
Actually a very powerful box. One experienced box tuner/accordion builder said the insides looked just like a Salterelle.
Just be sure to let them know to tune it the way you want it. Otherwise, the Italians like them very very wet- lots of tremolo.
You may also want to have it built with a bass switch to remove the third.
Giampari Giustozzi is reachable by email also and was very nice about answering questions.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by zippydw
Re: What accordion to buy?
Oh. I notice someone mentioned IrishDancemasters. Also a nice box. I didn't mention it because it is probably way out of the price range. Reviews on them are very good. Once I get the last kid out of college, it is one of the step up boxes I will be looking at if I can afford it.
I know Michael Usui (he is Irish btw) who hand builds them and he is a master with reeds and can customize whatever you want.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by zippydw
Re: What accordion to buy?
Agree with zippydw. Don't waste money on a cheap box that ends up in the corner of the room, or hanging as a wall decoration. I made that mistake myself, and have regretted it. Save your money, and buy a quality box that you can play for years.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: What accordion to buy?
I've been playing the accordion now for 10 years and I started of with a hohner black dot. It done the job for me and I won many county fleadhs playing it. When i became more advanced I bought a castagnari 2 years ago when I started 2 lay in a grupa cheoil. The hohner black dot set me on my way to where I am now ao I would advise you to start off with a simple cheap accordion like a hohner. Then when u are advanced enough buy a nice wooden box like a castagnari ,paolo soprani or mengacini
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by LLOYD1892
Re: What accordion to buy?
Irish Dancemaster, Irish Dancemaster irish Dancemaster. I have had one for four years now, no problems, and it still works and plays as good as day one. Amazing instrument for the price. I have played a Paolo Soprani and, yes, there are pluses to the more expensive box, but, I still prefer my Irish Dancemaster for sound, speed, and playability.
# Posted on February 16th 2008 by father tulane blacktop