Taking into account , action/response , sound and cost, what is the best accordian to begin with. Whilst it is not the whole deal, how well it holds it's value and resale value might need be taken into account. Thanks
weltmeister appear look and sound good, supposed to be reasonably priced
Dancemaster - also supposed to be great machines for the price.
As to what's available where you are... pot luck
I started on a B/C Hohner black dot. Played that for a year and a half. Switched to Castagnari C#/D... playing quickly improved to the point where I wished I'd had the good box sooner. So while there might be a few of the Hohners available... I'd save your pennies and get a nice mid range box like a Weltmeister... or splurge and get something amazing like a second hand Castagnari/Saltarelle/Mengascini (sp?) or similar level.
I bought an Irish Dancemaster, and I wouldn't even think of parting with it. It cost just a little more than a Hohner Double Ray, but I got a reed upgrade and custom bass set-up. The action is very fast, and now that I have been playing it for a couple of months the bellows are starting to loosen up. It is a joy to play! http://www.irishdancemaster.com/accordion.html
He is located in Florida USA, but I know that he has shiped to Europe.
Stick to the anglo concertina!! I played B/C box for a while but always like the push/pull nature of the C#/D tuning - gives perhaps more pulse, even if it's more work. Then figured that anglo concertina has same type of punch and pulse. So if you like that sound, maybe look into C#/D etc. boxes.
Concertina also has the advantage that your hand position is more or less fixed whereas with accordion, you need to be able to move up and down the keyboard. On the other hand, there are more possible button/ note combinations on the concertina which I think makes it a liitle harder.
Black dots are great but not really learner boxes - better revisited when you've got you've technique developed on a slicker box.
low cost entry level boxes are ok for slow stuff. If you want to play Irish reels at any sort of speed without dying of exhaustion and tendon failure, get a good box from the outset.
needless to say this wasn't my route to box playing, but I wish it had been - I would have spent less money in total, and made faster progress.
Like others, I started out on a second hand Hohner Black dot. One year later and I'm still enjoying it,and have many tunes (mostly jigs). Admittedly, the 'clicking' of the buttons is beginning to annoy me. Also the bellows are hard work and I often miss notes because of the lag in the bellows action . I could probably spend money fixing it up, but I'm saving to buy a better machine (B/C). I dream of owning a Salterelle 'Nuage' one day, but it'll have to wait - they're quite expensive (around Australian $3,200 or Euros 1,800).
Be sure to join a beginner's group in your town/city if there is one - maybe at your nearest Irish club? This will accelerate your learning heaps!
Goat Basher is right. Michael at IrishDancemaster works wonders.
I bought a very affordable Guistozzi-made in Castelfidardo, something to look for if you are looking for an affordable quality box. A very nice box. Michael retuned it dry (the Italians like them really wet) and redid the basses to the Burke system. Sounds wonderful. Quick action.
Strangely, I just came into a Salterelle Connemarra III-pretty box with alot of whiz bang features. However, Michael's tuning and reedwork makes the Guistozzi sound brighter and more powerful than the Salterelle.
Once HErself gets over the cost of the Salterelle, I will probably ship it to Michael for fine tuning.
Beginner BC Box
Beginner BC Box
Taking into account , action/response , sound and cost, what is the best accordian to begin with. Whilst it is not the whole deal, how well it holds it's value and resale value might need be taken into account. Thanks
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by concertinaplayer
Re: Beginner BC Box
If you are looking for a beginning box,
weltmeister appear look and sound good, supposed to be reasonably priced
Dancemaster - also supposed to be great machines for the price.
As to what's available where you are... pot luck
I started on a B/C Hohner black dot. Played that for a year and a half. Switched to Castagnari C#/D... playing quickly improved to the point where I wished I'd had the good box sooner. So while there might be a few of the Hohners available... I'd save your pennies and get a nice mid range box like a Weltmeister... or splurge and get something amazing like a second hand Castagnari/Saltarelle/Mengascini (sp?) or similar level.
Nathan
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by Brown Creeper
Re: Beginner BC Box
I bought an Irish Dancemaster, and I wouldn't even think of parting with it. It cost just a little more than a Hohner Double Ray, but I got a reed upgrade and custom bass set-up. The action is very fast, and now that I have been playing it for a couple of months the bellows are starting to loosen up. It is a joy to play! http://www.irishdancemaster.com/accordion.html
He is located in Florida USA, but I know that he has shiped to Europe.
I recommend Michael with no reservations.
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by GoatBasher
Re: Beginner BC Box
Stick to the anglo concertina!! I played B/C box for a while but always like the push/pull nature of the C#/D tuning - gives perhaps more pulse, even if it's more work. Then figured that anglo concertina has same type of punch and pulse. So if you like that sound, maybe look into C#/D etc. boxes.
Concertina also has the advantage that your hand position is more or less fixed whereas with accordion, you need to be able to move up and down the keyboard. On the other hand, there are more possible button/ note combinations on the concertina which I think makes it a liitle harder.
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by the wounded hussar
Re: Beginner BC Box
totally agree WH!!
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by geoffwright
Re: Beginner BC Box
go for a Mengascini or better.
Black dots are great but not really learner boxes - better revisited when you've got you've technique developed on a slicker box.
low cost entry level boxes are ok for slow stuff. If you want to play Irish reels at any sort of speed without dying of exhaustion and tendon failure, get a good box from the outset.
needless to say this wasn't my route to box playing, but I wish it had been - I would have spent less money in total, and made faster progress.
Good luck
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by millionyears_bc
Re: Beginner BC Box
sorry that should have read "your technique"
and by the way, get a B/C
# Posted on February 1st 2008 by millionyears_bc
Re: Beginner BC Box
Howdy,
Like others, I started out on a second hand Hohner Black dot. One year later and I'm still enjoying it,and have many tunes (mostly jigs). Admittedly, the 'clicking' of the buttons is beginning to annoy me. Also the bellows are hard work and I often miss notes because of the lag in the bellows action . I could probably spend money fixing it up, but I'm saving to buy a better machine (B/C). I dream of owning a Salterelle 'Nuage' one day, but it'll have to wait - they're quite expensive (around Australian $3,200 or Euros 1,800).
Be sure to join a beginner's group in your town/city if there is one - maybe at your nearest Irish club? This will accelerate your learning heaps!
Martin
# Posted on February 2nd 2008 by doubleray
Re: Beginner BC Box
Goat Basher is right. Michael at IrishDancemaster works wonders.
I bought a very affordable Guistozzi-made in Castelfidardo, something to look for if you are looking for an affordable quality box. A very nice box. Michael retuned it dry (the Italians like them really wet) and redid the basses to the Burke system. Sounds wonderful. Quick action.
Strangely, I just came into a Salterelle Connemarra III-pretty box with alot of whiz bang features. However, Michael's tuning and reedwork makes the Guistozzi sound brighter and more powerful than the Salterelle.
Once HErself gets over the cost of the Salterelle, I will probably ship it to Michael for fine tuning.
# Posted on February 4th 2008 by zippydw