I was thinking of getting a melodeon in D/G and was thinkin of buy a £200ish melodeon, would it be a good idea to buy a cheap melodeon to start to learn with?
Do a search on previous discussions - there's a few things to consider such as action, size & weight, depth of the keyboard etc. and they've all been covered before.
When I was first looking I was advised to buy the best I could as I'd only want to trade up & wouldn't be able to sell a cheap second hand box. It was good advice - six years later I'm still playing the first box I bought and have no desire to replace it.
If you to be disgusted, buy a cheap box : hard action, noisy keyboards... I even had a pupil who stopped playing : he'd bought a china-made box that was just useless : took a big bunch of muscles just to get the reeds in action...
The idea of buying cheap instruments "to start with" is - pardon my french - crap. if you're not sure you want to really play accordion, then either rent one if you can - allows you to try, or buy a good one you'll have fun with, and if you don't, it's easier to sell...
Don't buy a crap box, it'll break your heart if you want to play proper music on it. Get lots of advice, preferably from players who impress you. Decent new boxes cost a bomb, there's no way round that, but there will be good second-hand ones going cheaper if you find out what you want and where to look and - importantly - what the fair price really is for what you see.
Mind, unlike some wooden instruments, free-reed instruments deteriorate over time, like cars.
I'd echo Nicholas, but I'm wondering whether, as you live in England, you're using the term melodeon to mean a two- or three-row box, as opposed to the Irish meaning of a one-row.
Whatever the case, why not get yourself down to London for the day, visit Hobgoblin on Rathbone Place (easy to find, it's just off Oxford Street between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road tube stations) and try out a few different versions.
My first one-row melodeon, bought second-hand, was a complete crapster. The action was terrible and the bass buttons had clearly been tuned for something far removed from Irish music. Fortunately, I managed to part-exchange it for something far better.
Incidently, a friend of mine has a nice saltarelle bouebe in D/G, nice little box, well made, and not heavy. He's asking about 1200 american (600 sterling?) I could get you in contact if you wish.
Hopefully you will get more if you spend more! If that's not an option good to deal with someone who knows what they're talking about and isn't just a box shifter.
Theo (poster here) has at least one inexpensive D/G listed at http://www.theboxplace.co.uk/boxshop-melodeons.htm
I don't think I agree. If you love the instrument it won't matter that it's a "cheap" one, you will still want to learn. Whether the action is good or not isn/t relevant when you first start only when you get up some speed. It seems a ridiculous idea to me to pay for the best (unless you are rich enough of course) when you are a learner. As you progress you might find you want a different tuning (D/G isn't great for ITM for example) or want to play another type of music, those type of things that you only realise once you start playing. Then if you've bought your expensive box you will have to sell it first (unless you are rich). You might want a tailor made one. I agree with the rent idea or borrow one though. Can you try out a couple from a music shop for a period of time?
D/G Melodeon
D/G Melodeon
I was thinking of getting a melodeon in D/G and was thinkin of buy a £200ish melodeon, would it be a good idea to buy a cheap melodeon to start to learn with?
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Ib
Re: D/G Melodeon
No.
Do a search on previous discussions - there's a few things to consider such as action, size & weight, depth of the keyboard etc. and they've all been covered before.
When I was first looking I was advised to buy the best I could as I'd only want to trade up & wouldn't be able to sell a cheap second hand box. It was good advice - six years later I'm still playing the first box I bought and have no desire to replace it.
Eno
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by bc_box_player
Re: D/G Melodeon
£200 is a bit too cheap unless it's second-hand. Spedn a bit more and getter a nicer action, better sound.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Paul_draper
Re: D/G Melodeon
If you to be disgusted, buy a cheap box : hard action, noisy keyboards... I even had a pupil who stopped playing : he'd bought a china-made box that was just useless : took a big bunch of muscles just to get the reeds in action...
The idea of buying cheap instruments "to start with" is - pardon my french - crap. if you're not sure you want to really play accordion, then either rent one if you can - allows you to try, or buy a good one you'll have fun with, and if you don't, it's easier to sell...
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Nikita Pfister
Re: D/G Melodeon
I meant : if you want to be disgusted...
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Nikita Pfister
Re: D/G Melodeon
Don't buy a crap box, it'll break your heart if you want to play proper music on it. Get lots of advice, preferably from players who impress you. Decent new boxes cost a bomb, there's no way round that, but there will be good second-hand ones going cheaper if you find out what you want and where to look and - importantly - what the fair price really is for what you see.
Mind, unlike some wooden instruments, free-reed instruments deteriorate over time, like cars.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by nicholas
Re: D/G Melodeon
I'd echo Nicholas, but I'm wondering whether, as you live in England, you're using the term melodeon to mean a two- or three-row box, as opposed to the Irish meaning of a one-row.
Whatever the case, why not get yourself down to London for the day, visit Hobgoblin on Rathbone Place (easy to find, it's just off Oxford Street between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road tube stations) and try out a few different versions.
My first one-row melodeon, bought second-hand, was a complete crapster. The action was terrible and the bass buttons had clearly been tuned for something far removed from Irish music. Fortunately, I managed to part-exchange it for something far better.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Floss the Tethers
Re: D/G Melodeon
Agree with all the above. Spend at least twice, preferably at least thrice that. Cheap boxes are too slow and don't sound very nice.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: D/G Melodeon
Incidently, a friend of mine has a nice saltarelle bouebe in D/G, nice little box, well made, and not heavy. He's asking about 1200 american (600 sterling?) I could get you in contact if you wish.
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by hibbs21
Re: D/G Melodeon
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Delicia-Cherry-D-G-melodeon_W0QQitemZ320251061715QQihZ011QQcategoryZ16218QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
check this out
those were made in Czech Republic
pretty good stuff for that price
# Posted on May 14th 2008 by padre
Re: D/G Melodeon
I agree with Padre on the Delicia. If your budget won't extend to a Castagnari these are not bad boxes.
# Posted on May 15th 2008 by cathycook
Re: D/G Melodeon
Hopefully you will get more if you spend more! If that's not an option good to deal with someone who knows what they're talking about and isn't just a box shifter.
Theo (poster here) has at least one inexpensive D/G listed at
http://www.theboxplace.co.uk/boxshop-melodeons.htm
# Posted on May 15th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: D/G Melodeon
I don't think I agree. If you love the instrument it won't matter that it's a "cheap" one, you will still want to learn. Whether the action is good or not isn/t relevant when you first start only when you get up some speed. It seems a ridiculous idea to me to pay for the best (unless you are rich enough of course) when you are a learner. As you progress you might find you want a different tuning (D/G isn't great for ITM for example) or want to play another type of music, those type of things that you only realise once you start playing. Then if you've bought your expensive box you will have to sell it first (unless you are rich). You might want a tailor made one. I agree with the rent idea or borrow one though. Can you try out a couple from a music shop for a period of time?
# Posted on May 19th 2008 by Frezz