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New Player's Anglo Questions


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Hi- I'm pretty new to the unexpectedly enchanting world of concertinas... A couple of questions I hope someone can help me with: first in terms of wanting to play tunes in D and G and their relative minors (such as the great majority of Irish trad tunes) is there any disadvantage to playing a 26 or 28 button anglo as opposed to the regular 30 button instrument? Would fingering patterns be different? (I understand there are alternative arrangements of the accidentals row). Secondly, I'm pondering buying either a 26 or 28 button Lachenal for something under £1000 or a used quality hybrid for a little more. I'm thinking it comes down to traditional tone v ease and speed of playing, and can't decide which means more to me... Are these the key factors? I hope someone can help inform my ruminations.

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If you're just wanting to play Irish tunes only, then the most important thing is where the C#'s are located on the top row, and in particular the high one on the right hand side. The other top row buttons are used so rarely for ITM you probably don't need to worry much about them at this point in time.

 

It's probably more important to make sure the old Lachenal is up to the task of playing quickly with (eventual) ornaments. Things like airtightness, bellows capacity, reed responsiveness, quickness and quietness of action will be fairly important. Of course, that's assuming it's already in tune with good pads and valves.

 

Hybrids can have a wide variety of tone, but are usually built pretty well once you get past the cheap ones. Metal ends will typically sound a little brighter. I definitely recommend checking out the higher quality hybrids built by Morse, Edgley, AC Norman, Marcus, etc.

 

Happy hunting!

 

Gary

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A good thing to do to help you decide if you want a hybrid or an old lachenal might be to visit the guy who is selling a norman hybrid anglo, on the buy and sell thread.

 

here

 

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=17780

 

I would say that his price is a pretty good deal, I have played these norman concertinas and found them good, I am sure if you asked the guy would not mind you coming over and trying it. The only thing is he is in birmingham and you are in london but I would say if you are spending this much it is worth the journey

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Thanks for your detailed advice, Gary. I see there's plenty of things that need to be right, that an old instrument might have issues regarding. But I've been playing around with a Lachenal duet and I do find just the raw tone very satisfying...

 

Thanks for your message, Jake. I see the instrument you mention has now been sold- I had been considering it- sure it will be a fine instrument for its new owner.

 

I suppose either of the kinds of instruments I'm considering would hold much of their value, so I could take a chance with either knowing I could later change it and recoup.

 

Steve

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