Looking For A 30 Button C/g Anglo In Rennes, France? Maybe Paris?

[Halifax]

I'm turning 50. And I promise that I'm not "testing" my husband but...

 

He's going to Paris and then Rennes and on the off chance that either city has a music shop that has a good collection of Anglos, I thought I'd have him take a look, have a listen, and maybe bring me back a souvenir. You know---because it's almost my birthday. I have a lovely Morse now, but am making plans for a Dipper or something of that ilk.

 

If he comes back empty-handed, that's okay too. (We took years looking for his cello.)

 

Suggestions?

[ceemonster]

The only "good collection of Anglos" you're going to find on that side of the pond is Barleycorn Concertinas in the UK. There are concertinas stocked and viewable online at Hobgoblin Music in the UK, but they are spread out in the company/'s individual shops around the country, don't know how well vetted they are, and don't believe they are restored.

 

There are also a couple of other folks in the UK who sometimes have one to three instruments, those being Theo Gibb at The Box Place and David Robertson, who restores and sells concertinas, you'd have to Google his name with "concertina" and his site should come up. They both are careful and reputable restorers.

 

In France, there is a restorer and dealer in the Montreuil suburb outside Paris central, named Laurent Jarry. His shop is called La Boite de l'Accordeon. He is principally an accordion guy, but also restores and sells concertinas, though not a wide array. His web link is below. On the left, click on "les occasions," to get the used inventory, and then scroll to the Anglos and click on that.

 

I see he currently has one 30-button, wood-ended Lachenal that might make a beginner instrument depending on condition. Don't know if that is brass-reeded or steel reeds in brass frames (I would prefer the latter, but some people don't mind brass-reeded for a learner instrument). Below that, there is a 20-button wood-ended Lachenal. There are schools of thought as to the advisability of getting a 20-button to learn on; I personally don't approve.

 

http://www.boite-accordeon.com

Edited February 1, 2018 by ceemonster

[busterbill]

You may want to get yourself on a list. They range from 2-5 years if you are looking for a handmade concertina reeded instrument. You might get lucky if you check the for sale forum with a used one. Occasionally The Button Box has a quality concertina reeded instrument. They even had a Dipper for awhile last year. Checking this forum will sometimes turn up a used good instrument. I have also heard some nice things about 7mount concertinas though I have never touched one. And the Clare Concertina Company has come up with a vintage model with concertina reeds, again I don't know anyone who has owned one. My limited experience seems to be with a flock of Dippers here in Chicago, the Conner I learned on, and a couple of Jeffries and Wheatstones I've heard at sessions over they years. These would be a step up from a Morse due to their reeds. I've also heard some nice Lachenal's but their action might not be as fast as your Morse. I have heard good things about the Morse Hybrid's so I assume you are not looking for another hybrid, but rather a step up to concertina reeds, but I may be wrong. I was either lucky or unlucky enough to get my concertina before the hybrids became a thing so I was never tempted to go that route. I'd love to visit that magical shop full of concertinas that I think only lives in my imagination on this continent. I did buy my Connor from Chris Alger years ago, and his shop is the only one I know of that is actually that magical place, but it is out of my driving range so I'll never sit down there. In those days I just called him and told him my needs and my budget and he sent me an instrument that I've enjoyed a great deal for the past two decades. But now there is the internet so you can visually browse at least. Forgive me if I am boring you with information you already know and good luck on your search.

[Halifax]

 

In France, there is a restorer and dealer in the Montreuil suburb outside Paris central, named Laurent Jarry. His shop is called La Boite de l'Accordeon. He is principally an accordion guy, but also restores and sells concertinas, though not a wide array. His web link is below. On the left, click on "les occasions," to get the used inventory, and then scroll to the Anglos and click on that.

 

I see he currently has one 30-button, wood-ended Lachenal that might make a beginner instrument depending on condition. Don't know if that is brass-reeded or steel reeds in brass frames (I would prefer the latter, but some people don't mind brass-reeded for a learner instrument). Below that, there is a 20-button wood-ended Lachenal. There are schools of thought as to the advisability of getting a 20-button to learn on; I personally don't approve.

 

http://www.boite-accordeon.com

Ohh, Ceemonster, this is just the kind of info I was looking for. Thanks much! I think you'll agree that I shouldn't tade my 30 button Morse for a 20 button anything. As for the Lachenal, I think I'll hold out for a Carroll or a Dipper. But then, there's the $, right? Am I but a poor carpenter who'd blaming her tools? Would the $ be better spent on lessons? Am I simply suffering from acute concertina acquisitionitis?

Thanks for the info on the UK dealers. Might be that I have to take my own trip and not leave it to my huband anyway.

[Halifax]

Busterbill, thanks for the reply. You are correct in assuming that I'm considering moving up to a Dipper or Carroll (the design of his Noel Hill model is just so damn pretty!). Alas, it's a hard purchase to justify at this stage of life (kids heading out to college, etc). On the one hand, if I'm going to play the thing at sessions once or twice a week for the rest of my life, I may as well get the best one I can, on the other other hand, the Morse is a perfectly capable little instrument with a quick action and a good sound. I did check with the the good folks at Carroll, they say the wait is 1.5 years---not too bad. I am in this for the long game.