Salability Of English Concertinas

[Randall Cayford]

I'm in the process of moving up the concertina food chain, leaving my low end italian box for something in the midrange. The midrange seems to consist of mid-quality Lachenals and new hybrids. Both of these feel like compromises to me (great action on the hybrid, better tone on the Lachenal) so I know I'll want to move up to something better (and pricier) eventually.

 

My question is how salable are the midrange instruments (English, not Anglo)?

 

If they're easy to sell, the cost (in time and effort) of getting them and trying them out for a while is low. And I can move up in quality in smaller steps.

 

If it takes months and continual effort in advertising to sell them, then it becomes much more important to pick one I want to live with for a long time. And perhaps I might want to skip over the midrange to something better quality.

 

Bear in mind, I'm in California where English concertina players seem very few and far between. I'm not likely to just run into someone interested in buying my old instruments.

[Chris Timson]

I think perhaps you'd do better to go for something of better quality now. In this you will be assisted by the fact that good Englishes are about half the price of equivalent quality anglos.

 

Chris

[Tom C]

I started with an entry level 'tina with accordian reeds and 32 buttons. This lasted me about 4 months before I became dissatisfied with it. I then traded up to a mid-range machine - a "tutor" model Lachenal with ivory keys and brass reeds, which I had restored at some considerable cost. However, the five fold bellows were always restrictive, and the volume was very low. I've now gone up to a Lachenal Edeophone and its all I ever wanted.

 

I have doubts about the alleged values of English concertinas. Sure, people may estimate the price of a good English at £1500 or whatever, but try and get that if you're not a dealer and you'll have problems. The risk of buying a mid-range first is that you'll still hanker after something better, and when you eventually decide to trade up, you won't get what you expected for your mid-range. Or more likely, you'll keep the mid-range anyway as a practice instrument. At my local concertina workshop evenings, its significant that everyone seems to have a really nice instrument - its well worth being radical and going for the best in my view. It saves time and money in the long-run.

[jggunn]

I, also, am currently in California which may contain more English players than you might suppose. This is my experience: my first concertina was a rented Stagi which was a big disappointment. After three months, I bought a mid-quality Lachenal (five-fold, steel reeds, metal buttons). Many had told me to go for a better instrument so I bought a unique Crabb (twelve-sided, six-folds, metal ends), and then I went all out and bought an Amboyna Aeola with gold buttons. Although it is true that the higher priced instruments are faster to some degree, I cannot say that the sound is superior -- just different. In many ways, I still prefer the Lachenal --especially the mellow tone. I really believe that a well-restored mid-range Lachenal or Wheatstone with five-folds, steel reeds and buttons can serve all but the most demanding tastes and talents.

[Mark Evans]

and then I went all out and bought an Amboyna Aeola with gold buttons.

 

Well now, I would'nt mind that meself . That is actually my fantasy instrument. One in college and two in the bullpin preclude that however.

 

Randall, I suggest you actually put your hands on a hybrid. My little lowly Morse turned out to be more concertina than I ever thought it would.

Edited December 7, 2006 by Mark Evans

[Stephen Chambers]

I bought a unique Crabb (twelve-sided, six-folds, metal ends)

I can't remember the owner's name now, but one of the players in the old Kensington Quartet (with Alf Edwards) had a twelve-sided amboyna-wood Crabb, so they made more than one Edeophone.

 

... and then I went all out and bought an Amboyna Aeola with gold buttons. Although it is true that the higher priced instruments are faster to some degree, I cannot say that the sound is superior -- just different.

Is it a late one? (I'm very happy with mine!)

[jggunn]

Replies to Mark and Stephen: The Amboyna date is about 1927. It is a bit odd since it has 50 buttons. I have listened to Mark's recordings and I would trade the concertina to play anywhere near as well as he does on the Morse. The Crabb date is 1962. It is a bit heavy for my taste but a nice sound.

[Dana Johnson]

Find as nice an instrument as you can and buy it. Forget about working your way up unless you absolutely can't afford better. Concertinas are very variable instruments with ones of the same vintage being often quite different in sound or playability. Still, there are many with name brands to stay away from if they are late vintage, though I have heard a rather nice mid 1900's Wheatstone Aeola that put a number of earlier instrument s to shame. Don't just go by the name, but buy it on a trial basis if possible. If you really like it, likely you'll be happy with it for years, if not, you'll just be out the shipping.

Dana

[Randall Cayford]

Find as nice an instrument as you can and buy it. Forget about working your way up unless you absolutely can't afford better. Concertinas are very variable instruments with ones of the same vintage being often quite different in sound or playability.

 

It sounds so easy when you say it That little word "find", however, represents a daunting task. I'm inclined to take what seems the consensus advice and up my quality range but my choices so far have been limited (anyone have a good metal-ended English in their closet they want to unload?).

 

I have just started learning just how variable each instrument is. It's wonderful that they are so unique but it makes buying one a trial and error sort of process.

 

...but buy it on a trial basis if possible. If you really like it, likely you'll be happy with it for years, if not, you'll just be out the shipping.

 

Great advice, and I'm taking it, but the shipping (especially international) is starting to bankrupt me.

[m3838]

Find as nice an instrument as you can and buy it. Forget about working your way up unless you absolutely can't afford better. Concertinas are very variable instruments with ones of the same vintage being often quite different in sound or playability.

 

It sounds so easy when you say it That little word "find", however, represents a daunting task. I'm inclined to take what seems the consensus advice and up my quality range but my choices so far have been limited (anyone have a good metal-ended English in their closet they want to unload?).

 

I have just started learning just how variable each instrument is. It's wonderful that they are so unique but it makes buying one a trial and error sort of process.

 

...but buy it on a trial basis if possible. If you really like it, likely you'll be happy with it for years, if not, you'll just be out the shipping.

 

Great advice, and I'm taking it, but the shipping (especially international) is starting to bankrupt me.

 

Not only that, but most people who sell good concertinas (and about any instruments) don't sell on trial basis

[fiddlersgreen]

Just a thought, many say that the birth of the Anglo as a ITM instrument came from the fact that the Irish musicans could not afford the English system so they settled for the cheaper Anglo. Using that logic I guess pretty soon the English Concertina will become a major ITM instrument since none of the Irish musicans can afford an Anglo. Mike

[m3838]

Just a thought, many say that the birth of the Anglo as a ITM instrument came from the fact that the Irish musicans could not afford the English system so they settled for the cheaper Anglo. Using that logic I guess pretty soon the English Concertina will become a major ITM instrument since none of the Irish musicans can afford an Anglo. Mike

 

Very true. Digging deeper, we shell assume, that pretty soon the major ITM instrument wil lbe Ukulele, right Bob?

[Tom C]

There's certainly a demand for cheap concertinas. I just put my Jackie English on ebay on Sunday on a buy it now price, and it had 6 watchers by the next day, two personal enquiries about it, and a sale yesterday.

 

Tom