lmc

I also have one of Dana's excellent instruments and love it. The buttons are ergonomically very comfortable for me. He's very helpful with answering questions and sorting out any problems. His website is out of date. He is most definitely taking orders and building wonderful, reasonably priced concertinas. Highly recommended! Lmc

I am so happy you are enjoying it. I definitely found a good home! Leonor

Stagi has sold, contribution will be made. Thanks! lmc

Hi emer - I am in Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. Leonor

The Deluxe Model Anglo Concertina Features: Engraved raised stainless steep ends, ebony sawn veneers on beech frames. Handmade black leather 7 fold bellows, with Jeffries traditional bellows papers, with a Wheatstone layout. Italian steel reeds, key of C/G. Comes with a hard black case.You can see the model of this concertina here: The instrument is a Marcus Deluxe. You can see the model at this website: http://www.marcusmusic.co.uk/concertinas.html I am asking $1800 (US). Instrument is in great condition. Marcus has been SOLD! Thanks to all who inquired. Donation will be made. Fair Haired Boy Marcus 2.mp3 I have attached a sound file in case anyone wants to listen to the Marcus being played.

I am selling a mini Stagi, pretty much new, bellows not even broken in. I have played it less than a dozen times. I am an Anglo player and it is lunacy to waste my time trying to figure out this system! Mine is Mahogany and comes with a GREAT hard case that fits it perfectly, and has a key. These tiny concertinas have a pretty big sound. concertina is in excellent like new condition, as I said, bellows not even broken in. it comes with hard the case. I am asking $350 and buyer pays shipping. I have attached a photos of the concertina I am selling and can send more if anyone wants to see more photos. Leonor below is description from House of Musical Traditions: 18-button English mini concertina 1.5 pounds, hexagonal, white plastic buttons, quality leather bellows have 10 folds in 2 sections of 5 each. Leather thumbstraps, and the same pinky straps on the other side. (instead of the metal pinky rest found on larger models) Two styles: mahogany with dark brown bellows or black finish with black bellows. Featherweight and real cute, it's a great street performer's instrument. People are always amazed at the music you can make on this little squeezebox, because they think it's a toy instead of a real instrument. It's almost like a "button pennywhistle" with 2 sharps and 1 flat, not quite fully chromatic like its big brothers; it is missing only G# and Eb. Plays in C, G, D, F, and the relative minors and Irish modal scales over a range of almost 2 octaves, from C to B. Very nice tone, quite loud despite its size. Case not included. This is a very popular item; we don't always have both colors in stock. Please indicate whether you are able to wait for your preferred selection, or whether we should just send whatever we have in stock now. $569.00 Choose color:"

What is your asking price? leonor

Jack has been sold. lmc

Hello, I am selling a hardly played Jack with gig bag and tutor. I am a confirmed Anglo player and never really did get the hang of the English system. It has been played very little and probably the bellows are not even broken in. I have had it for a couple for years, but mostly in its bag, in its box. I am in the Washington DC area. I will try to attach a photo, though a sound file would be tough since I REALLY don't play it. I can also email anyone more photos if they wish. This was purchased from the Button Box and is made by Concertina Connection, below is the info that Button Box has for this instrument: Concertina Connection's Jack/Jackie 30-key with a 2-½ octave range. Fully chromatic. Black celluloid finish, white plastic buttons, 6-fold bellows. Outfit includes a soft case and a tutor written specially for this instrument. Available in baritone (Jack) and treble (Jackie) ranges. If you are interested, please email me at lmchaves@verizon.net. Thanks, Leonor

I also recommend Dana Johnson. He is a wonderful teacher, and knows a LOT about the instrument. He does currently teach and makes concertinas. Well worth the drive from Virginia. lmc

Hi Joyce, I have sent you a PM. lmc

Another option to consider if you can't ride with someone, is getting from La Guardia to Port Authority and taking the bus (Greyhound I think) up to Cairo,NY which is 7 or 10 miles from East Durham. I had checked into this and someone form Gavin's offered to pick me up for $10 in Cairo. Good luck, and I'll see you there! lmc

I am also learning the AC for about 2 1/2 years now. I came to it because I was fascinated with the instrument, not particularly because of ITM. I have no background in ITM, didn't grow up listening to it and came to it very late. Having said all that, I am enjoying learning the tunes immensely, even though I know I regularly butcher them, I still enjoy them. I don't hear the hidden note, or the differing rhythms, and can't really always tell the difference between a hornpipe and a reel (horrors!) but the enjoyment that I am getting from learning is way more than the frustration from the difficulty. I am hooked and delighted to be learning ITM alongside my beloved concertina. Leonor

How funny!! This is a great thread because my female schnauzer ( but not the male) goes into full howling mode when I play my anglo, and in particular, Constant Billy. She doesn't seem to mind the single note tunes but as soon as chords are used she seems to either sing along or howl in pain along. But it is Constant Billy that reliably sets her off. And not only makes her howl, but somehow makes her butt become terribly itchy all of the sudden...and she has to worry it and drag herself around, no she does not have worms and only does this to Constant Billy...Do you think Constant Billy played on an Anglo can set off the annal glands in a dog? It does make practicing a little bit of a challenge...and no, I don't think she is per se commenting on my playing (although, I am sure it leaves much to be desired, that's why I practice when the family is away and I am in the company of my supposedly devoted canines). So glad to hear I am not alone, but the butt thing, I guess that's a little different. Maybe a certain frequency vibrates something that gives her an itch? Weird. lmc

I have attended the Noel Hill Midwest class on several occasions when it was held at the Marydale Retreat Center. The rooms are spartan, but clean and comfortable. Bathrooms are shared and down the hall. As I recall, the food was adequate...college cafeteria style fare. The setting is parklike, with nices places to walk and sit outside. There are shopping areas close by, if you need something. Check with Linda Mann about the enrollment. Sign up for whichever one has the smallest number of beginners. I've never seen Noel fail to separate students into three class groups, based on ability. If the beginners group is small, you'll get that much more individual attention. Hope this is helpful. Thank you for your response, I decided to sign up for the NY class and am really looking forward to the experience. Lmc

I am just trying to decide which classes to sign up for. Both locations are about the same distance from me and I am just wondering if there might be more beginners at one location or another...not entirely a crazy consideration. I am definitely a beginner! In any case I look forward to the experience in either location, even if I am the ONLY beginner (yikes!). I am sure that both locations have a wonderful group of long time students and newer students. At this point Linda Mann says there is still room in both classes. I am familiar with that part of NY and the Catskills, but have not been to Erlanger, KY. Can anyone share their impressions and experience of the area and the Marydale retreat center, how are the rooms etc, the area in general? Thanks, lmc

Are you sure they sent you back the same instrument? If those reeds didn't sound out of tune before you sent it back, I would suspect that they just sent you a different instrument of the same model, with no buzzing reed, but with its own problems. If that is what they did, how many iterations will it take for you to get one with no problems? More than the number of instruments they have in stock? I guess we'll see...I've sent it back with a detailed letter. lmc

This is a difficult question to answer. I remember recommending that you contacted the vendor about the problem so as to avoid invalidating the warranty. Now the instrument has been returned to you with the original problem fixed but other major defects evident. If you were in the UK I would recommend that you contacted Trading Standards to voice your concerns, they would be obliged to investigate and if necessary intercede on your behalf. I know nothing about US law, do you have a regulatory body to protect consumers? If so I would contact the vendor again and inform them of your problems, requesting that they offer to repair or replace the instrument at their expense (including carriage) or offer a full refund of the original purchase price and compensation for additional expenses you have incurred during the failed transaction i.e. return to base carriage charges for faulty goods. Give them a reasonable time to respond ' If you fail to reply within 14 days....' Then if you get no satisfaction from the vendor it's time to call in the statutory forces and leave them to sort it out. I have written a detailed account on the tuning problems and will send the instrument back requesting a tuned replacement...we'll see. I guess the lesson learned here is to stick to known and reputable vendors. Hopefully, this will be resolved to my satisfaction, if not I will certainly follow up with further action. Thanks for your input. lmc

Actually, inexpensive concertinas are *made* with out-of-tune reeds. They *should* be that way in order for the factory to be able to sell them so cheaply. We at the Button Box can't imagine selling such poorly "made" instruments so we take it upon ourselves to tune, set reeds, fix action, chase down leaks, etc. until we deem it worthy of selling and satisfactory playing. It takes our well-trained staff an AVERAGE of 3 hours to "adjust" each Stagi concertina (different averages for other brands) to our satisfaction. And then we sell them with our guaranty (we don't send stuff back to Stagi). Certainly the factory could do a better job but then they'd be more expensive and they have plenty of orders selling their wares as they are now - as there has been no competition. At least until recently.... Kudos to Wim Wakker! You're not in a "bad" spot - just a typical one. If the place you got it from is unable/unwilling to better your box, the Button Box can make the adjustments/repairs (contact our shop for estimates and wait-list time). -- Rich -- Thanks Rich - I may just look into that and have it done with...I've already sent it back once for buzzing reed (they fixed it and that note sounds fine) but the other off notes are annoying. lmc

It must be name and shame time! I don't think you could be sued for saying ' I bought a *insert name* concertina but I can't really recommend them and don't consider this to be a good value for money instrument.' It is after all just a personal opinion. Wow! And I thought I was in a bad spot...but at least my vendor fixed the buzzy reed. But what about those sharp/flat notes that shouldn't be? lmc

Hi all, I posted this in the repair forum but maybe it is more of a general question. A while back I posted a problem I was having with an 18b Stagi I had just gotten...The E left hand side buzzed on the pull. Since the instrument was new and under warranty I sent to vendor who fixed the problem...except...It now has several reeds that are out of tune. I began to play the instrument when it was sent back, playing a couple of tunes and doing scales and noticed that some of the notes sounded different on the push or on the pull, and a couple were really off in both directions. Using one of those digital electronic gizmos, I discovered that with the exception of 5 buttons most were off a wee bit in either one direction or both...Now, obviously the notes that sound off to my amateur ear are not acceptable but how about the other notes that are just a little off, or fine in one direction and not the other? Do I send it back again to the vendor to have it tuned? Do I give up and send to someone else? I read the previous post where the guy had a similar problem with a reed sounding different on the push/pull and fixed it on his own but since I am a newbie to the instrument and it is under warranty (albeit the repeated UPS charges back and forth ) I don't dare fiddle with it. What would it cost to tune it? Thanks for input, lmc

A while back I posted a problem I was having with an 18b Stagi I had just gotten...The E left hand side buzzed on the pull. Since the instrument was new and under warranty I sent to vendor who fixed the problem...except...It now has several reeds that are out of tune. I began to play the instrument when it was sent back, playing a couple of tunes and doing scales and noticed that some of the notes sounded different on the push or on the pull, and a couple were really off in both directions. Using one of those digital electronic gizmos, I discovered that with the exception of 5 buttons most were off a wee bit in either one direction or both...Now, obviously the notes that sound off to my amateur ear are not acceptable but how about the other notes that are say 5 cents off, or fine in one direction and not the other? Do I send it back again to the vendor to have it tuned? Do I give up and send to someone else? I read the previous post where the guy had a similar problem with a reed sounding different on the push/pull and fixed it on his own but since I am a newbie to the instrument and it is under warranty (albeit the repeated UPS charges back and forth ) I don't dare fiddle with it. Thanks for input, lmc

I know of one Rochelle that was received by the Button Box today. I sent it back because I had actually ordered a Jack to try out but was sent the Rochelle in error. So...they have one! lmc

I'm a PA player myself who's transitioned to the concertina. My only advice: If you find playing the Anglo difficult, or can't quite get your brain, fingers and hands wrapped around the bellows work.. try an English. You will have less worrying about bellows direction (much like most PAs) and can get down to learning key layout. YMMV though, and others may say differently. I just know that once I switched it became a lot easier for me. Of course if you play a "different note on push and pull" accordion, then you'd be okay. That's just my only tidbit of advice. Unless you have a specific goal for playing a particular layout, start with an instrument that has the same bellows/note action that you're most used to. Good luck!!! ETA: Argh, how can I delete this extra post? thanks for the advice. I actually transitioned from piano accordion to anglo concertina a couple of years ago, because I found it fun and easier to play "by ear", the push/pull somehow gives you a better sense of physical memory but...I found it extremely difficult to read music with the anglo. I am also trying the English and have found that it is much easier to read musical notation because the layout of the keyboard is very similar to the left hand layout of the piano accordion keyboard. However. I am interested in both and hope that I can continue to switch between instruments. I like both. And I also have a 2 row button diatonic melodeon/accordion that is "fun to play by ear". What I am discovering about the English Concertina is how taxing the pinkie position is...but I'm sure I'll get used to it. In terms of bad habits with the Anglo, I hope to shed a few after my first lesson with Dana Johnson of Kensington Concertinas tomorrow. I am really lookiong forward to this!