Jay-Jay

I would love this, it's gorgeous, http://www.wakker-concertinas.com/A-4.htm What are the chances someone has this for sale? or another Wakker. I'm looking at purchasing my next concertina, a "new" instrument, Anglo C/G 30 button, sorry for being a bit vague, I'm just looking to see what people have for sale/what's out there. I'm based in Ireland. Thank you

Why bother to change to a 38 then Jay-Jay, if you intend to ignore the extra possibilities a 38 opens up? I would just like to point out the considerable advantage a 38 keyboard gives you, namely that the middle two octaves of the instrument become chromatic in both bellows directions. This means that you can play either: in/out/in, out/in/out, only out (until the bellows are at full stretch!), only in (until the bellows are completely compressed...), a combination of these to simplify your fingering patterns and last, but by no means least, to play far more complicated harmonic combinations than are possible on the 30 layout. Musically, it gives the anglo a whole new dimension and will allow you to explore repertoire from Guillaume de Machaut to The Beatles - yes, I'd definitely recommend the change… Adrian Because if an instrument I really really like the looks of that happens to come up for sale, I'd love the opportunity to jump at it, I'm only at the beginning of my journey to playing the concertina and I wanted to be sure that first priority is that the layout is something I am comfortable with. It does excite me that the new possibilities of what a 38 button instrument can do and especially as you've mentioned the directions notes can be played in would be great for me as I still run into air difficulties.

So if I take the left side, the additional button is say on the middle row is it in front of the G/A? leaving it in the same place on the concertina on my 30 button Crabb? I would get used to it but it's be even easier if the extra button was in meaning I could simply ignore those buttons, keep the same hand/fingering position that I'm used to on my 30 button

I have a quick question. At the moment I have a 30 button crabb C/G. I was looking at 38 button concertinas with a Jeffries layout. At the moment the G/A on the left side feels perfectly placed for my fingers, will a 38 button Jeffries layout displace the G/A or will it stay in the same place with the extra button placed in front of the G/A. I hope my question makes sense

Does anyone know anyone that does concertina repairs in Dublin and have contact details, if not anyone know anyone in Ennis, County Clare? Thank you

We are all just making assumptions so I'll throw mine in, maybe the tattoo is to mark the first time she picked up a concertina.

My experience is completely different, I would google an instrument and see an instrument F/S, I'd get really excited only to find that it's sold, as I was looking for my first concertina recently I found that when concertinas come up for sale they are snapped up in really quickly

Today I bought my first concertina and I couldn't be happier when I heard this Crabb play it just sounded so so beautiful to me and holding it awh it was just this over-whelming feeling of happiness and I'm really excited to begin learning to play such a magical instrument and! and! it came with an original case So it's a C/G 30 button mahogany end Crabb, it has 8 folds, riveting action, serial number 10011 (if someone can date it that would be great)

I will most likely purchase an instrument here in Ireland, there are some very good sellers and people who are very much part of the traditional irish music community. from this thread alone and thanks to all the people who have replied I have learnt quite a bit, one of the things for me was if I should buy a top end Lanchenal or for roughly the same money should I go for an entry level wheatstone. I see it from time to time when the subject of what instrument I should buy and a given budget but a poster may comment and say "but.....for a bit more you could purchase X instrument" and I myself are very open to that.

I have taken advice from a really nice teacher and that's how I decided that for my budget that a Lachenal was a good affordable instrument for me, however for the price of a top end Lachenal, would it be possible to get an entry level wheatstone. The last thing I want to do is outlay so much money for an instrument only to find that for a little bit more I could of had a better quality instrument.

This might depend on the relative locations of the hybrid seller (potentially the maker) and the vintage seller. Shipping costs vary, and for sellers outside the EU, there would likely be non-trivial customs tariffs into Ireland. I.e., it pays (even literally) to investigate all aspects before making a decision/completing a purchase. I think I would rather limit myself to sellers in Ireland because I can atleast travel around to meet them in person and if I have issues with my concertina I can have it repaired etc and I can build up in person relationships. I did come across two more concertinas that I have been looking at purchasing they are Wheatstone but what's kind of putting me off is the year of manufacture as in they have serial numbers in the 50k mark and from I have learnt most of these were sent to south africa and have a lower quality material https://www.donedeal.ie/brassandwind-for-sale/flawless-wheatstone-concertina/10463838

Hey, thanks for all the replies, it's a little over-whelming thus far because I had not even considered about the mechanics of the "action" side of things be it riveted or lock and arm. I do happen to admire the rosewood Lachenal, it is very beautiful, however I'm not sure if there is one available to buy here in Ireland whereas I know there are the metal ended ones available. In Ireland I am based in Dublin, however, I've no problem travelling to the likes of Kerry, Clare, Sligo etc. The other thing is about buying a 100 year old instrument and it's treatment over the years good or bad, I do know that there are people in Ireland who do fairly extensive repair/refurbishment.

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forums, it's wonderful to see such a great and helpful community thriving here So,the past few I'd say 2-3 months I've had this bruning desire and passion to pick up and learn the concertina, I have done some research and read these forums and learnt quite a bit, I feel that I know what instrument I have in mind and that I have a budget that's realistic to what I want. But I would like some advice as I have a couple of questions. I want a 30-32 button anglo in the tune of C/G for Irish music, my budget is about 2000-2500 euro. I was thinking I could get a Lachenal rosewood metal ends, which is their top range/student model, but for that price would I be able to get a entry level wheatstone for that money? If I go with a Lachenal metal ended concertina has anyone experience of playing with these, do they have a nice sound, play well in a session and solo or are they only good for solo? Also I came across a Lachenal that is an anglo roseweeod that measures 5 and 3/4 instead of the normal 6 and 1/4 is this actually rare or special, I hope it's ok to link to the site; http://www.irishmusik.com/lachenal-anglo-concertina/ I just wanted to add a little bit about myself here; I am from and living in Ireland, I have in the past year decided I wanted to re-learn the Irish language and I have fallen in love with it so much, but from that I have started delving into other parts of my Irish heritage and one of the big things that I have a passion for is traditional Irish music, I volunteered for the Fleadh Cheoil (it's a massive huge, huge traditional music festival) and this is where I found the concertina, I picked one up and even though I couldn't play it, just playing notes on it, it sounds so so beautiful and it was from then on my heart was set on the concertina. I have looked at getting a beginner's concertina like a Stagi but I was thinking long term, my family isn't a musical family although we love irish music, but I would love to be able to introduce Irish music and the concertina into my family and pass down the concertina to my kids (when I have them, maybe, if they are nice enough!!) so that's why I would love a vintage instrument. Now I could get an entry level mahogany end lachenal, but form what I've read, they can be limiting and that I might be better off picking up a stagi instead and save some money. So next step would be then to maybe get their high end model while that would be much better? than a stagi, it would still be relatively affordable, I'm comparing affordability to a entry level wheatstone here, I would love a Jeffries not even with my hopes in one hand, my dreams in the other and this box of broken promises could I afford one I really appreciate any replies.