LateToTheGame
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Posts posted by LateToTheGame
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A decade or (perhaps more) ago or so I forgot to lock my car and a visor sleeve holding a number of CDs were part of what was taken. That was one of them. I do remember thinking how disappointed the person was likely to have been as he or she attempted to listen to or sell the trad and children's folk music CDs that were there.
I had downloaded them to my computer so I was not completely lost.
The album does appear to be available for download on Amazon music as well as Apple Music. I'd encourage those of us who might be tempted to "share" or copy our CDs for others to only do so when they are no longer available for purchase. Especially in the Covid days when many gigs have dried up, we should be supporting artists whenever we can.
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clicking on this link brought me to an ad for blogs. Perhaps there is an error afoot. I did easily get into the blog through the website though.
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I assume you are looking at a Stagi with this vendor. My first concertina was a Stagi and it was ok. Their prices seem fair. If they are selling stock on hand that can be an advantage. As a repair and sales shop they should be able to deal with problems if your instrument is damaged in shipping. My first Stagi came with reed likely knocked out of place in shipping. It was from a mail order guitar shop. Yes, you read that right. It was pre-internet and purchased over the phone from pictures in a paper catalogue. But I digress. It ended up needing to go back and forth somewhere since no one there knew how to fix it at their shop. I think they actually sent it back to Italy. The older Stagi's were decent starter instruments. I have no idea how they are anymore.
Maybe you could put out a call here for any Philadelphia players. If they're close by maybe someone could give a Stagi a try for you. The concertina world is very small and for the most part, very kind.
The current price on a Button Box Stagi reflects the fact that they take it apart and make sure of tuning and function. I'd ask LIberty Bellows what they do to check and make sure their instruments are set up properly.
You are definitely going to be better off with an accordion store than with a massive mail order concern if they stand by their instruments.
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Could you just contact the Dippers? They would have the best idea of replacement cost.
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A direct message to a member who has posted something is to click on the circle with their picture or initial. That will get you to another page with a link to the envelope. Then proceed from there.
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On 9/26/2020 at 1:24 PM, David Barnert said:
Take a drive over to the Button Box (about an hour and a half drive). Call or email them first, as I’m not sure how the COVID situation is affecting their business hours and whether they allow walk-ins. See what they have in terms of used instruments or the R. Morse line they make themselves (very highly regarded). Also look at the Concertina Connection site. Depending on how much you’re thinking of paying, there’s a wide range of what either source would have available. I would stay away from any source but those two for inexpensive instruments.
Can you cross the border now? I thought it was closed due to Covid until at least the end of Oct.
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On 9/26/2020 at 11:28 AM, d.elliott said:
No experience of a claim, thank goodness, however I take pains to reduce the probability of cosmetic damage, about 8 yrs ago I started getting bespoke trywall shipping cartons made. think that in my case the damage would be nil or catastrophic.So far, I have only needed to used them within the UK, with defined delivery windows and signature. DPD communicate with the recipient about when to expect delivery and give them options for re-schedule.
I had not been bothered about the 14 days issue, but if shipping to very distant shores, I would look into this further. Typically shipping a £3k instrument by DPD the insurance has been less than £5 (in Euros)
Dave
My Dipper spent 2 days or so in Memphis, Tennessee where it was fully opened and inspected. That was 2017. The box had been re-taped and the concertina I, assume had been taken out of its case. In this situation they seem to have been very careful as only one reed was dislodged and that could have happened anywhere along the line. But International shipping of things that show up as odd in the xray are likely to be handled and visually inspected. That reed, still in it's shoe was rattling around, but went in nicely after I opened her up.
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Very interesting!
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I especially like that the lessons give you the tools and techniques you need to pick up tunes on your own by ear down the road. Each lesson builds systematically and seldom assumes you know something they haven't taught you yet. Starting with the melody line only they introduce you to ornaments and chords fairly early on. I am an ear player who uses music for reference with decades of being a pretty good flute and whistle player, and decades of being a stay at home fiddle player, both in ITM. I'd recommend their classes for anyone who doesn't have an expert down the road.
The call and response technique of copying a phrase a teacher plays for you is great for training your ear. And the lessons also provide sheet music if that is how you roll, as well as mp3s of the tune played through at a slow and slightly faster speed so you can play along.
The diagrams were useful to me. But you don't have to use them if they don't work for you. Seeing the ango keyboard in your mind's eye and finding it in your hands is important. Edel's lessons may have started on the Wheatstone layout. I don't remember. But they seldom do go up to the right hand accidentals in the beginning lessons. So the only difference there is: is the C# or the push or the pull.
The videos are presenting the same notes in enough ways you can find the method you wish to focus on within each lesson.
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I think you really have to listen to something like this on a great set of headphones or a good speaker. Our laptops won't do it justice.
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I'm assuming you are not pricing this because you are unsure what the price should be. That is not uncommon for older instruments in various states of repair. Information which might help you with your sale: Is there any air leaking in the bellows anywhere? Do all the reeds sound on both the pull and the pull? Do any buttons stick? Are there any smells? It appears that part of one of the handrails is cracked off. Is that the case.? Does the leather on the broken strap seem supple or dry?
And someone is going to ask you to take the ends off so they can see the reeds and internal mechanisms. This may seem scary. If you do that I recommend that you put the instrument down on something like a terry cloth towel so the screws won't roll of the table on to wherever, never to be seen again. Stick them in a jar or dish, even if you're just going to leave it taken apart for "just a minute." It is amazing how loose screws seem to evaporate or fly away on their own. If you use a screwdriver with a blade that fits the screw slot exactly and has comfortable handle you will have less of a chance slipping and damaging the wood or bunging up the screw. I usually hold two fingers close to the screw, one on other side of the screw I'm going to remove and turn the screw out using my fingers to protect the wood. I'm a bit over careful. But despite decades of working with tools and wood, I find taking apart a concertina is still a bit intimidating.
Also the country you are located in might be useful.
Good Luck
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Trinity College concertinas have not always gotten good reviews. You'd have to know your seller. I'd avoid Amazon for example, they don't have any experts going over their instruments, they just sell boxes from the factories. The Rochelles, while bigger are still pretty light. They are decent starter instruments. And if you buy from the Conncertina Connection or the Button Box will have been gone over before they are sold. That line also has an English line as well. I believe its called the Jackie. I had a Stagi for a while that was quite nice, but they vary as well. I just got lucky. If someone offers you a used one make sure you can play it in person. I'd avoid the 20 button anglo because you will be missing some accidentals, mostly a C#.which is a pretty important note, as well as Db and Bb. You'll grow out of it pretty fast unless you happen to use it for singing and the keys fit your voice. The english system doesn't lend itself to the detailed ornamentation that makes Irish music sound Irish, but lots of people don't really care. If you were getting heavily into Irish Trad it may be a big issue, but if you aren't it won't really be a big deal.
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Do you know what kind of music you are interested in? If it is Irish Traditional Music, the best type to start with is a C/G anglo. There are other types of concertinas that are good for other types of music, but the standard and easiest for Irish Trad stuff is the C/G anglo. Good luck.
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If the deployment is to someplace warm some or any place where the temperature can't be monitored inexpensive concertinas have reeds set in wax. You will want to avoid them. Ask your seller. Even if the rochelle seems large to most people it also feels sturdy and has some plastic type material that replaces the leathers inside. This could be a benefit if the temperature conditions cannot be controlled. I don't think a rochelle is likely to be a lifetime instrument for most people, but it is a good learning instrument and comparatively inexpensive. The world of concertinas is complicated by the fact that there are so many moving parts and a finite number of people who want to play them. So they are complicated to build and the economy of scale doesn't come very much into play.
Getting a hard case for the Rochelle may be tricky since they are a little larger than some. Perhaps that would be a good question to ask your seller.
Good luck.
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- If you are not sure about the concertina, I'd second the rental recommendation. The Button Box will send you an instrument in good shape, and you'll have a change to figure out if you like the ergonomics of playing. You'll gradually find you'll like a nicer sound than the cheapest models, but you'll basically be buying time. A lot of what you do in the beginning is finding your notes and learning the keyboard.
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On 8/17/2020 at 10:36 PM, malcolm clapp said:
Sounds awfully like a harmonica to me....
Ha, yes a harmonica for sure. But to the common man a reed is a reed. HaHa. The visuals are concertina like. BTW I was listing to this a a fairly decent volume and my dog left the room at the harmonica. She howls with concertinas.
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Thanks, This is so interesting, all three of the references... Thanks!
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Thanks for sharing
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Just now, LateToTheGame said:
I think a person I used to play with had a Carroll baritone. I am completely out of touch with them and no longer have contact info, but I think I am remembering this correctly.
This may be wrong. As it may have been another maker, but it doesn't hurt of ask...
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I think a person I used to play with had a Carroll baritone. I am completely out of touch with them and no longer have contact info, but I think I am remembering this correctly.
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You sort of need to define more money to get the most specific advice. $500, $1000, $1500? Many people starting out want to spend the least amount of money possible because they aren't sure they will stick with it.
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2 hours ago, DDF said:
I think the detector works by induction, it does sense aluminium powder and gold metal.
Cool!
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10 hours ago, DDF said:
That reminded me of something that has been on a shelf in the workshop for years.I just dug it out and took a picture I bought it thinking it was gold but when you put a metal detector/stud detector over it it doesn't register.I just put some in a drop of nitric acid and nothing happened so I guess its mica or goodness knows what.I think it was the box it came in mislead me originally.
There are a number of pigment powders that mimic gold. I have a couple of peanut butter jars full of some. I have a few boxes of powdered pigments from days when I had artistic aspirations. I do also have some gold leaf that is light as a feather it is so thin. I have no idea if it is actually gold or just gold like. Though a stud detector would not likely register. Or at least not the type I am thinking of that involves a magnet. Gold like aluminium does respond to a magnet..
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I'm glad you are getting some second and third opinions. The opinion of the We Buy Gold place seemed ill informed to me. A lllllooooonnnnggg time ago my grandfather-in-law was a prospector in Oregon and Mexico. These were in the days when the gold prices were strictly controlled at about $400. But he had bought and sold enough raw dust and chunks the size of grains of sand to make a poor living. This was the old guy with a shovel style prospecting so it was pretty labor intensive. He had a glass pill bottle in his pocket filled with stuff which looked as much like glittery grit than anything else. He told us was worth $500. Given his experience I had no reason to doubt him. Minimum wage was $1.50 at the time. Given how long he took to find the stuff I'm not sure how he fared compared to that hourly.
CD wanted "The Bunch of Keys" by Jason O'Rourke
in General Concertina Discussion
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