Mac Catháin

Try a AKG C 1000S.... a excellent condenser mic, has a battery power or you can use phantom power... we run it straight to the sound system board; excellent mic for a variety of applications, such as fiddles, accordions, etc.

Is it normal for an Anglo concertina to be slightly sharp of a 440 A tuning? I was told they generally are? Are they trying to pull a culchie's leg? Mise Mac Catháin

Dear Folk... Comments, praise, curses... feed back in general on these two English system conertinas. the Stagi Mini, a 18 button model (price circa 350 and up), then the Jackie (price circa 250). The Mini sounds particularly nice for a younger player. I do realise you only have two octaves (actually one note shy of that)... but still it sounds like it has much potential. Only 1 and 1/2 pound. again very good for a younger player I would think. Then the Jackie which is an entry level English with 30 key one... What say the folk? Mac Catháin

A fine thing I've done bringing up this topic I see!.... great fun reading all the post and emails I have gotten I will tell you. I am more mixed up now than ever, which is not such a bad thing. Obviously both the Anglo and English systems have their place. BTW.... we often have Old Time fiddle players sit in with us, the youngest in his mid 70s now... and they ALL have rattlesnake rattles in their fiddles, why? To make the fiddle Male.... that's what two (Old) Old Time players told me. My family made fiddles back from the 1790s onward.. .they all had the rattle added. My son is learning fiddle from the Old Time players here, which is the wooded hills of north Mississippi. Most of the players are of Celtic ancestry, most Irish, but a Welsh man in there, their people came to this area circa 1830s. Some fine fiddle music I tell you. But I digress... My last trip over to Ireland I spent time in the Conemara Gaeltacht, two teenage boys there that could set fires with their piano accordians!!! I travel very off beaten paths ways in Ireland, and have found a fair number of piano accordian players. Last trip also I heard a concertina player in County Antrim... a good one to. Any thoughts on makes and models suitable for younger players. I saw a mini English that looked grand for a 9 year old. What about the ship-loads of Chinese Anglos? any good ones, or is like guitar buying... you have to ante up before you get the needed quality... the concertina player with the Boys of the Lough uses and English BTW. Mise Mac Catháin

First, go raibh mile maith agaibh to each person who has been kind enough to answer my humble request for enlightenment. Exactly what I needed, input from people who play. I am amazed at the variety of concertinas out there. I know if I had to buy myself a new guitar (gods fobid) I'd go and get a Martin, have a set up job, and be ready to attack the stage again. With concertinas, I am out of my field for sure. I do know of a couple of good Irish players who use the English system one, but quite right, most use the Anglo. I must admit I am leaning toward the English sytem... just as I can 'hear' in my head what it could do with all those sharps and flats. It would be cruel beyond belief to get one of each for a young player wouldn't it! He would curse me for life. Any folk who would like to suggest makes... please do so. Mise Mac Catháin

Dear Folks... here's the deal. I am a professional musician, a lowly rhythm guitar player in a (shock) success folk band. So I know a bit about music. I want to buy a concertina for a 9 year old, who sits in with us on percussion right now. He's talented for sure. So I face this problem.... English or Anglo-German. Now we play a lot of trad Gaelic music, but also trad Old Time Southern (USA) music, gypsy jazz, Beatle covers, and a lot of original music in many styles. Now, after reading... it seems to my tiny brain that the English style concertina would be grand. Hold a note a long time etc., Then I know trad Irish players favour the Anglo-German one. But not all though, a few brave Gaels imbrace the English system. I understand the technical differences between the two types. I need input. I am behind the curve on this. A virtual simpleton... I read about Simon Thoumire, he certainly seems to do well on the English concertina. It seems to my mind to have a lot of potential... enlighten this poor lost soul.... Mise Barra Mac Catháin, ceoltoir le the Bush River Band.