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Help! Cluelessly trying to buy concertina for boyfriend


Rosie_G

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Rosie, the Button Box (run by Cnet member Theo) is the cheapest place I know of in the UK to get hold of Rochelle and Jackies, currently offering them at 295 UKP. That includes the soft case and the tutor written by Wim Wakker.

 

Rochelles and Jackies are both concertinas, but they are very different instruments - the English fingering system (a Jackie is an English) is completely different to that of the anglo system (a Rochelle is an anglo). Jacks are also English system but baritone, e.g. they sound an octave lower than the treble: most English players start playing on a treble (e.g. a Jackie) and then start lusting after a baritone a few years later :)

 

Personally, I'd strongly advise you to get your boyfriend involved in the research and purchasing decision now. Rochelles and Jackies make excellent beginners instruments - but it seems to me that you don't know which of those you need to buy, so it's time to reveal your plans and get the lucky recipient involved.

 

The initial element of suprise will be lost; but imagine how you'll feel if he unwraps the concertina and ..

 

it's the wrong one ....

 

Agreed. Also, if the Anglo is the way he chooses to go then I would give a +1 for the Rochelle. It is a nice instrument for what it does and what it costs. jmho, Dave.

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I was also surprise to see the difference in price between Uk and Us dollars, especially since the rochelle is made in china. If we do the conversion, the button box in Massasushet, usa (the real one) is selling their rochelle for 227£, compare to the 350£ i see in the uk store on the web.........it makes you wonder if it would not be cheaper to order from the states and take advantage of the exchange program from many retailer!!

 

A new and more than happy rochelle owner, recently bought used for 200$ or 129£ on craigslist!

 

Robert

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Hi again guys,

 

Thanks for all the help, Rochelle seems the way to go. Discussed it with himself, turns out he already kinda knew what i was up to...I'm obviously no good at trying to organise surprises!

 

I'm getting him afew tune book to get him started.... once again I'm in no way musical.. is it essential to have an CD with the book?? Or any advice on good tune book??

 

Cheers,

Rosie

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....it makes you wonder if it would not be cheaper to order from the states and take advantage of the exchange program from many retailer!!

Robert

 

Remember there is import duty and VAT to add - about 21% in total, and VAT is going up in January.

 

- John Wild

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I'm getting him afew tune book to get him started.... once again I'm in no way musical.. is it essential to have an CD with the book?? Or any advice on good tune book??

 

Again, a very difficult question to answer without a bit more information. What sort of music is he looking to play on the Rochelle? Which players have inspired him to want to play concertina?

 

Don't forget the the Internet is probably the biggest tune book ever, and makes it massively more easy to find the dots (or notation like abc, which can be easily processed into dots) for a particular favourite tune than it ever was before.

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You may be losing your boyfriend for a while each day.. It's addictive..

This is not your everyday instrument you just pick up and play. I've been doing this for 3 years plus and I still suck... but I love it, and I improve every day... in my mind.:)

 

By the way, What are you wearing>>>B) :ph34r:

Edited by drbones
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Hi Rosie,

 

I also live in the UK and bought myself a Rochelle about a month or two ago. At the time, I bought a lot of teach yourself books and a DVD on Irish Trad Music.

I've only scratched the surface with them so far, but i might come back and finish them off as I progress.

 

I'm really having too much fun to read them from cover to cover.

 

There is a very useful booklet that comes with the Rochelle.

 

 

 

 

Hi again guys,

 

Thanks for all the help, Rochelle seems the way to go. Discussed it with himself, turns out he already kinda knew what i was up to...I'm obviously no good at trying to organise surprises!

 

I'm getting him afew tune book to get him started.... once again I'm in no way musical.. is it essential to have an CD with the book?? Or any advice on good tune book??

 

Cheers,

Rosie

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Hi guys,

 

First time user on this forum, hope I've the topic in the right place!

 

My boyfriend's birthday is fast approaching and I'd planned to get him an anglo concertina. However, I have no idea where to look, or what price range is even considered reasonable. Too much to choose from it seems.

 

Would really appreciate some advice on what to go for. He has never played before, so whats best for beginners?? Sorry so clueless.

 

Thanks,

 

R

As mentioned by others, get in touch either with Theo (near Newcastle http://www.theboxplace.co.uk/)or Chris Algar at Barleycorn near Stoke on Trent, and go together and see them. Chris certainly often has cheap, classical boxes which are in good working order though they may not be Concourse looking and anyway you can resell later or upgrade with them.

http://www.concertina.co.uk/

 

Also somewhere there is a restorer who likes to repair faded boxes and sell them cheaply on ebay so they get a new life and it is a hobby so they are not dear but perhaps someone else can remember his ebay name - something like brianclocks....

 

If you are near Coventry then Pete Grassby may have something to suit

http://www.actionability.co.uk/PG/

and near Welshpool/Shrewsbury Rees Wesson does melodeons but he occasionally has concertinas

http://d1073320.mydomainwebhost.com/

Edited by Kautilya
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Also somewhere there is a restorer who likes to repair faded boxes and sell them cheaply on ebay so they get a new life and it is a hobby so they are not dear but perhaps someone else can remember his ebay name - something like brianclocks....

 

Found him:

It is Bryanclocks1 - he is in Lincolnshire

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/bryanclocks1

 

occasionally sells oldish German anglos which go for between 40 and 100 quid and tey are no great shakes in the antique concertina money stakes (Lachenal and Wheastone are in a different league), but they did and do work.

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