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At the end of March I am going to the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust Melodions and More day. Hopefully I can get some real help with my concertina playing.

 

I am concious that I am using a £75 Blue and Yellow 20 key Stagi that I picked up on EBay but I wouldn't have spent any more to find out if I liked this activity. I have decided that I love it and can spend 2 hours every evening just playing tunes - not well - lots of mistakes - but it will get better.

 

I am assuming that my concertina will stand out but I am not sure that that matters. Now I have been casting around to see what I can do next and thinking about what could be better with my instrument. It seems to me that my bellows is/are fairly firm and that it would make for easier playing if they were somewhat softer but when I look at instrument specs, the ones with leather bellows are all up at £1,000 and I am NEVER going to pay that just to sit at home and amuse myself (I am 65 coming on 66 so have no pretentions of pblic playing).

 

I have seen mention of Rochelle instruments and can see a 30 key one for £300. As I would not be able to try one of these before purchase (arthritis in the knees and hips limits how far I want to go), has anyone any opinions on whether this would be a good move?

 

David

I'll be going to melodeons & more for the 3rd time in march. First time I went I had one of the cheap 30buttons from hobgoblin (bellows were stiff at first but after about a year they were okay) and had learnt the tunes in the wrong key. (Oy! no laughing).

I now have a Tedrow C/G which has helped my playing...as sometime the old scarlatti (I sold it last year...but if it came up for sale again I'd buy it back in a heartbeat) had trouble keeping up with me.

 

Which classes have you chosen?

 

btw. try as many concertina's at M&M as you can gives you an idea of what you want.

 

I have had the concertina for about 2 years and in the beginning just learned the basic C keys. I dropped it until Xmas 2010 when I vowed that I would play Jingle Bells for the family. I did, although it didn't sound too good. Since then I have been practicing up to 2 hours every day and am now confident in both C and G but make lots of fingering mistakes (head running ahead of music, I'm afraid). I am also struggling with the penny whistle!

 

Hence, I thought I would attend the beginners but I was told that this was for absolute beginners and I would be better off in the other classes. On that advice I have signed up for 5. Mary Humphreys in the morning and 12. Liam Robinson in the afternoon. I have a bonus coming at the end of March so I am keen to look at what is there on the trade stands.

 

David

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At the end of March I am going to the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust Melodions and More day. Hopefully I can get some real help with my concertina playing.

 

I am concious that I am using a £75 Blue and Yellow 20 key Stagi that I picked up on EBay but I wouldn't have spent any more to find out if I liked this activity. I have decided that I love it and can spend 2 hours every evening just playing tunes - not well - lots of mistakes - but it will get better.

 

I am assuming that my concertina will stand out but I am not sure that that matters. Now I have been casting around to see what I can do next and thinking about what could be better with my instrument. It seems to me that my bellows is/are fairly firm and that it would make for easier playing if they were somewhat softer but when I look at instrument specs, the ones with leather bellows are all up at £1,000 and I am NEVER going to pay that just to sit at home and amuse myself (I am 65 coming on 66 so have no pretentions of pblic playing).

 

I have seen mention of Rochelle instruments and can see a 30 key one for £300. As I would not be able to try one of these before purchase (arthritis in the knees and hips limits how far I want to go), has anyone any opinions on whether this would be a good move?

 

David

 

I am a similar age to you and started out with a Hohner anglo which I bought on Ebay for about £150. It turned out to be a good buy and it got me started. I had previously tried English Concertina courtesy of a Folkworks absolute beginners day but did not really take to it, however, I took to the anglo straight away. After a while I began to get problems with a sticking button which I got Theo Gibb to have a look at but, though it was OK for a while, the problem recurred so I looked at what was left of my retirement lump sum and decided I could afford a better instrument and after looking around for a while got a Morse Ceili. Agreed that is much more than you seem prepared to pay at the moment but I find it was money well spent. It is just streets better than the Hohner. Nice flexible bellows, light action on the buttons and good tone (often commented on). I have not done much more than play it at home and take it to local folk clubs from time to time to sing the odd song with.

 

I have recently joined a wind band so it is getting more of an outing now and I am now having to play in keys other than G & D B) which is starting to stretch me and I am enjoying the challenge.

 

Buy the best you can possibly afford you won't regret it in the long term. Money spent on a good quality instrument is never wasted as it will give you years of pleasure.

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

Hi David

I believe that Theo Gibb, a member of this forum, and a melodoeon and concertina repairer, based in Gateshead, N.E. England, is an agent for the Rochelle anglo and sells them new at a cheaper price than they were previously on sale in the UK in music shops. It might be worthwhile contacting him. The link to his website is here.

 

Chris

 

Not any more, in the UK you can get them from the Music Room (£294) or Chris Algar

 

 

I obviously missed a trick by waiting until I had been to Melodions And More - The Music Room are now quoting £370 for a Rochelle although the US price at Button Box hasn't changed. Since I last loooked the pound has moved from 1.60 to 1.61 so there isn't much of a change in the exchange rate. Maybe I should get one from the States!

David

Edited by Long Haired David
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Hi David

I believe that Theo Gibb, a member of this forum, and a melodoeon and concertina repairer, based in Gateshead, N.E. England, is an agent for the Rochelle anglo and sells them new at a cheaper price than they were previously on sale in the UK in music shops. It might be worthwhile contacting him. The link to his website is here.

 

Chris

 

Not any more, in the UK you can get them from the Music Room (£294) or Chris Algar

I obviously missed a trick by waiting until I had been to Melodions And More - The Music Room are now quoting £370 for a Rochelle although the US price at Button Box hasn't changed. Since I last loooked the pound has moved from 1.60 to 1.61 so there isn't much of a change in the exchange rate. Maybe I should get one from the States!

David

Celtic Chords now lists them at £285, though they also say "This item is currently out of stock, however may be available to order in. Please call us on 01569 763913." You might want to give them a ring. I don't know if it's possible to order from one of the US dealers or not - but there are non-UK dealers closer to you in Belgium and in Ireland:

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There is a price rise expected when the new model Rochelle comes out. This may be what you're seeing. I don't know what the price was expected to be, but Wim Wakker did mention it somewhere on this forum.

 

I'm not sure if Music Room have actually put their price up, I thought it was £370 when I looked a while back and that's what I paid a couple of years ago - but the pound was cr*p against the dollar at that point.

I have also seen the lower price, so maybe somebody just forgot to change it on the web site.

 

I understand, again elsewhere on here, that shipments of the new model are arriving.

Edited by malcolmbebb
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...Maybe I should get one from the States!

I've had things sent to me in the UK by the Button Box and they've been excellent. However, if you did take this route you'd need to factor in shipping costs, import duties, and VAT which can add quite a lot to the total price. This thread discusses the ins and outs (note the Concertina pun! :rolleyes: ).

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Hi David

I believe that Theo Gibb, a member of this forum, and a melodoeon and concertina repairer, based in Gateshead, N.E. England, is an agent for the Rochelle anglo and sells them new at a cheaper price than they were previously on sale in the UK in music shops. It might be worthwhile contacting him. The link to his website is here.

 

Chris

 

Not any more, in the UK you can get them from the Music Room (£294) or Chris Algar

 

 

I obviously missed a trick by waiting until I had been to Melodions And More - The Music Room are now quoting for a Rochelle although the US price at Button Box hasn't changed. Since I last loooked the pound has moved from 1.60 to 1.61 so there isn't much of a change in the exchange rate. Maybe I should get one from the States!

David

 

Hi David,

 

I may have a used Rochelle that I could sell you for what I payed, which would work out to about 190 pounds (plus shipping, etc. I'm in Canada) It's like new. I lent it to a friend, but he seems to have given up. If you are interested, I'll ask for it back.

 

Bill

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There is a 6 month old Rochelle on ebay (UK) which currently has no bids on it. The starting price is £100 plus £15 carriage.

 

Edit: Just to be clear, I have no connection with the seller, nor do I have any knowledge of the particular instrument in question.

Edited by 12barblues
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I obviously missed a trick by waiting until I had been to Melodions And More - The Music Room are now quoting £370 for a Rochelle although the US price at Button Box hasn't changed. Since I last loooked the pound has moved from 1.60 to 1.61 so there isn't much of a change in the exchange rate. Maybe I should get one from the States!

 

David,

 

You'll find the latest batch of Rochelles are of the improved new "Second Edition" model, with Italian reeds, so the price has gone up recently - hence I'm now selling them for €335 (£285, with no added VAT or Duty to pay). But some dealers may still have stock of the old model, which was cheaper.

Edited to convert price to £s

Edited by Stephen Chambers
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I have spoken to Celtic Chords and he says the has some coming this week and some more by the end of the month and that the price will be close to £285. He says that The Music Room has normally charged £370 so the price that I saw was obviously a special.

 

I am still not going to buy anything until the end of this month.

 

I will keep you in touch.

David

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Hi David

I believe that Theo Gibb, a member of this forum, and a melodoeon and concertina repairer, based in Gateshead, N.E. England, is an agent for the Rochelle anglo and sells them new at a cheaper price than they were previously on sale in the UK in music shops. It might be worthwhile contacting him. The link to his website is here.

 

Chris

 

Not any more, in the UK you can get them from the Music Room (£294) or Chris Algar

 

 

I obviously missed a trick by waiting until I had been to Melodions And More - The Music Room are now quoting for a Rochelle although the US price at Button Box hasn't changed. Since I last loooked the pound has moved from 1.60 to 1.61 so there isn't much of a change in the exchange rate. Maybe I should get one from the States!

David

 

Hi David,

 

I may have a used Rochelle that I could sell you for what I payed, which would work out to about 190 pounds (plus shipping, etc. I'm in Canada) It's like new. I lent it to a friend, but he seems to have given up. If you are interested, I'll ask for it back.

 

Bill

 

Thanks for the offer. However, by the time you add shipping and then the UK customs will add 20% VAT - sales tax plus the shipping company will add £10 for handling, I won't be far off the UK price. I own a Scale Model Shop - plastic kits for aeroplanes, taks etc. and I get quite upset when people go overseas for kits because they are cheaper - all it does in undermine the UK sellers (no offence intended to you of course and yours is a generous offer) so I really should keep my own faith and support local sellers.

 

Thanks again

 

David

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I own a Scale Model Shop - plastic kits for aeroplanes, taks etc. and I get quite upset when people go overseas for kits because they are cheaper - all it does in undermine the UK sellers (no offence intended to you of course and yours is a generous offer) so I really should keep my own faith and support local sellers.

 

There's a thought...Airfix concertina's. ;)

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I own a Scale Model Shop - plastic kits for aeroplanes, tanks etc.

 

There's a thought...Airfix concertina's. ;)

 

Well I do have some all-plastic harmonicas (yes, even the reeds!) that were made after the Second World War, and a toy accordion (with paper bellows) that was made by the same firm in Southport, so maybe? :huh:

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