Planning To Learn To Play Irish Traditional Music On The Concertina

[Doolinmusic]

I am wondering what is a good instrument to purchase for a beginner. What should I expect to pay and where is a good place to buy a concertina.

[JimR]

Head west to Sunderland and visit (even if it is just online) The Button Box.

[Bob Michel]

Head west to Sunderland and visit (even if it is just online) The Button Box.

Excellent suggestion, especially if you (the OP, I mean) can make the trip in person to try out different types of instrument.

 

If your main interest is Irish music you'll probably (though not necessarily) want an Anglo, as opposed to an English or duet concertina. So what follows is specific to Anglos.

 

Get a box with 30 (or more) buttons, preferably in C/G. You can play lots of fine music with 20 buttons, but sooner or later you'll be playing with other musicians, in the most common keys, and that means you'll want accidentals--especially the critical C# for playing in D, which a 20-button C/G concertina doesn't have.

 

As long as your instrument is in tune, reasonably airtight and doesn't require too much strength to play, you can have a great time and learn a lot about playing the music. That said, there are three entry points worth considering, depending on how committed you are and how much you have to spend:

 

1. The Concertina Connection's Rochelle runs a bit over $400, or slightly less used. It's (relatively) big and clunky, but it's well made and has a lovely tone all its own, especially nice for song accompaniment. It's responsive enough that with a bit of work you can play the Irish dance repertoire at a reasonable speed. I'm a big fan of these, and think they're probably the best choice out there for most beginners.

 

2. If you want something a bit sprightlier and more traditional, and if you can afford it, you'll be looking at a "hybrid" concertina with accordion reeds. Here you have lots of good choices: Morse, Edgley, Tedrow, Marcus and so on. A new one will be expensive, probably well over two grand; a used one might go for around $1500, or less if you're lucky. This could be a lifetime companion and/or a good investment: once you get past the sticker shock, you have a quality handmade instrument that's actually a bargain at the price.

 

3. And speaking of sticker shock, if you want a modern or vintage instrument by a top maker with traditional concertina reeds, you'll spend anywhere from $2,000(-ish) for a playable Lachenal to over $10,000 for a Holy Grail Jeffries. Very few novices are going to be thinking along those lines--but one can dream. And the current makers with the best reputations have long waiting lists, so there's always the option of placing a deposit now, buying a Rochelle and procuring a very large piggy bank.

 

I haven't gone concertina shopping for many years, but I think these figures are reasonably accurate, and I'll happily stand corrected if someone knows better. In your shoes I believe I'd get myself a Rochelle, and--if the bug has bitten you hard--start learning about the various hybrids, with a view to upgrading as soon as it's financially feasible. Hope this helps.

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

[Daria]

Highly recommend The Buttonbox, They have a great upgrade policy. I started on a Stagi which I found difficult to play and would not recommend, and they took it back as a trade in at almost the sticker price when I upgraded to a Morse. Great folks to work with too.

[Lakeman]

I can't fault the Button Box - a unique place in the Northern Hemisphere.I have visited there and, in particular, the staff are expert and eager to please. But... if you have a bit of money and would really like a ( not too expensive) second-hand vintage anglo, don't forget the amazing Barleycorn Concertinas in England run by Chris Algar. He's been at it for decades, is most trustworthy and reliable. His instruments always go out " playable", ie: in concert pitch, all buttons,levers, pads, bellows working etc.I've only ever dealt in duets with Chris..but he must always have a room -full of anglos of every shape and size. Dont be put off by the fact that it is on the other side of the Atlantic.He sends and recommends you use a very reputable shipper ( which includes adequate insurance etc) and will probably take the instrument back if it is not for you. But, if it is a pretty stadard 30-button Anglo you want, you won;t go far wrong with Chris.

[MatthewVanitas]

Do note that the Button Box also has some rentals available. That could be a good way to see if concertina is for you, to try one out for a bit without committing too heavily. But definitely if you get a chance to drive out there and visit with them, that might really help you puzzle out what you're looking for.

 

If your budget isn't too big, possibly a good bet would be to rent a concertina for a couple months, and when your time is up, buy a used concertina from either Button Box, or from a member here in our classifieds section. If your budget is small, a member here might have a 30-button beater for a few hundred dollars, and if you've just fallen in love with the concertina, I've run across some pretty good deals on 30-buttons in the $1k and change area.