Gear4Music 30-Button C/g Anglo

[Roger Hare]

I'm going on a fairly rugged sailing trip next year and would like to take a concertina

with me. I want a low(ish)-end instrument - I've no intention of taking a good quality

vintage instrument north of the Arctic Circle on a yacht, even in summer!!

 

I've been looking at the possibility of buying a Rochelle - they seem to be highly thought

of in these forums, and kick-in at a reasonable price.

 

However, today I came across this cheaper 'alternative' on eBay:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Concertina-by-Gear4music-C-G/dp/B00VUXQE10/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1445337097&sr=8-12&keywords=anglo+concertina

 

I can find only one reference to this instrument on these forums, and no stated

opinion. There is relatively little information about the instrument on the vendor's

web site.

 

Has anyone tried one of these?

My inclination is still to go for a Rochelle, but it's always worth canvassing other

opinions.

 

Thank you.

 

Roger.

[Don Taylor]

Almost certainly a Chinese knock-off of a Stagi:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/15KW-Concertina_1076001573.html?spm=a2700.7724838.30.228.OZqYLb

[MatthewVanitas]

I'd be wary of going too-cheap on such an instrument; it'd be vexing to be a week out of port and end up chucking your cheapie over the side when it starts falling apart!

 

Different environment than yours, but I exposed my Concertina Connection Elise (cousin to the Rochelle you're considering) to Afghanistan for half a year and it came through just fine. I wasn't necessarily playing it in sandstorms or throwing it out of helicopters or anything, but it was being stored in drafty barracks tents, being played in dusty rural military camps, bouncing around in a thin case wrapped up in my clothes in a seabag as I moved around from base to base, etc and held up well. Though in your case you'd have a lot less issue with dust, some similar issue with temperature swings, and more with corrosion and humidity

 

I didn't bring my CC Elise with me here to West Africa, partly because I've had it in storage with my other worldly goods, but I am having a Stagi-Brunner PL-42 plastic-bodied 20b Anglo concertina shipped over from the US; got it cheap used on eBay. I have no idea if the plastic body will at all hold up better under Liberia's humidity and whatnot, but I've been meaning to mess with one anyway and it was cheap enough to roll the dice on, so hopefully by the end of the year or so I should have it out here in the bush in West Africa.

 

 

Now, if you want something high-quality and durable but not risking a vintage instrument, at the risk of being self-serving we do have a thread going for my "Modern Campaign Concertina" idea. Basically I'm working on commissioning a project from the startup Holden Concertinas for a small square 24b Duet concertina made with stuff like carbon-fibre frame, anodized metal ends, plexiglass reedblocks, etc. I think I have dibs in line, but if the idea absolutely sings to you, perhaps Alex might be able to execute essentially the same design in a 24b Anglo? It wouldn't be Stagi-cheap, but it could be reasonably affordable, considerably more durable than vintage, but something nice enough that you'd actually want to play it other than just on the boat. I'm just glad to see another person taking the concertina to exiting locales!

 

"Campaign Concertina" thread: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=18081&page=1

Edited October 21, 2015 by MatthewVanitas

[Don Taylor]

Roger

 

Here is one of the treasures that have been hidden since concertina.net was trimmed down.

 

I think that you will enjoy it:

http://www.concertina.net/gs_adventures.html

[Roger Hare]

Almost certainly a Chinese knock-off of a Stagi:

 

Pretty much what I expected to hear, but wasn't sure. Thank you.

 

...I'm just glad to see another person taking the concertina to exiting locales!

...

...at the risk of being self-serving we do have a thread going for my "Modern Campaign Concertina" idea...

 

Bodo to Northern Cape, Norway is the proposed route - and back, we hope! Dunno what the

Norwegians will make of it, but they have a wonderfully subtle sense of humour - lovely country,

lovely people!!!

 

I've been following that interesting thread. It was me that wondered about polypropylene bellows.

The idea didn't go down too well if I remember correctly.

 

Here is one of the treasures that have been hidden since concertina.net was trimmed down.

 

I think that you will enjoy it:

 

You are correct - fascinating. There are some nice looking instruments there - I wonder where they are now...

 

Thanks folks - I think I'm going for the Rochelle - once I have permission from the mate to take one with me

in the first place - the skipper is already a confirmed concertina-head!

 

Roger

Edited October 21, 2015 by lachenal74693