darticus Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Is there a nice lower priced concertina made of real wood of good sound quality around. What would be considered a decent quality concertina for a reasonable price? What is a reasonable price? Thanks Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 $1800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 $1800 WOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill N Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 If you stick with a 20 button concertina and keep your eyes open, sometimes a nice rosewood Lachenal comes up for sale in the $700- $1,200 range. I bought one a few years ago at the lower end of the range, and it sounded great and was a wonderful player. However, I found not having the 3rd row very limiting for what I am playing these days, so sold it on. (there was no problem finding a buyer). Also, the old 20 button Lachenals that I have tried have varied tremendously in quality and condition. I wouldn't buy one without the chance to play it first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill N Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I should also have mentioned the 20 button concertinas made by Danie Labuschagne of South Africa. Danie builds very high quality instruments for Boer Music musicians. Although they are built on the same pattern as the cheap German concertinas, his craftsmanship and material choice is much better, and he uses top quality accordion reeds. He built me a double-reeded box (2 reeds tuned an octave apart for each note) in D/A and it has a glorious sound like a harmonium. However, it is bigger, heavier and slower to play than my Morse and Kensington 30 button instruments. It was a bargain when I bought it, even with the shipping from South Africa to Canada. I don't know if he is still making them, as he is getting on in years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Franch Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Everybody is assuming this guy is looking for an Anglo. Is that the case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Everybody is assuming this guy is looking for an Anglo. Is that the case? I have a 20 button Anglo so anglo seems to be the ticket. Thanks Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 I should also have mentioned the 20 button concertinas made by Danie Labuschagne of South Africa. Danie builds very high quality instruments for Boer Music musicians. Although they are built on the same pattern as the cheap German concertinas, his craftsmanship and material choice is much better, and he uses top quality accordion reeds. He built me a double-reeded box (2 reeds tuned an octave apart for each note) in D/A and it has a glorious sound like a harmonium. However, it is bigger, heavier and slower to play than my Morse and Kensington 30 button instruments. It was a bargain when I bought it, even with the shipping from South Africa to Canada. I don't know if he is still making them, as he is getting on in years. Sounds great! Does it sound like an accordion? What is the normal reed set up with a concertina? Mine I think has 40 reeds I guess 2 sets of 20 but they must be tuned the same way as no difference like an accordion. I have worked on accordions but never got inside the concertina. Thanks a lot Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) Is there an easy way to look at the reed set up on a concertina without causing damage taking it apart? Do they come apart easy like an accordion? Ron Edited June 11, 2016 by darticus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewVanitas Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 darticus, it'd help immensely if you let us know what kind of concertina you're interested in (Anglo, English, or Duet), your rough budget, and what kind of music you intend to play. At one end if want an Anglo just to accompany your singing, you can find a decent cheapie Stagi 20b for $100 if you ask around and do a little easy/unskilled cleanup on it. I bought a nicer vintage Jones 20b Anglo for $600 that was great, and if you want an English for playing intricate melodies or jazz or classical you can find vintage ones around that range too, or usable beginner plywood cheapies for around $300 or so. Give us a little more detail as to what you're looking for and we can advise better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 darticus, it'd help immensely if you let us know what kind of concertina you're interested in (Anglo, English, or Duet), your rough budget, and what kind of music you intend to play. At one end if want an Anglo just to accompany your singing, you can find a decent cheapie Stagi 20b for $100 if you ask around and do a little easy/unskilled cleanup on it. I bought a nicer vintage Jones 20b Anglo for $600 that was great, and if you want an English for playing intricate melodies or jazz or classical you can find vintage ones around that range too, or usable beginner plywood cheapies for around $300 or so. Give us a little more detail as to what you're looking for and we can advise better. I don't know what I want. Have 2 20 button anglo's here now. I am just looking. I play simple old American classics. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewVanitas Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) I don't know what I want. Have 2 20 button anglo's here now. I am just looking. I play simple old American classics. Ron Good deal, that helps a ton! Okay, so you have some cheapie 20b Anglos, but you want a better-quality vintage concertina with real wood and classic concertina reeds (all modern cheapies use accordion reeds in a concertina body). Are you finding the 20 buttons you have now to be plenty for what you play, or are you wanting to be playing in a wider range of keys? If you're fine with what you have, my hands-down recommendation since you're in the US would be to contact Greg Jowaisas (http://www.gregsfolkmusic.com/) and ask what he has for 20b Anglos. I can't speak for his current stock, but in the past he's had some good refurbished vintage stuff in the $500 range, and for just a little more you can get some really nice little firecrackers of 20bs. If you feel slightly constrained by 20b, there are 22, 24, etc. button Anglos that give you the ability to play in a few more keys but are still notably less expensive than the 30b Anglos (which are in high demand for Irish music). Again, Greg is your man in either case, carries cool stuff, does his own repairs and refurbishment, and is all around just a great guy. Out of curiosity, when you say "American classics" what era are you talking about? Like Civil War era tunes, Tin Pan alley, or what? You've got me intrigued, and I bet several of us here would like to see any examples of your playing since it's always cool to see how different people approach the concertina. Definitely update the thread when you get your next concertina, sounds exciting! Edited June 11, 2016 by MatthewVanitas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill N Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) Sounds great! Does it sound like an accordion? What is the normal reed set up with a concertina? Mine I think has 40 reeds I guess 2 sets of 20 but they must be tuned the same way as no difference like an accordion. I have worked on accordions but never got inside the concertina. Thanks a lot Ron It has 80 reeds- 2 per note. With the octave tuning, and accordion reeds ganged on blocks like an accordion, it does sound somewhat accordion-ish which is perfect for the Newfoundland music I got it for. If your box has 40 reeds then it is single voiced- remember you have 2 notes per button. Edited June 11, 2016 by Bill N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) I don't know what I want. Have 2 20 button anglo's here now. I am just looking. I play simple old American classics. Ron Good deal, that helps a ton! Okay, so you have some cheapie 20b Anglos, but you want a better-quality vintage concertina with real wood and classic concertina reeds (all modern cheapies use accordion reeds in a concertina body). Are you finding the 20 buttons you have now to be plenty for what you play, or are you wanting to be playing in a wider range of keys? If you're fine with what you have, my hands-down recommendation since you're in the US would be to contact Greg Jowaisas (http://www.gregsfolkmusic.com/) and ask what he has for 20b Anglos. I can't speak for his current stock, but in the past he's had some good refurbished vintage stuff in the $500 range, and for just a little more you can get some really nice little firecrackers of 20bs. If you feel slightly constrained by 20b, there are 22, 24, etc. button Anglos that give you the ability to play in a few more keys but are still notably less expensive than the 30b Anglos (which are in high demand for Irish music). Again, Greg is your man in either case, carries cool stuff, does his own repairs and refurbishment, and is all around just a great guy. Out of curiosity, when you say "American classics" what era are you talking about? Like Civil War era tunes, Tin Pan alley, or what? You've got me intrigued, and I bet several of us here would like to see any examples of your playing since it's always cool to see how different people approach the concertina. Definitely update the thread when you get your next concertina, sounds exciting! I have only started to learn in the past few months. Played many instruments over the years including accordion, guitar, and keyboard. Retired and trying my luck with the concertina. Having fun playing the songs from the Civil War Concertina book. I do like songs like take me out to the ballgame and east side west side and eventually Irish music. I guess these might be classics. I have a Red concertina from musicians friend that has no name. It sounds good and I think its a Johnson FL 120. I ordered a Hohner D40 and it sounds very much like the red one so it may go back. Maybe some nice ood side on mine might be nice. Anyone make them? Don't know if I should go to a 30 button Anglo but asking questions. Thanks Ron Edited June 12, 2016 by darticus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Sounds great! Does it sound like an accordion? What is the normal reed set up with a concertina? Mine I think has 40 reeds I guess 2 sets of 20 but they must be tuned the same way as no difference like an accordion. I have worked on accordions but never got inside the concertina. Thanks a lot Ron It has 80 reeds- 2 per note. With the octave tuning, and accordion reeds ganged on blocks like an accordion, it does sound somewhat accordion-ish which is perfect for the Newfoundland music I got it for. If your box has 40 reeds then it is single voiced- remember you have 2 notes per button. Being new to this I think you mean one reed per note and thats why it doesn't sound like an accordion. Your has two per note. Cool! Thanks Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Harrison Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Jody Kruskal, on 09 Jun 2016 - 10:43 PM, said: $1800 WOW! I'm curious to know if the WOW! is for " seems like a lot" or "seems like good value for a good instrument" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyM Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I'm guessing its a "WOW -thats a lot of money" I started out with a chinese made £400 30button Anglo instrument, which i still have and take to work every day but the next step up was 3x that amount. Thats quite a jump and represents (to me) a serious investment. Fortunately I was able to sell my first born into slavery and my soul to the devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 I'm guessing its a "WOW -thats a lot of money" I started out with a chinese made £400 30button Anglo instrument, which i still have and take to work every day but the next step up was 3x that amount. Thats quite a jump and represents (to me) a serious investment. Fortunately I was able to sell my first born into slavery and my soul to the devil Before I had some bad luck it would have been fine but now NG. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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