shutupthepunx Posted July 30 (edited) ...but alot of the same questions from before seem a bit dated. used to play guitar, bass , and drums although have lost all interest in playing anything the last 10years. now would like to start playing irish tunes on an anglo and not right sure what to get. i am aware that on guitar i progressed to a certain stage and then hit a wall that i never bothered to get over and then lost intereset. so i am slightly aware this might hapoen again. wren 2, £369 includes hardcase rochelle, £415 includes padded bag new swan, £688 includes 'padded box' seems like the rochelle is bigger and heavier which is a bit off putting. so maybe the question is, is the price difference worth it for the new swan over the wren 2? what do i get for that extra money, as its almost double the price. many thanks Edited July 30 by shutupthepunx to tidy up links Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shutupthepunx Posted July 30 the swan seems to have touch sensitive buttons.supposedly. and how does the number of bellows affect the playing/sound? the wren 2 has 8 fold bellows, and the new swan 6 fold. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolf Molkentin Posted July 30 1 hour ago, shutupthepunx said: the swan seems to have touch sensitive buttons.supposedly. I wonder what you might mean by that... Best wishes - 🐺 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don Taylor Posted July 30 I know nothing about either of the two McNeela concertinas, but I suspect that you need to look at the two listings and compare what the Wren 2 does not have compared to the Swan. For example the Swan has a "rivet action" and " leather bellows". Two items that I would consider essential. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mjolnir Posted August 1 Re the Rochelle, it is a bit bulky, but it's something you notice more when switching between it and a more expensive hybrid. If you're just playing the Rochelle, you get used to it's own particular weight distribution fairly quickly. Actually, they main thing that annoys me about the Rochelle is that the hand straps are ridiculously loose, but that's easy enough to fix. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terence Posted October 6 Hello, is 700 GBP your maximum price ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Timv Posted October 7 I have a Swan and am quite pleased with it. I can't speak for the Rochelle or Wren, but I had a cheap ~300 € concertina before that and the difference is huge. The Swan has very good response for the price and the sound levels of all reeds are very balanced over the whole range. My only problem is that the buttons are very thing and sometimes harder to hit, but I think you get used to this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LateToTheGame Posted October 14 I have not seen these in person, but does anyone have any experience with the new Blackthorn concertina? It seems like a good starter instrument at 999 pounds. The others are really only good for you to experiment with and see, "does my brain work this way" If you are already considering a 700 pound expenditure-- You will grow out of the others in a matter of months. Are there any rentals near you? Anyone you know you could borrow something from for a few weeks? If you think you may bail rental would be the best option. You will likely take a 200 pound hit on resale of anything if you abandon ship. Check and see what options for trade-in trade ups are offered as well. That may make a difference. As for a hard case, you don't really need one at this stage unless you are a kid or a terrible klutz. The kind of bag you can get for $20 will be fine until you find yourself trekking off to sessions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terence Posted October 20 As it was something important for me, what about considering a vintage one with "real" concertina reeds and not a hybrid ? Some at barleycorn concertinas are sold for this kind of price. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lachenal74693 Posted October 21 7 hours ago, Terence said: As it was something important for me, what about considering a vintage one with "real" concertina reeds and not a hybrid ? Some at barleycorn concertinas are sold for this kind of price. 26-button, I presume? There are 3 26-button Anglos there at the moment - one is C/G, two are G/D. The 26-button is a good compromise if you don't want a 20-button vintage, and can't afford a 30-button vintage. All three are at the top(pish) end of the OP's price range. I currently have a CC (English) onloan - I presume the Anglos are similar in size and quality of construction? Not very impressed. It is heavy, it is large. However, it is not as stiff as I had been warned to expect. Looking at the spec' in the OP, I wonder if the New Swan is the best option? It is 'standard'(ish) size and has leather bellows... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
