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Advice for first-time buyer


CMA

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Hello all,

 

(I apologize in advance if this topic has been discussed before)

 

My husband is looking to get a concertina...he bought one in March but the buttons kept sticking after only 1 day (it was a Bonetti) and he had to return it and the company never replaced it. 

He is looking to take it on deployment coming up, so it needs to be a very reliable model with a case but something not super expensive since it will be in less than ideal conditions. He has been told that a Trinity College or Roschelle Anglo model would be good, but also heard of the Wren 2. It would also be an added bonus if the company had better customer service in case of issues. 

 

If any of you could please point me in the right direction I would be very grateful! Thank you!

 

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22 hours ago, CMA said:

Hello all,

 

(I apologize in advance if this topic has been discussed before)

 

My husband is looking to get a concertina...he bought one in March but the buttons kept sticking after only 1 day (it was a Bonetti) and he had to return it and the company never replaced it. 

He is looking to take it on deployment coming up, so it needs to be a very reliable model with a case but something not super expensive since it will be in less than ideal conditions. He has been told that a Trinity College or Roschelle Anglo model would be good, but also heard of the Wren 2. It would also be an added bonus if the company had better customer service in case of issues. 

 

If any of you could please point me in the right direction I would be very grateful! Thank you!

 

 

The Wren and the Rochelle are generally considered to be the best of the student/beginner Anglos.

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On 9/10/2020 at 11:59 PM, CMA said:

...If any of you could please point me in the right direction I would be very grateful! Thank you!

 

I think I'm correct in saying that the Concertina Connection instrument is 7 1/4" across the flats? This

is, to my mind, a major disadvantage - it's too big, I handled a CC English a while back, and the large size

was very awkward. Also the quality of construction was poor IMO.

 

[Warning - hearsay alert!]

I haven't had my hands on a McNeela Wren, but I know two folks who have used one recently (one purchaser,

and one using an 'on-loan' instrument. Both report being very happy with this (6 1/4") instrument.

Edited by The Crimson Avenger
Correction: One purchaser, not two as I originally stated...
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If the deployment is to someplace warm some  or any place where the temperature can't be monitored inexpensive concertinas have reeds set in wax.  You will want to avoid them. Ask your seller.  Even if the rochelle seems large to most people it also feels sturdy and has some plastic type material that replaces the leathers inside.  This could be a benefit if the temperature conditions cannot be controlled.   I don't think a rochelle is likely to be a lifetime instrument for most people, but it is a good learning instrument and comparatively inexpensive.   The world of concertinas is complicated by the fact that there are so  many moving parts and a finite number of people who want to play them.  So they are complicated to build and the economy of scale doesn't come very much into play.  

 

Getting a hard case for the Rochelle may be tricky since they are a little larger than some.   Perhaps that would be a good question to ask your seller.

 

Good luck.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’d say the CC. Rochelle/ jack/ elise etc as well.

 

its good enough to get going on. And move up later.

its cheap enough if it gets destroyed It is not a tragedy

its easily replaced. By the exact same thing in lots of places.

there is really nothing special about it. When he is ready to move up, he could gift it to somebody in his squad when he ships back.

 

He could even put unit stickers on it and not destroy its value!

 

and I’d do some sort of pelican case and cut the foam yourself. Water proof / sand proof/ sealed could be a real plus depending on conditions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by seanc
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