Are ECs hot right now? My BB trip

[seanc]

Have English concertinas had a sudden burst of popularity?

 

I took my Wheatstone 3E with a bunch of money to BB this weekend with the intent of trading and spending money. Unfortunately, when I got there there were very few ( not complaining here). The $4200 edeophone, had sold the day before and the $5200 Aeola had just been shipped out as well. 
last time I was at BB they had loads of EC in all sorts of price ranges. But I was not in that market at that moment.

wow! 

Not complaing about BB here. Or, that nasty person that bought MY edeophone. But, genuinely curious as to if the EC is getting more popular? ‘Cuz COVID people are home and trying something new, branching out from Anglo? July is THE hot month for English etc?

Anyone have any insight?

 

[Geoff Wooff]

As  the  Button Box  is  one of  the  best known  sources  of  concertinas  in the USA  they  could  easily  see a run on their  stock  and  as  Doug  ( the owner)  is  looking to  sell the  business and retire  perhaps  he  does not  want  to  hold  too many  instruments.

 

But  as you say,  maybe  over the  last  year  or  so,  people  are staying around  home  and  taking  the  opportunity  to  learn  a new  instrument  .

 

Perhaps  Barleycorn Concertinas  in  the UK  will  be  better  informed on market  trends.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Geoff Wooff

[seanc]

There are p, obviously, a lot of variables here. And I do not pretend to have a grasp on what is going on. 
 

what I can say is that I went there a year or so ago. And they had TONs of ECs. I went back a few months ago, and they still had about the same number, maybe a couple more or less. Some of the mid range @2k had shifted around, but the higher end 3k+ seemed like the same ones. 
 

then going this weekend. They had maybe 4? But the real surprise was that within a day or so they had sold both the $4 edeophone and the $5k Aeola. Leading me to ask the question if ECs are seeing a surge in popularity.

 

i have had really bad luck with UPS and shipping. Ups destroyed a $2k bass and then refused any sort of claim, even though I insured in full. Due to “inadequate” packing. 
the kicker on that one, is they sent it to their, assessment facility (in ca). Judged that the packing WAS inadequate, then, they sent it Back to me in Mass.. with the same box and packing materials they judge to be inadequate! Seriously?!

 

but also, had some issues with banging around from KY to Mass. causing a lot of anxiety  and trips to Bob Snope at BB to sort out. 
 

such that I am really hesitant to take the leap and deal with shipping to or from the UK.

 

 

[Ken_Coles]

I have seen the inventory at Button Box vary considerably over the last 24 years. This is not outside of that pattern. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a few. And the shop shifts attention from fixing up instruments for sale (e.g., in the weeks before NESI when it was local to them) to doing repairs for customers and/or building Morse instruments. The late Rich Morse once pointed out that he had to make payroll for several employees every month whether things sold or not, so there were decisions about where effort should go at any given time.

 

For me getting the right instrument has taken patience. I heard about concertinas circa 1980 but had no idea where to find one (and little money as a student). In 1992 I finally stumbled across and bought a 20-button Stagi. Only in 1997 did I find a real box (my first Lachenal), and other players, and a teacher, after the internet had created a community you could research and connect to, for any obscure interest or hobby. So it can take a while, but not 5 (or 17) years for you I hope. Keep looking.

 

Ken

[Everett]

Interesting that when I contacted BB in early July about a repair on my Wheatstone, they said they were full up and it would be three months before I could send it in.  I inquired if they might take it as a trade-in and was told Doug would call me...never has. In the mean time, I may send my Wheatstone to an excellent tech in Wisconsin. Now I am wondering how it should be sent (USPS or UPS...certainly not Fed-EX). It will be double boxed and in its hardshell case. I learned long ago about the need for double boxing in NEW boxes if it is something valuable and/or fragile. 

[RP3]

Hi Everett,

 

Play it safe and only use Registered Mail from the US Post Office. Everyone who handles the package has to sign for it, so risk of loss is much, much lower than FedEx and UPS. IIRC, there is a limit on the total insurance, but IMHO it is the best way to go if a bit slower.

 

Ross Schlabach

Edited July 28, 2021 by RP3

[juris]

20 minutes ago, RP3 said:

Hi Everett,

 

Play it safe and only use Registered Mail from the US Post Office. Everyone who handles the package has to sign for it, so risk of loss is much, much lower than FedEx and UPS. IIRC, there is a limit on the total insurance, but IMHO it is the best way to go if a bit slower.

 

Ross Schlabach

Hi, Just to chime in, I find Canada Post and USPS much better and cheaper than any of the big three courier companies. They are a bit slower to be sure, but with the courier companies if your not home when they attempt delivery you have to jump through hoops to arrange pick up. With Canada Post they leave a notice in your mail slot and you go to the post office the next day to pick up. I assume it's similar with USPS. All three courier companies have destroyed or lost things for me which has never happened with Canada Post or USPS.  

[Everett]

1 hour ago, juris said:

Hi, Just to chime in, I find Canada Post and USPS much better and cheaper than any of the big three courier companies. They are a bit slower to be sure, but with the courier companies if your not home when they attempt delivery you have to jump through hoops to arrange pick up. With Canada Post they leave a notice in your mail slot and you go to the post office the next day to pick up. I assume it's similar with USPS. All three courier companies have destroyed or lost things for me which has never happened with Canada Post or USPS.  

Thank you for the advice. I agree.

[Steve Mansfield]

ECs are always hot. We just don’t feel the need to constantly tell everyone