Tony Curtin Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 Has anybody here played the McNeela Swan Anglo C/G? As someone completely new to concertina,I’m thinking of buying one as a beginner’s instrument. Any advice regarding same would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Draper Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I bought one three years ago. I wasn't sure if I would take to the concertina so I was looking for a decent hybrid. I was pleasantly surprised by the qualilty. It feels and sounds good. I've moved onto a vintage Lachenal so I can compare the two. The Lachenal has a warmer sound and the buttons are shorter, wider and more comfortable. The Swan sounds a bit 'tinnier' to my ears now but I think I would have been happy to stay with it if I hadn't bought the Lachenal. The Swan is quite comfortable to play and I would recommend it as a beginner intstrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spencer Chandler Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 I had the Swan for about 9 months before selling it on this forum. I then bought a Lachenal (c. 1917). It definitely got me going on concertina, coming from both piano accordion and box (C#/D) but started to fade in appeal after several months. I became aware of the compromises that McNeela has to make in order to create the instrument at a lower price. I’m not faulting him at all. But there’s a lack of soul and responsiveness that I became aware of, and I wanted something warmer, more personal, with more character. You could totally get it and be happy with it, and/or be ready to part with it after a year or so. It’s fine as a transitional instrument and maybe for some folks it’s all they want in a concertina. If you’re a beginner to concertina, it’s definitely going to be a stronger choice than the Wren, but you might consider looking for a Phoenix (used or new) as that could give you more room to grow on the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pentaprism Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 I did buy the Swan but if I started over again, I wouldn't buy it. For about the same amount of money, I recommend instead getting a better 20-button. Later on, when you are ready to upgrade to a good 30-button, you can keep the 20-button as a spare or for travel. There are plenty of tunes that can be played with a 20-button. If you get the Swan now and later upgrade, I think you'll find the Swan frustrating and you won't want to keep it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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