William Halsted Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 Hello, I am interested in getting a concertina to accompany myself while singing, like how David Coffin does it. For this purpose I think I want an English baritone concertina. Can anyone recommend a functional but cheaply-priced introductory concertina so I can try it out and see if I like the idea? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 Purely to test out whether it suits your singing you could think about getting a Jack Baritone Concertina. They sometimes come up second hand for around £200 and are around £450 new. Otherwise you are probably looking at £1,500 plus for a playable Wheatstone. The Jack might be a sensible option to see if your voice suits it/ can carry over the concertina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Halsted Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 @Rikki Thank you, I'll look into it. Could you recommend any places I could pick one up second-hand? Regarding a nice one, do you know if the Stagi brand is any good, and how it compares to Wheatstone? Stagi makes a nice English baritone concertina that I can get for under $1,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Hi William. I'm based in Scotland and it looks like you're not in the UK so I wouldn't have any idea where best to source one. I believe that Concertina Connection have a trade-in program on Jack Concertinas which may suit you if you think you may wish to upgrade. My own experience of Stagi is not good and I believe that the quality can vary considerably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Taylor Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 23 hours ago, William Halsted said: Could you recommend any places I could pick one up second-hand? Try the original seller, the Concertina Connection, as they often have used instruments for sale that have been traded in against a better model in their range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Halsted Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 (edited) @Rikki@Don TaylorThank you both for your advice. Concertina Connection has no pre-owned Jack baritones, but they do have an Elise Hayden duet one. How does that compare? In looking around, I have also noticed the Trinity College concertina, which is sold fairly cheaply and appears to be a beginner model. Can you tell my anything about that brand? Would it also be a decent instrument? Thanks! Edited March 12 by William Halsted Added another model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Taylor Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Neither of these (the Elise and the Trinity college) are baritone ECs (English Concertinas) as played by David Coffin. The Elise is a Hayden duet with a lowest note of the C below middle C, I am not sure which Trinity College concertina you are referencing - is it an EC or an Anglo? Do you have any idea of the range of your voice and what keys you are comfortable singing in? I ask because all of the entry-level concertinas have a limited range and limited keys so you had better be careful to pick one that would work for your voice. David Coffin's EC is probably worth way north of $5,000 and there is a reason for that high price tag vs. the price you want to pay for an entry-level concertina - playability, tone, build quality and the sheer rarity of baritone ECs. Both the Elise and the Trinity College concertinas are made in China, so much would depend upon how good the pre- and after- sales service would be. Since you are in the US then I think that you would be better off with something from the Concertina Connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Halsted Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 @Don TaylorThanks for the information. In Googling, I also came across the "Jack vs. Jackie" thread that you started when first looking for a concertina, and that was very helpful. I've decided to purchase the Jack baritone from Concertina Connection. It should fit everything I would like to use it for. Again, thanks for the assistance; I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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