Looking for an Introductory Concertina

[William Halsted]

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.

[Rikki]

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.  

[William Halsted]

@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.

[Rikki]

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.

[Don Taylor]

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.

[William Halsted]

@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, 2023 by William Halsted
Added another model.

[Don Taylor]

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.

 

 

 

[William Halsted]

@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.