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OK folks I'm somewhat new to the concertina world and due to the fact I live on a small fixed income I have been looking at some of the less expensive instruments. I have herd people talk down about Hohner and Italian concertinas. The Hohner one really supprised me as they do make some of the best harmonicas in the world, and as I understand it (although I know very little about accordions) Hohner makes some of the best accordions also. So can someone tell me why Hohner concertinas are not considered to be good?

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OK folks I'm somewhat new to the concertina world and due to the fact I live on a small fixed income I have been looking at some of the less expensive instruments. I have herd people talk down about Hohner and Italian concertinas. The Hohner one really supprised me as they do make some of the best harmonicas in the world, and as I understand it (although I know very little about accordions) Hohner makes some of the best accordions also. So can someone tell me why Hohner concertinas are not considered to be good?

 

Hohner USED to make some of the best accordions for the money, but now they moved production to China and ruined the business. Weltmeister filled in the void and Hohner is history. Weltmeister's Harmonicas are just as good or better then Hohner's, esp. top of the line, with alluminum comb, at $80.

Hohner Concertinas are bad probably because they wanted to compete on the bottom of the market with Chinese and Italians. The result - the whole company slid into China.

The people from Russian company, making accordions and concertinas, corresponding with me, also expressed the urge to compete on the bottom. When I asked why not at the top or medium, they were not ready for the idea.

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Hello Bear,

 

What part of the mountains of North Carolina? I used to live just outside Cashiers in Glennville. One lovely spot on this globe.

 

Be carefull about what you buy as a first instrument. A really cheap box can be unplayable and you'll end up with one more doorstop in the house.

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...

I have herd people talk down about Hohner and Italian concertinas. The Hohner one really supprised me as they do make some of the best harmonicas in the world, and as I understand it (although I know very little about accordions) Hohner makes some of the best accordions also. So can someone tell me why Hohner concertinas are not considered to be good?

 

i can't speak for everyone, but i personally have talked down the chinese and italian concertinas because i started on them, thinking at the time that i couldn't afford anything better, but ended up paying the extra money for a better instrument later anyway. i think this is true of a lot of others here as well.

 

there are a lot of trusted brands that can no longer be trusted due to outsourcing, which is sad really, but a fact of life today. i completely agree with m3838's comments on this matter.

 

as has been said by many here, the only sub $1000 concertinas that are not a waste of your money are a stagi you buy from the button box, or a rochelle you buy from the concertina connection. again, i think it's safe to say that many of us recommend so strongly against other cheap instruments because of our unfortunate experiences with them. i'd guess that collectively we've wasted the gdp of a small country on them, which only encourages these factories to keep making them, and people on ebay to keep selling them. the $300 rochelle is an incredible deal , so that's why so many of us recommend it.

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Howdy there Mark, I live in Enka/Candler NC, which is near Asheville. Your right my friend it is nice up here. I used to live in Mich. but this is where my wife is from and since I do not like the snow or cold weather we setteled here.

 

Now if what you guys say is true, that there is not a concertina worth buying for under $300.00. It looks like playing a concertina is out for me. But I think I'll just hang around the forum here because its interesting.

 

Thank you everyone...................

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Howdy there Mark, I live in Enka/Candler NC, which is near Asheville. Your right my friend it is nice up here. I used to live in Mich. but this is where my wife is from and since I do not like the snow or cold weather we setteled here.

 

Now if what you guys say is true, that there is not a concertina worth buying for under $300.00. It looks like playing a concertina is out for me. But I think I'll just hang around the forum here because its interesting.

 

Thank you everyone...................

 

The Wim Wakker concertinas (http://www.concertinaconnection.com/) are all under $300 including shipping and are good quality beginner instruments. The C/G Rochelle Anglo is $279, the English Jack or Jackie are $279 and $269 respectively. If you want a good quality student instrument for under $300 these are the way to go. They will last you years or until you win the lottery and can buy a Wheatstone or Jeffries :blink:

 

If $300 is your limit you will do fine purchasing any of these. They will give you many years of enjoyment.

 

-jeff

Edited by jlfinkels
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.........Now if what you guys say is true, that there is not a concertina worth buying for under $300.00. It looks like playing a concertina is out for me. But I think I'll just hang around the forum here because its interesting.

 

Thank you everyone...................

 

Bear

Don't give up.

http://www.concertinaconnection.com/jackie-jack.htm

Here is the website for the Jack/Jackie. You can listen to a sample of their tone too. When I was looking I thought I came accross a US place to buy them but I don't remember where????

 

Reminds me of the old motorcycle argument a lot of years ago. "Rice Burners, BAH!. Ifn it ain't a Harley; it ain't a bike". The real and only answer has always been: "Hey, it's still a bike" (US terminology)

 

Hope you decide to buy a concertina and enjoy regardless of the type, and for however long it lasts. At least it's still a concertina, and don't apologise if it's the best you can do.

 

Thanks

Leo

Edited by Leo
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Hey thank you guys for the incouragement I really appreciate that. And the truth is after thinking about it for awhile (really really wanting to play a concertina) and listening to my wife who reminded me I'm not the type to give up. Since I know how to ajust and retune reeds on a harmonica, and being handy with my hands I have decided to keep my eye out for a junker (with good belows) that needs repaires or has gone out of tune that I can pick up cheap.

 

Maybe some day if the Lord decides to bless the bear I can buy a really good one. But for now I think this is the way to go.

 

Thanks again everybody. Ole bear will have his concertina, one way or the other.......LOL

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Since I know how to ajust and retune reeds on a harmonica, and being handy with my hands I have decided to keep my eye out for a junker (with good belows) that needs repaires or has gone out of tune that I can pick up cheap.

Well if you can do that you'll end up with more knowledge of the insides of a concertina than many of us.

 

Best of luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

Chris

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Thank you Chris. If the truth be known this idea of fixing up a junker is right up my alley. You see I'm what some folks call a tinker'er. When I was a young'un I used to get into troubles all the time from tearing things apart just to see how/why they worked. Things like clocks, our front door knob, my mothers mixer/blender, my step dads cars, basically anything that was put together by mankind.

 

Anyway doing it this way I can do it a little at a time (as money permits) by ordering parts when I can afford them. So it might take awhile. First off I need to find me a 30 button Anglo junker to work on. I have seen a few from time to time on ebay. You know the ones listed as "In excellent condition" with only 3 of the buttons that have fallen inside the instrument..........LOL

 

I'll let everyone know when things start to happen. Say a pray for my friend..............

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Now if what you guys say is true, that there is not a concertina worth buying for under $300.00. It looks like playing a concertina is out for me. But I think I'll just hang around the forum here because its interesting.

 

Thank you everyone...................

 

Why don't you get a 20 button scholer concertina off ebay. They seem tougher structurally than the Italian Stagis, and you might get it for @ 100... What I mean is an older one might have better stood the abuses of time, I'm not really sure though

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My very first concertina was a Scholer. After playing with it for about a month a reed broke and not even the local Italian Accordion shop could fix it, as the reeds were all on a single block like a harmonica. Besides, it was in no pitch known to Man. It wasn't a total loss, however, as I eventually turned it into a tuning jig. It made a much better tuning jig than it did a musical instrument. It's not even much of a "tinkerer's" instrument, at least if they are made the same way mine was. As far as my experience has shown, a Stagi (depending on the model) is the least you can really get away with. I have never tried a Rochelle, but from what some are saying, it might be another alternative.

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OK folks I'm somewhat new to the concertina world and due to the fact I live on a small fixed income I have been looking at some of the less expensive instruments. I have herd people talk down about Hohner and Italian concertinas. The Hohner one really supprised me as they do make some of the best harmonicas in the world, and as I understand it (although I know very little about accordions) Hohner makes some of the best accordions also. So can someone tell me why Hohner concertinas are not considered to be good?

 

Hohner USED to make some of the best accordions for the money, but now they moved production to China and ruined the business. Weltmeister filled in the void and Hohner is history. Weltmeister's Harmonicas are just as good or better then Hohner's, esp. top of the line, with alluminum comb, at $80.

Hohner Concertinas are bad probably because they wanted to compete on the bottom of the market with Chinese and Italians. The result - the whole company slid into China.

The people from Russian company, making accordions and concertinas, corresponding with me, also expressed the urge to compete on the bottom. When I asked why not at the top or medium, they were not ready for the idea.

 

Actually the way Chris Droney spoke this week at Irish Arts week, the hohner probably always made bad concertinas (well at least Anglos) along with the other german companies. The Hohner concertina and its other german cousins were what was played in the early 20th century.. and they tended to last about a year before they had to be replaced.. at least this was how Chris told it, when he explained how he got his first good Wheatstone (which seemed to be rather rare in his part of Clare when he got it).

 

So in any case, this was long before the Chinese, and maybe even before the Italians got into the market (Chris started playing the year after my Dad was born, in 1932!)

 

--

Bill

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Actually the way Chris Droney spoke this week at Irish Arts week, the hohner probably always made bad concertinas (well at least Anglos) along with the other german companies. The Hohner concertina and its other german cousins were what was played in the early 20th century.. and they tended to last about a year before they had to be replaced.. at least this was how Chris told it, when he explained how he got his first good Wheatstone (which seemed to be rather rare in his part of Clare when he got it).

 

So in any case, this was long before the Chinese, and maybe even before the Italians got into the market (Chris started playing the year after my Dad was born, in 1932!)

 

--

Bill

 

Mr.Bill now you really have me confused. When the others stated that the Hohner quility went down in the last few years this made since to me. You see I play the harmonica, I started playing (or trying to learn to play) some 50 years ago. The Hohner harmonicas where the best in the world back then. I have Hohner Marine Band harmonicas that are 30/40 years old and still play better then a brand new Hohner Marine Band. So I know their quility control has fallen off badly. But the fact is Hohner used to produce some of the finest instruments in the world. I know a couple of people who play Hohner accordions (or at least did 30 or 40 years ago) and will sware by the Hohner accordions. And now you tell me Hohner never did produce a quility Anglo concertina. Even back in the 30,s. I'm not saying this Chris Droney was not telling the truth, I'm just saying it dont make sence. Know what I mean?

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Actually the way Chris Droney spoke this week at Irish Arts week, the hohner probably always made bad concertinas (well at least Anglos) along with the other german companies. The Hohner concertina and its other german cousins were what was played in the early 20th century.. and they tended to last about a year before they had to be replaced.. at least this was how Chris told it, when he explained how he got his first good Wheatstone (which seemed to be rather rare in his part of Clare when he got it).

 

So in any case, this was long before the Chinese, and maybe even before the Italians got into the market (Chris started playing the year after my Dad was born, in 1932!)

 

--

Bill

 

 

Didn't think Hohner made concertinas that far back.

 

In fact, I didn't think their Trosingen factory ever made concertinas, though Hohners had a long history of marketing concertinas made by other makers.

 

MC

Edited by malcolm clapp
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I could be wrong (have been a time or two in the past) but if I'm not mistaken my uncle played a concertina with the name Hohner on it back in the 40's and 50's. It looked to be an old instrument back then, not sure when he bought it. Like I said it did have the name Hohner on it. I remember because I played Hohner harmonicas then. Thats not to say it was made by Hohner, Hohner could have had some other company make them and just put the Hohner name on it. But I'm pretty sure it was sold be Hohner as a Hohner concertina.

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