Judy in Poway Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I am looking for opinions on the Herrington concertina. Why is it less expensive than some of the others? Why don't more of the Irish players use it? Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemonster Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 i played a classmate's metal-ended herrington in the catskills last month. if weight matters to you, it was heavier than some makes. it was the loudest concertina i have ever heard. it had a hefty, very accordion-reeded shriek to it that was quite idiosyncratic. i personally got more and more taken with its personality as the week wore on, and have been thinking i'd like to have one for ceilis or sessions with the deafening background noise that seems a universal in my city. if herringtons are cheaper than other makes, i don't believe the price difference is significantly less. the u.s./canada-made ones all seem to be hovering in the 1700 to 2000-ish range....the uk makes are a nightmare because of the exchange rate (if you are u.s. based, that is). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 (edited) ..................Why is it less expensive than some of the others?.............Help! I'm not trying to be flippant or short, but there could be any one or many of a hundred reasons, up to and including their web page is out of date; all speculation. Their website has a phone number in Texas. Would it be possible for you to ask them directly and then let us know?? They are here: http://www.concertinas.com/ . They would be the best ones to answer that themselves. As for the rest; it would only be an uneducated irrelavent guess on my part. Thanks Leo Edited August 24, 2006 by Leo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_mchale Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 ..................Why is it less expensive than some of the others?.............Help! I'm not trying to be flippant or short, but there could be any one or many of a hundred reasons, up to and including their web page is out of date; all speculation. Their website has a phone number in Texas. Would it be possible for you to ask them directly and then let us know?? They are here: http://www.concertinas.com/ . They would be the best ones to answer that themselves. As for the rest; it would only be an uneducated irrelavent guess on my part. Thanks Leo I am pretty sure the web page is out of date. I remember contacting Herrington a year or two ago about a square concertina and at the time he had said they had stopped making them. All that being said, the Herrington generally has a good reputation though not quite as visible as the Morse, Edgley and Tedrow makes (possibly because the other three post on C-net fairly regularly). Frank Edgley and Harold Herrington kind of have been co-developing their instruments for the last couple of years and Frank gives Harold credit for teaching him alot about making concertinas (you can read more about this here at http://www.concertina.net/fe_guild.html). Now mind you, this does not mean that Edgley and Herrington make identical instruments; far from it. Each of them make very distinctive instruments... but they do seem to share thoughts and ideas. -- Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 (edited) I am looking for opinions on the Herrington concertina. Why is it less expensive than some of the others? Why don't more of the Irish players use it? Help! Harold is not a businessman, but he's a heck of a craftsman. He could probably charge more and not see a dip in sales. I've had one of his square Anglos for about 8 years. It's mostly a backup instrument now, but it has several sterling qualities. It is the most durable concertina I've ever seen. 8 years with no repairs/adjustments/tweaks. And much of that was hard use -- played at Morris events, where it got rained on, hit with sticks and, twice, dropped. It is LOUD, although more accordion-like than some other hybrid instruements like the Morse and the Edgley. The action is outstanding (although I understand Harold has moved away from some elements of his innovative design). My square Herrington is heavy, but I undestand the newer, more traditional instruments are lighter. I believe a lot of Irish players didn't like his initial offerings because of the non-traditional sound. And the square models were definitely unpopular. Noel Hill mocked my square Herrington mercilessly at his school in 1999 or so. But I assume Harold, like all the other hybrid makers, has found ways to get closer to a traditional concertina sound. IMHO, it's an outstanding starter instrument. So are the Morse, Edgley and Tedrow instruments, but the Herrington has an edge on price. We are multiply blessed; these are all outstanding folks to do business with Edited August 24, 2006 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 (edited) (deleted due to user error) Edited August 24, 2006 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 Having also owned a square Herrington G/D since 1999, I just wanted to back up Jim's comments by saying my experience has been similar. Harold is also a delight to deal with, a real Southern gentleman. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainyanker Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 (edited) i meet at harlods house a bout a year ago, we talk concertinas, fishing and hunting stories. a very nice guy. i do believe the prices he told me that day were more than his web page says. at the time i played one of harolds concertinas and mind you im a rookie and only at the time had played a 22 button Lachenal, which i owned at the time. his played fine, but was a lil heavier. i talk to him about six months ago when i was lookin for a 30 button, i believe it was just south of 2000. u.s. i would of went with it but i found a 30 button Lachenal from the same person i bought my 22 button from {a member of this board theo}. i heard a month ago harlod was haven health problems. any a real fine fellow and what i saw a good craftsman. Edited August 24, 2006 by chainyanker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy in Poway Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 Thank you all who responded to my queries about Herringtons. It's helped me a lot. I actually am on the wait list for a Kensington (Fall 2008) and am looking for an instrument in the meantime that I will need to resell. The Edgleys are now 2125-2300 US dollars so that is why the 1500 looked so attractive. I will need to decide soon since there will still be a wait involved. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 (edited) Thank you all who responded to my queries about Herringtons. It's helped me a lot. I actually am on the wait list for a Kensington (Fall 2008) and am looking for an instrument in the meantime that I will need to resell. The Edgleys are now 2125-2300 US dollars so that is why the 1500 looked so attractive. I will need to decide soon since there will still be a wait involved. Thanks again! Hi Judy Do you have a concertina now; do you play one now etc. Have you considered the Button Box. I understand their delivery time is a little better, and they occasionally have a used one that shows up for a little less money. http://www.buttonbox.com/stocklist.shtml Thanks Leo Edited August 25, 2006 by Leo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy in Poway Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 To Leo, I have been playing a Stagi for a year now. I just attended Noel Hill's workshop and feel the urgency now to have one that is more responsive, and that will allow me to play faster. I played several there and liked the Edgleys the best. I will check the Button Box, but assume that most people sell their concertinas on e-bay now, and I have been keeping my eye on those. Thanks for the feedback! Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemonster Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 so....did someone say herringtons no longer have that very fast action? if i remember correctly, it was an innovative post-and-lever that was supposed to be as fast as riveted? the one i played was very fast, and i'd like to know if that wasn't being offered anymore...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 so....did someone say herringtons no longer have that very fast action? if i remember correctly, it was an innovative post-and-lever that was supposed to be as fast as riveted? the one i played was very fast, and i'd like to know if that wasn't being offered anymore...... No, what has been said in this thread is "The action is outstanding (although I understand Harold has moved away from some elements of his innovative design)." - which is simply "no longer have that ... action". They may still be very fast. From my understanding of Harold and his ways (we have corresponded a little) I doubt if he'd make a change that worsened the quality of the instruments he offers. Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 so....did someone say herringtons no longer have that very fast action? if i remember correctly, it was an innovative post-and-lever that was supposed to be as fast as riveted? the one i played was very fast, and i'd like to know if that wasn't being offered anymore...... Harold decided to move away from his original action to an action closer in design to conventional action, because he found, apparently, that after some period of play (years, not days) the action could seize up. He thought he could get just as good performance with less risk that way. He has been on at me for years to return my square box for a free upgrade to the action, something I have been reluctant to do since so far it has worked fine and it seems a lot of work for which he wouldn't be paid. Still, that's the sort of chap he is. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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