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Rochelle First Impressions


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It arrived yesterday: a Rochelle Anglo in C/G.

 

I cannot yet play a concertina, but I can play melodeon and harmonica, so it is easy to pick out a melody line slowly on the Anglo, and I've been doodling with some improvised melodies while I find out how to make nice sounds with the left hand and random bunches of simultaneous notes. I believe "chords" may be the technical term.

 

I have had the opportunity previously to handle and experiment on some very nice instruments - worth 10 - 20 times as much. The difference in quality is of course very obvious indeeed. However, I think it's well worth the purchase price, and compares reasonably to a budget-but-repectable melodeon. It's physically larger than I expected. I will need to experiment with the tightness of the straps and probably punch an extra hole or two.

 

I can't easily operate the air button when playing. I guess the trick is to play bigger chords in the requisite direction to adjust the bellows cunningly?

 

The sound is pleasant, and there's plenty of volume. The button action is at least as fast as my fingers. The reeds sound reasonably fast and with only a small bellows movement - far better than my present cheap Scarlatti melodeon.

 

The Rochelle comes in a smart padded soft case.

 

Money well spent. It may well be a stepping stone to greater things, but if not, it will be an instrument I can play in its own right for a long time.

 

Thanks to all of you who answered my various "newby" questions. Looks like the advice you gave me was good.

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Hey.

You may want to abandon that 'smart' padded case and invest some $20 into zipper lunch box (folded one, any large department store sells them). Take your Rochelle with you in case you need to compare the sizes. Looks good (mine is blue! <_< )and is functional.

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I have been "test-driving" a Rochelle this week. MF is quite right that they are a bit more "chunky" and the air-button "gasps" but I have found no other problems yet.

It is airtight and mechanically sound. I played it at a dance in the week and it can be heard above the band.

I will continue to post other peoples comments on the box from the various clubs I take it to, but I must say, I have had a go with all the other cheap and cheerfull concertinas that have come out in the past and that have had sticking buttons after one evening (no names mentioned - you know who you are) and this box certainly surpassed any of them. For the price, you can't go wrong.

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