Beginner Traditional Concertina

[Kimberly]

Hi, I am looking to purchase a beginner level concertina that is not junk. I don't have a lot of money to spend but would be willing to go to about $500.00. I am interested in learning to play in the Irish style and do not know if I should puchase an Anglo 20 or 30 button. I would mainly be looking to eventually play in sessions and possibly with a small group if I take to it well. My background is in piano, clarinet and piping, and as I have been out of commission witha two year old at home I am looking to move on to something more useful and practical. I have been researching the lower end concertinas and they all seem to be pretty junky. I was looking at the Hohner D-40 but then thinking this was also probably not that great. I was also considering going to a local auction to purchase a used one but I wouldn't know really what I was looking at or what can be repaired and what can't. I also do not want purchase soomething that is going to discourage me from learning. I would appreciate any input you may have, unfortunately right now I am not in a position to spend $1500.00 plus on an instrument. I would also be looking for some lessons in the Monmouth County, New Jersey area. Thanks Kimberly

Edited March 23, 2007 by Kimberly

[Leo]

Hi Kimberly

 

There has been an ongoing discussion with a lot of very favorable comments from those that purhased a concertina from here:

http://www.concertinaconnection.com/

 

Under concertinas there will be a Jack/Jackie if you prefer an "English" concertina, or a Rochelle if you prefer an "Anglo" concertina. All within your price range, available in the US, and a very favorable trade in policy when the time comes to upgrade. I understand they are very good about standing behind their product. You could check previous posts from others that have them. Maybe someone who has one will add something???

 

I purchased my concertina from here:

http://www.buttonbox.com/

I liked talking to them. Nice helpful people to deal with. Although I can't speak for them, their website mentions rental. Possible option.

 

Thanks

Leo

[Daniel Hersh]

For Irish music you'll almost certainly want a 30-button Anglo. In your price range the Rochelle is your best bet.

 

Daniel

 

Hi Kimberly

 

There has been an ongoing discussion with a lot of very favorable comments from those that purhased a concertina from here:

http://www.concertinaconnection.com/

 

Under concertinas there will be a Jack/Jackie if you prefer an "English" concertina, or a Rochelle if you prefer an "Anglo" concertina. All within your price range, available in the US, and a very favorable trade in policy when the time comes to upgrade. I understand they are very good about standing behind their product. You could check previous posts from others that have them. Maybe someone who has one will add something???

 

I purchased my concertina from here:

http://www.buttonbox.com/

I liked talking to them. Nice helpful people to deal with. Although I can't speak for them, their website mentions rental. Possible option.

 

Thanks

Leo

[CaryK]

For Irish music you'll almost certainly want a 30-button Anglo. In your price range the Rochelle is your best bet.

 

Daniel

 

 

I would agree with Daniel about the Rochelle and further advise you to stay away from the Hohner D-40, unless it was one purchased from the Button Box.

[JimLucas]

Hi, I am looking to purchase a beginner level concertina that is not junk. ... I am interested in learning to play in the Irish style and do not know if I should puchase an Anglo 20 or 30 button. ... I also do not want purchase something that is going to discourage me from learning. I would appreciate any input you may have, unfortunately right now I am not in a position to spend $1500.00 plus on an instrument. I would also be looking for some lessons in the Monmouth County, New Jersey area.

For local assistance, contact The Folk Project. The members can be very helpful, and though I don't know that their members are heavily involved in Irish traditional music in the area, I'm pretty sure some of them would be able to direct you to folks who are. (I've been gone from the area for more than a decade, but I can see they're still going strong.)

 

I am interested in learning to play in the Irish style and do not know if I should puchase an Anglo 20 or 30 button.

For Irish music you'll almost certainly want a 30-button Anglo.

That's a prejudice, although a common one. There's certainly nothing wrong and everything right with using the anglo for Irish music, and a 30-button in C/G will give you the most opportunities for both learning materials and -- in most areas -- others to share experiences with. But I will say that the English concertina is also excellent for playing Irish music, though there's not an extensive tradition. And it can be made to sound like an "Irish" anglo, though most players don't try to make it do that, any more than they try to make a fiddle sound like a mandolin.

 

In your price range the Rochelle is your best bet.

I agree that the Rochelle is the best anglo available in your price range. Not only is it a decent instrument, but the excellent support from the maker is priceless.

 

If your ambition is not just to play Irish music, but to "sound like" one of the well-known Irish anglo players, then playing the anglo is the most reasonable way to do so.

 

The reason I'm mentioning the English at this point is not that I think you should prefer it over the anglo, but that I know there are some excellent players of the English in Monmouth County, and I'm not sure about anglo players. If you can find a good anglo instructor in your area, then you should try that. But if not, you might consider taking instruction on the English from one of the excellent locals. I think the instruction could be more important than the kind of concertina.

 

The Jackie is the English concertina counterpart of the Rochelle, and from the same maker.

 

If your budget were a bit higher, I would recommend a Morse (anglo or English) concertina from The Button Box, or an anglo from any of several other contemporary makers. (I won't try to list them here, because I'd be sure to miss some out, but when you're ready to move up, the folks here on C.net will be glad to speak about all of them.)

 

Wishing you all the best.

[Kimberly]

Well, hoping I did not make a mistake, I took a chance and purchased a used Bastari on Ebay. It is a 30b Anglo with metal sides and buttons. I have not been able to find out anything about the model it may be but the auction number was 130092458405 if anyone has the time to take a look for me. Other people, one of which appeared to be a dealer, were bidding on it, so if I am disappointed or it turns out to be a renovation project hopefully I can get back what I paid. Hopefully it is what it appears. I have been reading mixed reviews about Italian made concertinas, but most of them seem to be about the cheaper Stagi's and old plastic Bastari's so I'm hoping this one is of better quality and in not too bad condition. If not I will probably go with the Rochelle, maybe I will get lucky with this one and not have to upgrade right away. I appreciate everyone's input. I am also considering attending the Noel Hill school in New York if I can get off from work those days and the registration is still open. This is quite a little network everyone has going. Now, if I can just get my Scottish born husband playing the Deering banjo I bought him, we might be onto something

[Daniel Hersh]

I had been watching that Bastari myself. It's certainly a very nice-looking concertina on the outside. If it does need work or tuning you might want to check in with the Button Box, who have a bit of a subspecialty in working on Italian concertinas.

 

The biggest question mark may be about the action design. Older Bastari/Stagis were made with an action that used little pieces of rubber tubing to hold the buttons upright. The rubber would deteriorate over time and the buttons would fall to the side and stick inside the instrument during playing. However, even if this one does have that problem, it's such an easy repair that you could probably do it yourself using the instructions at http://www.concertina.net/gs_stagirepair.html under "replacing the button sleeves".

 

The main reason that I had recommended a Rochelle over a Button Box Stagi was the relative price. Bastari/Stagis are reasonable beginner instruments and they're what most of us in the US started on before the Rochelles came along.

 

Daniel

 

Hi, I am looking to purchase a beginner level concertina that is not junk. I don't have a lot of money to spend but would be willing to go to about $500.00. I am interested in learning to play in the Irish style and do not know if I should puchase an Anglo 20 or 30 button. I would mainly be looking to eventually play in sessions and possibly with a small group if I take to it well. My background is in piano, clarinet and piping, and as I have been out of commission witha two year old at home I am looking to move on to something more useful and practical. I have been researching the lower end concertinas and they all seem to be pretty junky. I was looking at the Hohner D-40 but then thinking this was also probably not that great. I was also considering going to a local auction to purchase a used one but I wouldn't know really what I was looking at or what can be repaired and what can't. I also do not want purchase soomething that is going to discourage me from learning. I would appreciate any input you may have, unfortunately right now I am not in a position to spend $1500.00 plus on an instrument. I would also be looking for some lessons in the Monmouth County, New Jersey area. Thanks Kimberly

[Kimberly]

I had been watching that Bastari myself. It's certainly a very nice-looking concertina on the outside. If it does need work or tuning you might want to check in with the Button Box, who have a bit of a subspecialty in working on Italian concertinas.

 

The biggest question mark may be about the action design. Older Bastari/Stagis were made with an action that used little pieces of rubber tubing to hold the buttons upright. The rubber would deteriorate over time and the buttons would fall to the side and stick inside the instrument during playing. However, even if this one does have that problem, it's such an easy repair that you could probably do it yourself using the instructions at http://www.concertina.net/gs_stagirepair.html under "replacing the button sleeves".

 

The main reason that I had recommended a Rochelle over a Button Box Stagi was the relative price. Bastari/Stagis are reasonable beginner instruments and they're what most of us in the US started on before the Rochelles came along.

 

Daniel

 

Hi, I am looking to purchase a beginner level concertina that is not junk. I don't have a lot of money to spend but would be willing to go to about $500.00. I am interested in learning to play in the Irish style and do not know if I should puchase an Anglo 20 or 30 button. I would mainly be looking to eventually play in sessions and possibly with a small group if I take to it well. My background is in piano, clarinet and piping, and as I have been out of commission witha two year old at home I am looking to move on to something more useful and practical. I have been researching the lower end concertinas and they all seem to be pretty junky. I was looking at the Hohner D-40 but then thinking this was also probably not that great. I was also considering going to a local auction to purchase a used one but I wouldn't know really what I was looking at or what can be repaired and what can't. I also do not want purchase soomething that is going to discourage me from learning. I would appreciate any input you may have, unfortunately right now I am not in a position to spend $1500.00 plus on an instrument. I would also be looking for some lessons in the Monmouth County, New Jersey area. Thanks Kimberly

[Kimberly]

I had been watching that Bastari myself. It's certainly a very nice-looking concertina on the outside. If it does need work or tuning you might want to check in with the Button Box, who have a bit of a subspecialty in working on Italian concertinas.

 

The biggest question mark may be about the action design. Older Bastari/Stagis were made with an action that used little pieces of rubber tubing to hold the buttons upright. The rubber would deteriorate over time and the buttons would fall to the side and stick inside the instrument during playing. However, even if this one does have that problem, it's such an easy repair that you could probably do it yourself using the instructions at http://www.concertina.net/gs_stagirepair.html under "replacing the button sleeves".

 

The main reason that I had recommended a Rochelle over a Button Box Stagi was the relative price. Bastari/Stagis are reasonable beginner instruments and they're what most of us in the US started on before the Rochelles came along.

 

Daniel, thanks for looking, I had read about this problem before I bid, god willing this will be the only problem it has. Did you think it was a good value? Guess it will be hard to say until I see what I am getting.

Kimberly

[Daniel Hersh]

If you really want a Stagi/Bastari and this one turns out to need little or no work then this was a reasonable value for the make and model that you're getting, since you're paying $416 and you'd need to pay $695 to get a comparable instrument new from Button Box. If I had been the one shopping, though, I would have purchased a new, warrantied Rochelle at $285 ahead of this one used and without warranty at $416.

 

Daniel

 

Daniel, thanks for looking, I had read about this problem before I bid, god willing this will be the only problem it has. Did you think it was a good value? Guess it will be hard to say until I see what I am getting.

Kimberly

[buikligger]

jim lucas wrote

'But I will say that the English concertina is also excellent for playing Irish music, though there's not an extensive tradition. And it can be made to sound like an "Irish" anglo, though most players don't try to make it do that, ..'

 

 

Hello Jim and all,

 

I'm very new to this forum. I was very pleased to read the English system too is considered to be excellent for the Irish music.

I have been playing the bodhrán, bones and spoons for 6 years now; and i like to sing unaccompanied. I like the color of the Concertina very much, but i think my brains are only suited for the English system. So I'm going to give it a try, although the fact I have never been able to read notes, nor have I bought a concertina yet.

I want to thank the community for letting me stroll around in your wisdom.

 

See you later.

 

Dirk De Bleser, Belsele, Belgium