Newbie Questions: Price And Paper Bellows

[Anna]

Hello! I'm delighted to have stumbled across a site of experts!

 

I've grown up loving Irish and English folk music, and have always wanted to have a go at learning the concertina. I have come into a small (very by concertina standards! - £200) amount of money and have done some net research. I was surprised that concertinas are so specialist - I had very wrongly assumed there'd be some cheap or second-hand entry-level ones out there, but most of the ones I have found are Lachenals and Wheatstones which are quite scary money for someone who is a) generally poor and b ) not sure whether they'd stick with the instrument to justify a £500+ outlay. I thought as a 'folk' instrument, they'd be making them to fit the pocket of the humble man or lady! Silly me!

 

I'm keen to learn Anglo, and thought a 30 key one would be a good place to start, because of the C# issue you get with 20 key models. Does anyone know whether the entry-level Scarlatti has a niceish tone, and what the bellows are made of? Would this see me through for about five years til I could save for a 'proper' concertina? I think they're under £200.

 

I have also seen some pretty East German models on ebay - 20 keys and floral paper bellows. I remember my friend had one of these, and while being very basic, I wondered what your advice would be on maybe giving one of these a shot to start with. They're in the £50-£100 bracket - although my friend picked hers up in a charity shop for pence!

 

What is the deal with paper bellows compared to leather? Or are they plastic? I am having trouble finding info on bellows - quality, tone etc - regarding the different materials used to make them and the effect on the instrument depending on the materials used.

 

Sorry If I'm 'swearing' on here due to my newbieness with talk of Scarlattis and paper and the like! But we all have to start somewhere. I throw myself on your kindness and wealth of knowledge and hope you can offer me some advice.

 

Anna x

Edited April 22, 2007 by Anna

[Pete Dunk]

Hello Anna, welcome to the forum. If you can stretch your budget just a little further I would recommend the Rochelle, it's a serious instrument at a very reasonable price. If you are keen to learn I would avoid complete cheapos because the poor playing action will defeat you before you get started.

 

The Rochelle is made by Wim Wakker who posts here regularly and his company offers excellent support. Once you've reached a standard that requires a better instrument you can trade the Rochelle in at its' full purchase price against a better model. The concertina is supplied in a soft case with a tutor to get you started.

 

The Music Room in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire sells the Rochelle at £210 including delivery.

 

Hope this helps.

 

ETA. The other advantage with a Rochelle is that they hold their price well so if things didn't work out you'd be able to sell it on for a pretty good price.

Edited April 22, 2007 by tallship

[Chris Timson]

By far your best bet, and one which just about falls in your budget, is the Rochelle 30 button C/G from Concertina Connection. You can buy these from The Music Room for £210 complete with bag and tutor. You will eventually want to upgrade from this, but it will be good enough to get you well started. I think it is far better than the East German machines that look rather prettier but are nowhere near as good to play.

 

Welcome to the forum; we're a friendly bunch here, but you've already realised that a little flattery will get you a long way with us!

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

Edited to add PS: I see Tallship just got there first with the same advice. It just needs one more person to say it and then it must be true!

Edited April 22, 2007 by Chris Timson

[Woody]

Edited to add PS: I see Tallship just got there first with the same advice. It just needs one more person to say it and then it must be true!

OK Chris - I'll take the bait

 

Hi Anna, and welcome. You've chosen a good time to start learning as the Rochelle has transformed the options for the learner on a budget. I'll third what the others have said, go for the Rochelle -I started off on a couple of very cheap Anglos, tried a few more, and now have a Rochelle plus a more expensive Jones Anglo. I'm very happy with my one and I think I'll still be using it for many years to come. I doubt you're likely to find a better quality instrument in this price range, or for many pounds more - and if you don't take to it you should be able to get most of your money back by selling it.

 

Good luck

 

- W

Edited April 22, 2007 by Woody

[asdormire]

Or, you could take that money and put everything in the bank but the cost of a good bottle of uisge and go somewhere concertina players hang out, look around and see who has a concentertina you like, and make friends with him. Concertinal players are notoriously hard drinkers, and a beautiful young woman with a bottle will almost always instantly gain their attention. Share your bottle with him (i.e., let him drink most of it) until the bottle is mostly gone and he has passed out. Then go home with your new concertina. The concertina player will be so embarrassed that he passed out in front of a beautiful young woman, that nothing will ever be said about the incident, and he will go out and purchase another instrament for himself. You gain a fine instrament, one of the excellant concertina salesman here on C.net will have made a tidy profit, and a concertina player will have spent the evening in the company of a beautiful young woman. Everybody wins.

 

Alan

[Woody]

Or, you could take that money and put everything in the bank but the cost of a good bottle of uisge and go somewhere concertina players hang out, look around and see who has a concentertina you like, and make friends with him. Concertinal players are notoriously hard drinkers, and a beautiful young woman with a bottle will almost always instantly gain their attention. Share your bottle with him (i.e., let him drink most of it) until the bottle is mostly gone and he has passed out. Then go home with your new concertina. The concertina player will be so embarrassed that he passed out in front of a beautiful young woman, that nothing will ever be said about the incident, and he will go out and purchase another instrament for himself. You gain a fine instrament, one of the excellant concertina salesman here on C.net will have made a tidy profit, and a concertina player will have spent the evening in the company of a beautiful young woman. Everybody wins.

 

Alan

Is this the voice of experience?

 

Were you the player or the one in the frock?

 

[asdormire]

Not personally, but... (digression coming)

 

One of the last times I saw Peter Bellamy, he had this really young babely wife, and I always wondered..... especially sinmce i always thought it was the guitar player...

 

Alan

[Chris Timson]

Concertinal players are notoriously hard drinkers, and a beautiful young woman with a bottle will almost always instantly gain their attention.

Mine's a pint of Bath Ales Gem, please!

 

Chris

[Dirge]

oooh and for me, he said wistfully.

 

 

 

Good word 'babely'. Took a second to work it out, but once I got there, good word.

Edited April 23, 2007 by Dirge