Blatant Plug For Doug

[MitfordRI]

Shortly after New Year's I took a Friday out of work and drove to Sunderland, Mass to see what concertinas they had in stock. And to order one if possible. Never mind that I had never played one. I wanted one. Yesterday.

 

Doug, who has been running the shop for, well, a few years, is absolutely charming. And gentle, patient and not the least bit snobbish about newcomers. To whit, I went in to order an English, came out with an Anglo, having just ordered the English.

 

A week later I ordered the Anglo. With Jeffries layout.

 

Four weeks later I called and said, "I WANT WHEATSTONE LAYOUT!"

 

Two weeks later I called and said, "Can I have two C sharps on the top right?"

 

I think they made the Ceili just so I would stop calling. Last Friday, I took another day off work and drove back to Sunderland. I traded in the Stagi Doug let me rent. And came home with a Ceili. My Ceili.

 

Wow. What a difference!!! SO MUCH EASIER TO PLAY. Tunes just whistle along. Playing the Stagi was like dancing with a mannequin. A mannequin with emphyzema. Suffice it to say that I am thrilled with the new 'box' and can't say enough about my experiences with the staff of the Button Box.

 

As Ebert would say, Two Thumbs Up!!!

 

 

Lucy

[stuart estell]

Excellent - I'm sure you'll find the new instrument will help your playing no end. Best of luck!

[Alan Day]

Good News Lucy,

It is the time of the year for Happy Bunnies.

Exciting times.

Al

[Robert Booth]

"...dancing with a manniquin..."

 

Best simile so far!

 

Congrats and best wishes.

RB

[MitfordRI]

Good News Lucy,

It is the time of the year for Happy Bunnies.

Exciting times.

Al

 

Are you calling me a Bunny????

 

(Don't say no! Just let me be a happy bunny for five minutes!! Maybe ten ...)

 

 

Lucy

Flattering herself to no end

[Greg Jowaisas]

Lucy,

Good people! Great box! Smart choice!

 

Enjoy, practice and prosper!

 

Greg

[ceemonster]

Lucy,

Good people! Great box! Smart choice!

 

Enjoy, practice and prosper!

 

Greg

 

i love my morse ceili, and i have had great communications with doug as well.

 

my one wish is that i could get a morse ceili with premium reeds. i adore the button action but find the reeds a bit resistive and wish there was a premium option.....

[Animaterra]

It is the time of the year for Happy Bunnies.

 

Are you calling me a Bunny????

 

Don't dis da bunnies!

 

Alan, I quite agree.

 

Lucy, I agree with you, as well. The Button Box is a wonderful place- Doug and all the folks there are courteous, helpful, and give excellent advice as well.

 

...however, as I'm on the verge of borrowing a Stagi to take to Ireland this summer http://www.brendantaaffe.com/turtle_dove_harmony_week.html (too nervous to travel with the Jeffries) your comments on dancing with a mannequin (so apt!) make me wonder if there's a better way.

 

Allison

[MitfordRI]

...however, as I'm on the verge of borrowing a Stagi to take to Ireland this summer http://www.brendantaaffe.com/turtle_dove_harmony_week.html (too nervous to travel with the Jeffries) your comments on dancing with a mannequin (so apt!) make me wonder if there's a better way.

 

Allison

 

Allison:

 

I spent a few days thinking about this before responding ... and here is what I came up with.

 

RICHARD MORSE (if you're listening) ... why rent Stagis when you could rent MORSE CEILIs? I realize there is a backlog of both rentals and Morse Ceilis on order. But if the BB manufactured 5 Ceilis just for rental purposes ... well, more people would buy Ceilis.

 

Allison, call Doug and see if they have any Ceilis being resold that Richard and Doug might consider converting to "rental stock".

 

The caveat, of course, is that if you lose it in Ireland (or it gets nicked in a pub - has been known to happen), you officially "own" it.

 

Worth looking into.

 

Just my two cents,

 

 

Lucy

[Richard Morse]

RICHARD MORSE (if you're listening) ... why rent Stagis when you could rent MORSE CEILIs?

Partly due to that we would have to charge about 3 times as much for a Morse than a Stagi - and we don't think many people would go for such a price... and partly because it isn't a very good financial move to slow down our income when so many people are clammering for them. We've certainly considered rental Morses - several times. And maybe one of these times we might decide it's the time to do it....

I realize there is a backlog of both rentals and Morse Ceilis on order. But if the BB manufactured 5 Ceilis just for rental purposes ... well, more people would buy Ceilis.

I would imagine so - though a longer waiting list really doesn't do anyone any good. I realize that some people like to rent a box to use to see if they want to purchase or not... but we already have a perusal program where we send out boxes so that people can "try before they buy" which is much appreciated.

 

-- Rich --

[Larry Ayers]

I just thought I'd put my two cents in...

 

I've been playing a Morse Ceili Anglo model (#289) for about two years now -- I'm mainly a fiddler and it's been a struggle to wrap my mind around the fingering and bellows control. I'm getting there!

 

Last year I began to have trouble with a certain button, one which sometimes wouldn't close. A phone call to the Button Box provided me with some helpful suggestions for curing the condition. I really didn't want to send it back! The concertina has been playing beautifully ever since.

 

I have nothing but praise for the workmanship, sound, and feel of the instrument. Good service is just another plus!

[MitfordRI]

RICHARD MORSE (if you're listening) ... why rent Stagis when you could rent MORSE CEILIs?

Partly due to that we would have to charge about 3 times as much for a Morse than a Stagi - and we don't think many people would go for such a price... and partly because it isn't a very good financial move to slow down our income when so many people are clammering for them. We've certainly considered rental Morses - several times. And maybe one of these times we might decide it's the time to do it....

-- Rich --

 

Well, I can only speak for myself and I might not be representative ... but I would have been willing to pay a 3x standard rental fee to rent a Morse instead of a Stagi.

 

But I take your point about slowing down income. I guess my thought is that people would rent Morse concertinas while awaiting one they had already ordered.

 

Cheers,

 

Lucy