A Cautionary Concertina Tale On How I Ended Up With A New Instrument

[Trotsky]

A cautionary concertina tale on how I ended up with a new instrument.

 

It all started because my wife, Sarah, and I had a day off last Friday. I sort of suggested why we don’t go down to the Music Room just to have a look. Sarah in a moment of weakness agreed.

 

On Thursday evening my wife was becoming a little suspicious about my intentions, she had become aware I had spent a ‘long’ time on the computer looking up peoples opinions on various concertinas. I promised we would have a nice lunch out tomorrow.

 

We live near Driffield in East Yorkshire so the drive is about an hour and a half. We set off Friday morning and arrived at the Music Room just before lunchtime.

 

Nice shop, lots of stock and friendly staff. Three anglo concertinas caught my eye, a Lachenal, a Morse Ceili and a Marcus deluxe. The shop is well laid out and in a quiet corner I was given as long as I liked to try the instruments. I had my trusty Stagi with me to compare.

 

Not being a very proficient player and not having played ‘out’ before I was a little hesitant, but in the friendly surroundings I soon relaxed and played each instrument for a considerable time.

 

The Lachenal was the only instrument with concertina reeds. I had never played a concertina reeded instrument before and the sound and feel is very different from my Stagi. The action was very good and the bone buttons felt nice. This instrument was really a little out of my price range but I was tempted, it would be nice to own a little piece of history.

 

Next I tried the Morse, Wow! This was so light and so fast! The action was incredible; it was like the buttons were not really there. Within a few minutes I was playing at a speed I had never achieved before. The sound was very distinctive too – it sort of growls at you! A really beautiful machine.

 

Thirdly I tried the Marcus. This felt so heavy after the Morse, but it is not really heavy at all. The action felt so different from the Morse, button travel was a lot less and resistance a little more, not so much that you would really notice unless you had just been playing the Morse. The sound of the Marcus was beautiful; it sort of had a singing, ringing sound that was so bright.

 

I then tried my Stagi again to compare – but there was not really any going back – the Stagi although I still think is a fine instrument felt soggy and dull after playing the other concertinas. At this point Sarah saw the writing on the wall, and after a further promise to buy her a nice lunch agreed that I could buy a new concertina.

 

I had ruled out the Lachenal, although a lovely instrument I actually think I prefer the sound of accordion reeded instrument, well at least until I can afford a Jefferies.

 

I kept switching between the Morse and Marcus. Both were great instrument and I would not have been disappointed with either. The action on the Morse was outstanding, and the sound of Marcus was beautiful. They were both about the same price, and my wife liked the sound and look of the Morse a little more than the Marcus.

 

A really difficult decision!

 

After quite a deliberation – the Marcus did it for me; I could not get over the bright, beautiful sound it made. I had also not realised that I could take away the instrument then and there, I assumed I would have to wait a while.

 

A quick scout around the shop to buy some stuff to placate my children and I was then a proud owner of a new Marcus C/G deluxe anglo concertina.

 

As I sit here typing this, the concertina is calling me to play it. I am sure I would have been just as happy with the Morse, but my Marcus looks and sounds beautiful.

 

Just to end, I made my wife drive home while I sat next to here playing the Marcus, and for lunch I brought her fish and chips.

[ben]

Your tale is very intersting and well written. Once the concertina "bug" has bitten you then you are never the same. Today we are fotunate to have more choices in buying different concertinas - newer models and the elusive vintage models. My budget is the only thing limiting my choices of concertina. I have a Wheatstone Anglo, two Wifra Anglo's, a Tedrow Anglo, two more anglo's being built in South Africa. I have ordered a Dipper Anglo recently. I have also ordered a new Tedrow concertina miniature ... so my wife and children can take turns driving the car while I play concertina (in the car too).

 

Oh, please God... help Colin and Rosalie to work fast on that new Dipper!!!! Don't let them pass away for another fifty years.... or at least for the next three years until I get that 40 button Dipper anglo... the one with a beautiful sound, fast action, beautiful bellows, Amboyna veneer....I am starting to day dream again. I need a fresh cup of coffee.

 

I though that I had a fatal attraction to concertinas until I went to my friend's house ...a well known contributor to this forum... he had several Lachenals, several Weatstone English, several Jeffries' and a beautiful Wally Carroll concertinas. It took my breath away.

 

I am informed that one gentleman in KwaZula-Natal, South Africa had a collection of 74, yes... seventy four concertinas.... we are talking about vintage Wheatstones Anglos, Englishes, Duets, Lachenals. Almost as bad as Chris Algar's office So many concertinas... only two hands.

 

In the event one can not decide between accordion reeded concertinas and traditional steel reeded concertinas ... buy one of each. What is next for me? A midi concertina? A Wakker Hayden? A Morse Ceili? The next thing I have to do is to find time to play these concertinas and make my musical ancestors proud.

 

Enjoy your Marcus, Trotsky.... when your wife is not looking go back to that store and buy the Morse concertina. Let us know...we won't tell your wife

Edited September 16, 2007 by Ben Otto

[Guest Mick Diles]

Лeв Давидович

 

That's a nice story!

 

After quite a deliberation – the Marcus did it for me; I could not get over the bright, beautiful sound it made.

 

Congratulations with your Marcus DeLuxe. You wo'nt regret your choice. It's a very well built and robust concertina with a very sweet sound indeed.

 

enjoy!!

 

Mick

[tamborileru]

It's a good tale. When I went to the music shop, I didn't thinking to boy a concertina, I only wnet to see the instruments. There was a lot of them: piano, Spanish Guitar, fiddle, pipe,... When I saw the concertina, I falled in love of "she", so I understand you. But there was one thing different: my concertina was the only one tha there was in the shop, so I cannot choose.

 

But it is better, because I don't know the diferences betwen one concertina and other. How there was a only one concertina, I must not choose, but I am happy for this.

 

What a beautiful instrument!

[Henk van Aalten]

Dear Tamborileru

 

Welcome to this forum!

 

How there was a only one concertina, I must not choose, but I am happy for this.

 

What a beautiful instrument!

You may have only one concertina to choose from, but you have the nicest and most joyfull plaza mayor of the world. I've been there (in Salamanca) several times and enjoyed the plaza mayor till late (after midnight).

I will be there next spring.. so maybe we might meet!

Edited September 16, 2007 by Henk van Aalten

[Tootler]

A cautionary concertina tale on how I ended up with a new instrument.

 

Your experience sounds very much like mine was, except instead of a Lachenal, they had a Lachenal reeded Connor whose tone I loved, but the bass reeds were very slow to speak so I decided against it.

 

Like you my choice was between a Morse and a Marcus. I had no strong preferences between the tone of the two so I went for the Morse because of its lighter weight and easy action. I certainly have no regrets as the Morse is a great instrument, though I did have a teeny twang of guilt as the Marcus is made in the UK and the Morse in the USA

 

BTW, next time you go I can recommend the tea shop above the posh dress shop, they do excellent sandwiches. The folk in the shop will direct you.

 

Geoff

[groeswenphil]

Fish and Chips...............gosh, you know how to give a girl a good time don't you.

 

Two of the musicians at Cardiff Morris own Marcus G/D models and we swear by them (not at them)

The sound rings out in the open air and can hold their own against a melodeon.

You made a really wishe choice.........going for a Welsh instrument that is.

 

Does it say 'Ty Tredegar' on the end plate?

Marcus works from a little unit in Tredegar House, Newport. Ty (pronounced tee ) is Welsh for House.

 

All the best,

Phil

[Guest Old Leaky]

My budget is the only thing limiting my choices of concertina. I have a Wheatstone Anglo, two Wifra Anglo's, a Tedrow Anglo, two more anglo's being built in South Africa. I have ordered a Dipper Anglo recently. I have also ordered a new Tedrow concertina miniature

 

Er, what is it about your budget that's the limiting factor here?

Edited September 16, 2007 by Old Leaky

[Trotsky]

Hi Phil it does say 'Ty' on the endplate. On the other end it says 402.

[Robin Madge]

I think I tried out the same Morse and Marcus at Fylde Festival and came to the same conclusions as you. However, I'm not in the market for another concertina at the moment (so I'm told)!

 

Robin Madge