Morse Or Edgeley?

[pubpersona]

The discussion has drifted from the merits of Edgley and Morse concertinas to business practices and pricing. -Price and service are indisputably part of the the buy and sell experience but tangential to the playing merits of the instruments. Time to move this to the general discussion forum mayhap? Which concertina is best? My answer is yes.

[m3838]

The discussion has drifted from the merits of Edgley and Morse concertinas to business practices and pricing. -Price and service are indisputably part of the the buy and sell experience but tangential to the playing merits of the instruments. Time to move this to the general discussion forum mayhap? Which concertina is best? My answer is yes.

I don't know if moving discussions from forum to forum is good or bad, but the question "which concertina is best" is incorrect.

Do you play standing and like softer tone? - Morse.

Is reed responce what you are looking for? - Morse will not cut it, look elsewere.

Do you like metal ends? - Morse doesn't make them.

Do you prefer wax-less concertina? - Morse reeds are waxed.

Would you like to compare the voices before buying? - go to the Music Room, if you can and pay premium, if you don't want to wait.

Do you want new English? - Edgley doesn't make them.

Do you want double reeds? - none of the mentioned makers are of any use.

[pubpersona]

A question is never incorrect. An answer can be wrong, however. "Which concertina is best?" is meant to paraphrase the thread subject as to which a player would choose for ITM. Sorry if that was unclear. Squeezeless but for B/C melodeon and a long-suffering sweetheart, either of the two concertinas sound "best" to me, good quality instruments available after a relatively short waiting period, backed up by reliable service should need arise.

 

-B.

[m3838]

A question is never incorrect. An answer can be wrong, however. "Which concertina is best?" is meant to paraphrase the thread subject as to which a player would choose for ITM. ... good quality instruments available after a relatively short waiting period, backed up by reliable service should need arise.

 

Not been a huge fan of ITM (sporadic listener) I would agree with you. I would also mention that something, that is, to my opinion, erroneously called ITM, is not a monolith entity, demanding particular brand of sound emitting machinery. Just like empty discussion about "suitability" of harmony to Irish music, the question of "which brand of concertina" is better suited for Irish music is indeed, quite empty. Any - is the answer. What really needed is the skill of a player, of which I personally see very little. Most commonly the question can be translated: "Which instrument can make a beginner look like playing ITM?" Not an empty question actually.

Good old Hohner Pokerwork can make anyone look like playing English Traditional Music. You try doing it with a Fiddle...

I guess a recorder is the best make belief instrument for ITM.

Back to quality/sound/look/style/money/availability concoction suitable to popular misconception regarding "ITM", probably the votes will come to Edgley, although not in overwhelming majority.

...Squeezeless but for B/C melodeon and a long-suffering sweetheart...

I don't understand the above.

[Chris Timson]

Just like empty discussion about "suitability" of harmony to Irish music, the question of "which brand of concertina" is better suited for Irish music is indeed, quite empty. Any - is the answer.

Just for once, I think we're in full agreement!

 

Chris

[Woody]

Just like empty discussion about "suitability" of harmony to Irish music, the question of "which brand of concertina" is better suited for Irish music is indeed, quite empty. Any - is the answer.

Just for once, I think we're in full agreement!

 

Chris

Crikey!

[m3838]

Just for once, I think we're in full agreement!

 

Chris

 

Oh, you're not a lost case!

[David Barnert]

...Squeezeless but for B/C melodeon and a long-suffering sweetheart...

I don't understand the above.

I think he means he has access to only two things to squeeze: a melodeon and a girlfriend. Note the absence of a concertina.

[m3838]

...Squeezeless but for B/C melodeon and a long-suffering sweetheart...

I don't understand the above.

I think he means he has access to only two things to squeeze: a melodeon and a girlfriend. Note the absence of a concertina.

 

I see.

And he complains?

Kids nowadays...

[ceemonster]

[the question of "which brand of concertina" is better suited for Irish music is indeed, quite empty. Any - is the answer.]

 

Perhaps for some empty reason, some people did not carefully read the initial post as well as the initial poster's complete thread title. Asking if there are people who had experience with the cited makes and asking for input as to impressions on issues and criteria such as reed response, etc., for a shopper who will be playing ITM, is far from an empty exercise, and researching these issues before dropping thousands on an instrument is far from an empty exercise. There is of course a caveat emptor with any input on issues with a subjective component, but the original poster didn't sound like a helpless child to this reader. with the sky-high prices on concertina-reeded instruments at present, i think it is sometimes overlooked that hybrid concertinas are very expensive investments. given how hard it is to access and play various examples, soliciting this sort of input for consideration would seem to me to be prudent at the least.

 

i agree that the back-and-forth about price mark-ups at this or that dealer, might be best moved to another spot.

Edited November 26, 2007 by ceemonster

[m3838]

Asking if there are people who had experience with the cited makes and asking for input as to impressions on issues and criteria such as reed response, etc., for a shopper who will be playing ITM, is far from an empty exercise

 

I should have looked at the original question, for sure. I think that question was answered in depth.

What I would have suggested, is researching people who own Edgley and Morse and asking them directly. This way it would have been possible to avoid public discussion, that often veers off and get answers that are unmarked by people's fear of sounding offencive or not objective.

[David Levine]

Asking if there are people who had experience with the cited makes and asking for input as to impressions on issues and criteria such as reed response, etc., for a shopper who will be playing ITM, is far from an empty exercise

 

I should have looked at the original question, for sure. I think that question was answered in depth.

What I would have suggested, is researching people who own Edgley and Morse and asking them directly. This way it would have been possible to avoid public discussion, that often veers off and get answers that are unmarked by people's fear of sounding offencive or not objective.

 

And how would I go about polling these people?

In fact, several people have sent me their impressions off the board, trusting that I would not reveal their comments. These private evaluations have been very helpful. Both Morse and Edgley have their supporters, all of whom are thoughtful and articulate.

I thought this thread was interesting for many reasons. I am surprised that my defense of a retail dealer would elicit criticism. I will say it again: retail dealers, like instrument makers, don't make a lot of money. Nor can they come to their own defense without sounding, well, defensive and self-interested.

Having a discussion veer off and take wild tangents isn't necessarily a bad thing, either. It's like a real discussion. The discussion seems always to have returned to the question I posed when I started the thread: "Which is better for ITM, Edgley or Morse?" The thread has engaged one of the makers, as well, which I thought was a great thing. It certainly raises my appreciation of a maker's product when he talks about it on a public forum.

[m3838]

What I would have suggested, is researching people who own Edgley and Morse and asking them directly.

 

And how would I go about polling these people?

 

I would look at their personal profiles. There aren't too many people who participate in discussions.

I would also look up Concertina tune page and see what people recorded with, then look them up and send PMs.

But I think you have your answer by now.

As for defending retailers, you can't be sure of other people's goals. Perhabs retailers work hard to maintain good stock and knowledgeable staff, perhabs they want to get rich fast, perhabs they want to have going business that pays the bills and not to overwork. I myself work 10 hour day, often stay ovetime and come on weekends without pay. If I wanted my own buseness, one of the reasons would be to avoid all of the above.

[David Levine]

I myself work 10 hour day, often stay ovetime and come on weekends without pay. If I wanted my own buseness, one of the reasons would be to avoid all of the above.

 

Then don't even think of having your own business unless you want to embrace a life of poverty.