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Best English $1k Or Less?


seanc

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Any advise on this one??

 

Finally sold off some gear on Craigs and have $1k to spend on an English. Any strong reccomendations?

 

It would appear that the options immediately available are:

 

Jackie @ 350 with the trade up option.

 

Stagi 30 or 48 button 650-800, Button box has new and used..

 

Or Lark in AM has a used Lachenal for $900.

 

Or hold tight and wait for something else to pop up?

 

Thanks in advance!!

Sean

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You being a Massachusetts guy, I would think that Jackie trade up thing offered by the Button Box might just be up your alley.

 

One of our members Gary Roma did just that and I was fortunate enough to play both the Jackie (good beginner instrument) and later his Morse when it came in. What a nice instrument the new Albion is. Some very nice inprovements to registration (particularlly the lower end) and if it can possibly be believed, a swifter action speed. That along with a drop dead beautiful flat finish on the ends....every nice indeed.

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Mark,

Yes that is a consideration. I have been in contact with R Morse and that is an attractive way to go. I am just torn between going the inexpensive route (jackie), or going for a jump up the food chain while I actually have funds available.

 

Is the feeling that the Stagi is just a non starter then?

 

As always, thanks for the advise!!

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Is the feeling that the Stagi is just a non starter then?

 

 

From my experience, a Stagi while having more notes to knock about with will still have the same problem a Jackie might (sticking buttons) and something I found the Jackie did not have: mushy response time and certainly less than air tight. They cost a pretty penny today ($600-$700) and if you take to the concertina, the desire for a real instrument will be on you faster than you imagine.

 

My first instrument, a worn out Bastari lasted less than three months before I had the opportunity to purchase a Wheatstone. Once I played the Stone, I could not abide being shackled for a moment longer to an instrument I had to fight to play. With that motivation, I found a way to pay for the real instrument and walked way without a backward look.

 

Good luck Sean.

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Don't forget the Jack, the baritone version of the Jackie. I've had mine (it's my first squeezebox) for a couple of weeks now and am very happy with it. I had to fix a couple of sticky notes, but it was a simple matter of lubricating the pivot. The only other problem is the bottom G, which is breathy and takes a big push to get it to speak (perhaps the reed gap needs to be smaller or a valve is not working? Once I've got it going it repeats normally.

 

If only there were a Jack with a few more notes at the top...

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