I'm Not Worthy....

[LDT]

I have a cunning plan....I'm currently putting by £50 a week and hopfully in a year I will be worthy enough (and saved enough) to buy a more expensive better quality concertina.

 

Is this a good plan? I thought it might be good motivation for me to have a 'reward' if I keep at it and get half decent at playing.

 

btw. are concertina prices going up or down?

Edited September 12, 2008 by LDT

[Leo]

Hi LDT

 

Sounds like a good plan to me! The time will go fast, so start shopping now!

 

Yes prices are going up.

 

Thanks

Leo

[LDT]

Sounds like a good plan to me! The time will go fast, so start shopping now!

 

There's so much choice...not sure what to choose. (it sounds very shallow but I want a 'pretty' one. lol!)

[wntrmute]

In about seven or eight months you would be able to afford an Edgley, Tedrow, or Morse. I think Normans are supposed to be good, and they're in this range, too. Sooner than that you would be able to get one of those used, or a new Herrington (are they still building concertinas? They sound like a bargain at US$1500). You'll want to go to a concertina festival or two between now and then to see if you can try out the different builder's instruments. If you order an instrument new, you'll need to order it about 3-4 months in advance.

[Mark Evans]

Yes prices are going up.

 

and up!

[Dave Rogers]

I think this one looks rather pretty:

 

http://www.apjmusic.co.uk/apj_30button_anglo.htm

 

And the maker used to work for Andrew Norman...

[LDT]

I would probably buy new as I don't like buying secondhand.

 

and up!

what's pushing up the price?

[Dave Rogers]

what's pushing up the price?

 

1) High demand for new instruments caused by

2) Scarcity of good vintage ones

Edited September 12, 2008 by Dave Rogers

[LDT]

Is there a way of 'reserving' one at an existing price for a years time...without having to pay the whole price when you order?

(yes I'm rather nieve about this stuff..the limit of my cyber shopping involves ebay and amazon)

[Mark Evans]

I think this one looks rather pretty:

 

http://www.apjmusic.co.uk/apj_30button_anglo.htm

 

And the maker used to work for Andrew Norman...

 

That's a handsome box and by the looks, sounds and price of it a good value. May be prosper.

[LDT]

I think this one looks rather pretty:

 

http://www.apjmusic.co.uk/apj_30button_anglo.htm

 

And the maker used to work for Andrew Norman...

 

That's a handsome box and by the looks, sounds and price of it a good value.

that's definatly going on my maybe list.

 

May be prosper.

??

[Bill N]

you would be able to get one of those used, or a new Herrington (are they still building concertinas? They sound like a bargain at US$1500)....... If you order an instrument new, you'll need to order it about 3-4 months in advance.

I have been corresponding with Harold Herrington this week, and he is indeed still making concertinas, with an 8-10 month waiting period. His web site is out of date however. His current instruments are not quite as pictured on the web-site, (e.g. the square concertina is now fully metal ended rather than having a metal insert) and his prices have increased a bit. Still, if they are as nice to play as reported elsewhere on this forum, they are in the "good value" category. He has a 24 button model which features 4 accidentals located as 6th buttons at the index finger end of each row, plus a 5th accidental under the right pinkie on the inside row. His 24 key, and 30 key square anglos are less expensive than his traditional 30 key. Harold has been very forthcoming and patient!

[wntrmute]

Is there a way of 'reserving' one at an existing price for a years time...without having to pay the whole price when you order?

(yes I'm rather nieve about this stuff..the limit of my cyber shopping involves ebay and amazon)

When I ordered my Céilí (the Morse Anglo brand) I put a small deposit on it, and the price was locked at the then-current rate. I think the prices had gone up by the time I received it (about 3 and a half months later, just in time for Christmas), but my price was still the same. I don't know if a builder would reserve a price for more than their estimated build time, though -- I think most of them expect you to be able to pay once the instrument is completed, however long (or short) that time may be.

But I know Mssrs. Morse, Edgley, and Tedrow are all very pleasant and friendly people, you could see what they would say.

 

Looks are only part of the equation, remember -- trying the various instruments out is the best way to find what instrument speaks to you best. These are handmade instruments, and each builder puts a bit of their own style into them.

[Alan Day]

I have a cunning plan....I'm currently putting by £50 a week and hopfully in a year I will be worthy enough (and saved enough) to buy a more expensive better quality concertina.

 

Is this a good plan? I thought it might be good motivation for me to have a 'reward' if I keep at it and get half decent at playing.

 

btw. are concertina prices going up or down?

The other alternative is to borrow the money on repayments at £50 per month and buy it now at the lower cost.(this should even out the cost of the loan,but you will have a years worth of concertina playing on a better instrument.

Al

[PeterT]

There's so much choice...not sure what to choose. (it sounds very shallow but I want a 'pretty' one. lol!)

It's important that your instrument is visually appealing, but more important factors are how it sounds and how it plays.

 

Try to get your hands on as many, and different, Anglos over the next few months as is possible. This will help refine your ideas about what is your "ideal" concertina in a particular price bracket. Towards the end of summer 2009, you might then know what you want, and whether you can afford it in an acceptable timescale.

 

I did a calculation a couple of years ago , which suggested that vintage Anglos appreciate in value by approx. 10% per annum. Top quality new Anglos seem to appreciate almost as fast. I'd say it's not "what?" is the cause, but "who?". Noel Hill has done so much to raise the profile of Irish music in the last 20+ years that demand is soaking up much of the production of the top makers. This has brought several new makers onto the scene, and C.net members will have personal experience of just how good these new makers really are. Certainly we hear some good reviews on this Forum!

 

So; I guess that some of your initial frustrations are receding.

 

Peter.

[LDT]

I did a calculation a couple of years ago , which suggested that vintage Anglos appreciate in value by approx. 10% per annum. Top quality new Anglos seem to appreciate almost as fast. I'd say it's not "what?" is the cause, but "who?". Noel Hill has done so much to raise the profile of Irish music in the last 20+ years that demand is soaking up much of the production of the top makers. This has brought several new makers onto the scene, and C.net members will have personal experience of just how good these new makers really are. Certainly we hear some good reviews on this Forum!

 

So; I guess that some of your initial frustrations are receding.

Yeah..I made a breakthrough. Using the metronome on garageband I've managed to go from playing 75 tempo to 105...my target is 120.

Now I've just got to try and play without mistakes when someone else is in the room.

[Woody]

I have a cunning plan....I'm currently putting by £50 a week and hopfully in a year I will be worthy enough (and saved enough) to buy a more expensive better quality concertina.

 

Is this a good plan? I thought it might be good motivation for me to have a 'reward' if I keep at it and get half decent at playing.

Hi LDT,

 

take your time over the next year trying any concertinas that you can. Hobgoblin & The Music Room (not to be confused with Musicroom) normally can be found around bigger folk festivals with some Concertinas available for trying. My opinions of what I wanted changed quite a bit from my first ideas - I ended up with a Norman which I'm delighted with. The process was that I put down a relatively small deposit and then that 'fixed' the price, though I had a wait of about 14 months until it was ready.

 

At £50 per month you'll have £600 in a year which is probably not enough to make a dramatic step up in quality if buying new. If you can wait 18 months you'll have £900 which is starting to get in the ball park - you'll probably be looking at spending £1000+ .

 

You could possibly increase your budget by taking advantage of Arts Council England's "Take it Away" scheme. A 9 month interest free loan of up to £2000 to buy musical instruments - Hobgoblin participate in this program.

 

 

cheers,

 

-W

[LDT]

take your time over the next year trying any concertinas that you can. Hobgoblin & The Music Room (not to be confused with Musicroom) normally can be found around bigger folk festivals with some Concertinas available for trying. My opinions of what I wanted changed quite a bit from my first ideas - I ended up with a Norman which I'm delighted with. The process was that I put down a relatively small deposit and then that 'fixed' the price, though I had a wait of about 14 months until it was ready.

I'll have find a big folk festival to go to

 

At £50 per month you'll have £600 in a year which is probably not enough to make a dramatic step up in quality if buying new. If you can wait 18 months you'll have £900 which is starting to get in the ball park - you'll probably be looking at spending £1000+ .

It was £50 a week rather than a month....12x50 is....erm...wait a mo just got to get out my calculator.

 

You could possibly increase your budget by taking advantage of Arts Council England's "Take it Away" scheme. A 9 month interest free loan of up to £2000 to buy musical instruments - Hobgoblin participate in this program.

oooh, I'll take a look at that.