banjoguy Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Hi everyone! I'm brand new to the forum and concertinas. I've been reading the posts for a while now and finally got the guts to make a post. I love the concertina and have always wanted to pick one up, but there's so many options out there and I'm sorta confused. I've seen several beginner instruments out there in the $80 to $200 price range and there's the debate between 20 and 30 button. The instrument that hs really caught my eye is the Hohner D40. Musician's friend has it on sale right now for a really good price (compared to other's I've seen online). It's only a 20 button but it looks like it's pretty decent quality. I've found a handful of 30 button instruments for the same price but looked like really poor quality. I'm stuck. What should I do? Also, I live in the Portland Oregon area. Does anyone know somebody who gives lessons out here? Thank you so much!!! Sean Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 (edited) I started in August 2003 with a 20-button Hohner. Yeah, it was a good launching instrument, and I'm not regretting the time I spent with it. Yes, getting used to a 30-button has been a challenge, but not impossible. that said, in six months the Hohner was dead. And I didn't play it all THAT hard, but it was still too much for the cheap construction and I wore it out. Had to buy a new one, and NOT at the timing of MY choice. If you could even manage to swing a Stagi, it will last longer and you can upgrade when YOU want to. Oh, and welcome aboard, Sean! These are great people to hang out with! edited for welcome. Edited April 14, 2004 by Rhomylly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Hallo Sean, I started playing on the cheapest concertina available at the time and when I found out that I loved the instrument I progressed to a more expensive and more buttoned instrument. Give it a try see how you get on.We will help you all we can and if you get hooked sell it and buy a better one.If you dislike the instrument then it has not cost you much money.I bet you are still writing on this site in twenty years however. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Sean, Alan Day has a wonderful way of tutoring and mentoring new people. I started with a 20 button Stagi and it was fine. I missed the C# but I could get by without it. Glad to have it now, but am very happy I started with the 20 button. From what I have read the Stagi is going to last you longer than the Hohner. Then, when you decide that you really want to play this instrument, if you want, you can move up to a 30 or 24 button and get one a cut above the stagi. Welcome aboard and keep posting. We're a friendly group, nuts but friendly. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Also, I live in the Portland Oregon area. Does anyone know somebody who gives lessons out here? I did meet one anglo player in Portland. I don't know if she gives lessons, but I'll ask her about contacting you off-line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unseen122 Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Here is the thing if you get a 20 you will probably want to learn a 30 later (am I right or am I right 30 is the *norm*) wall doing that you will be learning almost two instruments they have a different configuration I would suggest going with a 30 they have a really cheap one on ($275) Lark in the Morning (I like to call it Shark instead of Lark because I have heard they sell some bad stuff) if you did that why not pay a hundred more and get a Stagi it will at least last you longer. I just clicked some random smiles fun. I have no idea what they are don't be affended if it is something bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 [re 20- vs. 30-button anglo] ...almost two instruments they have a different configuration... They do not. The "first" 20 buttons of 30-button are the same as a 20-button. You get more musical possibilities with the 30, but anything you learned on the 20 will still work the same on the 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henk van Aalten Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Welcome Sean! Here is my experience. I started 15 years ago with a "red marble colored" Hohner D40 (20 buttons C/G). Had a lot of fun and pleasure with it. Now it's completely worn out (at the outside). Only less than 2 years ago I bought a 30 button C/G. It is right what Jim says: there is a big similarity between the 20b and 30b machines. Everything you learn to play on your 20b can be played on the 30b without any extra learning or problem. There are a lot of tunes that can be played on the 20b. So my advice is: get familiar with the concertina by starting with a 20b and see how things develop . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 I found the 20 button fun and not intimidating. Few buttons = more courage for me at least. And once that was down pat, it was very easy to add on the extra buttons for sharps, flats, different bellows directions for G/A I believe. I find I play the bulk of the tunes on the same 20 buttons I started out with. Mind you, I haven't been playing much lately, but that is what I found. I agree that starting on a 20 button Stagi might be the way for you to go. Not too expensive and an instrument that will last a while. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Morse Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 All the replies so far are toward an anglo. But what sort of music do you like and would like to play, Sean? There are other types of concertinas that could be more appropriate for you than anglos are. If you're unsure it may make more sense to rent before you buy. That way you can check several types of concertinas out - better quality ones than the Hohners or low-end Stagis, and in good shape and in tune (pitch). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethornber Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 After much pondering, I made the decision to learn the concertina. With the collection of strange musical instruments in my house, it was inevitable. I took a cue from my wife, however. When she decided to learn the banjo, she picked up an ultra-cheap model to see if it appealed to her, and upgraded a few months later. The logic was that if she wasn't going to stick with it, better to waste the least amount possible on an instrument that sat at the very bottom of the playable range. Sure enough, she stuck with it and upgraded a few months later to a much better instrument. With that pattern established, I picked up the D40 from Musician's Friend. I've been noodling on it for about a week now, getting used to it. I know that I'll want to upgrade, but the D40 is certainly playable (although I wouldn't want anyone but myself to hear my playing right now) and I think it'll serve fine for learning the basics. If a six month lifespan is normal for the instrument, mine should be wearing out just in time to add a better instrument to my Christmas wish list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjoguy Posted April 15, 2004 Author Share Posted April 15, 2004 All the replies so far are toward an anglo. But what sort of music do you like and would like to play, Sean? There are other types of concertinas that could be more appropriate for you than anglos are. If you're unsure it may make more sense to rent before you buy. That way you can check several types of concertinas out - better quality ones than the Hohners or low-end Stagis, and in good shape and in tune (pitch). I'm really interested in Irish music. Irish has very strong ties to bluegrass, which I was brought up on playing the banjo. My hopes are that the transition will be somewhat smooth (i'm hoping anyway :-) ). From what I hear, I probably should avoid the Hohner and stick with a Stagi. I wish I could rent one locally but I'm not sure if the local music shops here in Oregon have them or even know what a Concertina is I'll have to check into that a little closer. Great idea though, I didn't even think of doing that! I'm really excited about this and very happy that there's such an awesome community here to help out! You guys are the best!!!! Any other suggestions or tips??? Thank you so much!!! Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caj Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Hiya all, If you're going to play Irish music, people may point out that a 20-button box lacks a C#, whereas Irish music is often in the key of D. However, last year I ran a computer program to simulate a concertina playing about 1500 common Irish session tunes, taken from a popular online tune archive. The result: about half of the tunes are playable on a 20-button. I posted the results here, tho I can't remember where. 50% is a pretty decent percentage, especially considering how much cheaper a 20-button is. I suggest that you can learn quite a bit about playing the concertina long before you really need to upgrade -- especially if you play another trad instrument, like the whistle, to keep you busy when someone starts playing in A at a session. Caj BTW, speaking of simulations, I think I finally finalized my magic new concertina layout, whose design is the reason I did all those computer simulations. I have a 20-button version, a 30-button version, and a 36-button version. I'll post the final layout soon, tho this be a busy week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Morse Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 All the replies so far are toward an anglo. But what sort of music do you like and would like to play, Sean? There are other types of concertinas that could be more appropriate for you than anglos are. If you're unsure it may make more sense to rent before you buy. That way you can check several types of concertinas out - better quality ones than the Hohners or low-end Stagis, and in good shape and in tune (pitch). I wish I could rent one locally but I'm not sure if the local music shops here in Oregon have them or even know what a Concertina is The Button Box rents upper-end Stagis throughout the US and Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjoguy Posted April 16, 2004 Author Share Posted April 16, 2004 The Button Box rents upper-end Stagis throughout the US and Canada. Thanks! I just sent The Button Box a email asking for rental prices. I found someone who's selling a Stagi B1 for a really decent price. It looks equivalent to the Hohner D40 and according to you guys it should last longer too. Does anyone know about or have a Stagi B1? Are they any good? Will it be worth my time and money? Thanks again!!! Sean Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjoguy Posted April 17, 2004 Author Share Posted April 17, 2004 So I went ahead and bought the Stagi B-1. It should be in the mail pretty soon. Any experiences with this perticular model? I only paid $139 for it and every other place I've seen on the net have been for like $250 to $400. So I think I got a pretty good deal. Did I make a mistake? Suggestions comments? All I need now is a teacher! :-) Thank you ever so much!!! Sean Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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