Button Box!

DaleR

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Hey UUers!

How many of you also play the button box? I sold most of my mighty fleet, as they were not getting used enough. I do now use one little two row concertina to do it all. I also have just acquired a three row and am learning the Irish cross row style of playing. Any other boxers out there?!

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Here's my current inventory - Irish Dipper, English Wheatstone, & Cajun.

Dipper.jpg

Wheatstone.jpg

Cajun.jpg
 
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I first tried the English....could not get it at all. The Anglo came to me very easily, but I play the English style, on the row, like a melodeon. The cross row playing is a challenge, but the next step for sure!

Nice collection Bill!
 
Not really a boxer, but I play the piano accordion. Or I should say that I played it. I am pretty rusty at this point, but would like to take it up again.
 
I have had an accordion since I was like 12 or so.....never caught on to it, but definitely, I am a box player! I have sold/ given away my piano accordions, same with my melodeons.....the little box is my true love.
 
I was given a cheap Anglo by a friend after she upgraded to an English. She warned me it had a couple of sticky keys, but said it probably wouldn't cost much to fix. So, I took it home and found it works well..... except it is in "C" and the only buttons that don't work are the "C" buttons. :confused:

Sadly, I don't know anyone who fixes them here in Catalonia :( - I guess I'll just have to take it Marcus Music in South Wales next time I'm over in the UK. :rolleyes:
 
The cheap Anglos are notorious for not being playable....they really are a start and move box....much like the $20 ukes.....still, they get people hooked and enjoying the craft
 
I'd love to learn concertina. Is the consensus that Anglo is easier? What do you need to pay for a decent one that won't have the sticky key problem?
 
I would take that Hohner piano accordion in a heartbeat, but my spouse says I'd have to give up one of my other accordions.
 
I was given a cheap Anglo by a friend after she upgraded to an English. She warned me it had a couple of sticky keys, but said it probably wouldn't cost much to fix. So, I took it home and found it works well..... except it is in "C" and the only buttons that don't work are the "C" buttons. :confused:

Sadly, I don't know anyone who fixes them here in Catalonia :( - I guess I'll just have to take it Marcus Music in South Wales next time I'm over in the UK. :rolleyes:

Tis true cheap Anglos are notorious that way. Try getting in contact with Mark Savoy, in Lafayette LA. He makes cajun accordians. in the 60's he started the Italians making brown reeds. He may be able to refer you to someone in Italy who can help you.
 
I'd love to learn concertina. Is the consensus that Anglo is easier? What do you need to pay for a decent one that won't have the sticky key problem?

It is not so much a matter of easier as it is do you prefer diatonic or chromatic style instruments. Can't help with prices. I quickly went to Cajun Accordian (diatonic) and fell in love.
 
I play the anglo concertina, still a beginner though.
My main squeeze is a Marcus Music C/G.
https://www.youtube.com/user/socalserf/videos?shelf_id=0&sort=dd&view=0

I also own but have not been able to learn a32/48 PA, a circa 1930 Hohner G/C Master Supertone 16 bass, and a very interesting cheap anglo concertina tuned to a DBA style D/C#.
My wife owns an Enlish Lachenel TT.
 
Castagnari single row four voice...C ...gorgeous...photo tomorrow:)
 
I haven't been playing my melodeons much lately but they're there; I played for our local women's morris team for about 20 years.

There's also a cheap Chinese Anglo concertina I haven't touched in ages. A couple weeks after buying it and starting to learn someone put into my hands a concertina made in Colin Dipper's workshop and I was amazed at how much better I could play on it, even as a rank beginner. It wanted to be played, unlike mine which fought back constantly. After a few minutes I had to give it back. I felt like the guy who gets a glimpse of fairyland and then has to spend the rest of his life in the real world. Never was able to afford a good concertina.
 
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