Concertinas?

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The past couple of years I've been looking at 20 button concertinas. I almost bought one yesterday on Ebay, but it went over the $100 that I was willing to pay for it. Honestly, I was a bit relieved. Here is the thing.

1. I play the ukuele. I play it every day. I do gigs, I busk a little, I've got a lot of time and money tied up in playing the ukulele. I still have a lot to learn. I have met a lot of people here on UU that used to play the ukulele, but they have found other instruments and have left their ukuleles in the corner so that they can play the new instrument. I don't want that to happen to me. I want to play the ukulele forever.

2. I do a lot of other things. I write books. I work on vintage motorcycles. I go out metal detecting. I target shoot. I like to read, and I like to watch TV in the evenings. I go out a lot. I go to music festivals. I have a granddaughter who I spend time with. I have a lot on my plate as it is.


Okay, those are all the reasons that I don't need a concertina. Here are the reasons that maybe I should get one.


1. Something new. They look fun. I've already learned a lot about music in general, I have a better understanding of music, and I'm sure that would make learning to play another instrument easier.

2. I do a lot of things. So far I've not become so focused on one thing that the rest get left behind. I seem to be able to be interested in more than one thing. Other than writing I don't work, so I have time. A concertina would just be another thing I'm doing.


3. The concertina would take me into other types of music that I've not been able to explore with the ukulele. That might be fun to broaden the experience.


So I have more concertinas to watch in my ebay. I don't know whether I'll raise my bottom line to a more realistic amount or just keep waiting for a deal to come along. Anyway, anyone have any experience with a 20 button concertina.
 
One of my local musicians is a gentleman named John Roberts. John has long been involved in British Islands music (He is British), sings the old songs, plays and teaches concertina.
A wonderful performer, solo or in groups. (Performed with Tony Barrand for nearly 4 decades, both as a duo and as part of Sing We All Noelle).


He wants to learn to play the ukulele.


I've told him that if I can find a decent concertina I can afford, I'll trade uke lessons for concertina lessons for my wife. He likes the idea.

(He just doesn't know how little I can teach him. But I can give him a pound of coffee every week, and that should count for something...)
 
I'd often thought about a squeeze box too, but they cost a lot of money, & when I took a look into the workings, I had a re think, they are quite complicated inside.
(I can't imagine you getting anything decent for $100.)

Harmonicas have the same sort of sound, they both use metal reeds to create the sound, & that is what I went for, with the advantage that they are pocketable too.
(A chromatic harmonica would be my suggestion.)

I've just recently started with (tin) whistles, they're cheap, & fun to play. :)
 
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I have looked into them when my correspondence Go (board game) partner talked about them excitedly, but judging by what I saw and learned in my brief excursion, I can't imagine you'd get something usable for just $100 or less. Like Keith says, they are not as simple as they look. Then again, eBay or Craigslist can sometimes yield surprisingly good results.
 
I have looked into them when my correspondence Go (board game) partner talked about them excitedly, but judging by what I saw and learned in my brief excursion, I can't imagine you'd get something usable for just $100 or less. Like Keith says, they are not as simple as they look. Then again, eBay or Craigslist can sometimes yield surprisingly good results.
I'm sure that you are probably right about not finding one for $100, and I guess that also shows how serious I am about learning to play the concertina. If I was serious about it I would probably just pay what I had to pay and get started.
 
I have a concertina that someone gave me along with 3 instruction books. I think it's a Hohner D50. Considered a starter concertina. I also have one extra copy of absolute beginners concertina booklet that I don't need if you bite the bullet. I know a few players. The first question they will ask " is it an Anglo or English"? Mine is Anglo. It's diatonic which means you get a different sound on push and pull kind of like a harmonica. I'm not sure what an English does, or which one is more popular and with who.

There are reasons to branch out beyond ukulele. However at this time I'm smitten with the ukulele and don't feel a need to branch out. I have studied music theory in the past, and have tried to play other instruments but it's the ukulele that stuck. It's the one instrument I play every day, and I keep finding more things to be interested in music about.

For what you like to do with the ukulele, you could probably do with a concertina. It's a folk instrument. It's easy to play simple songs to sing along with. You are correct that it will cover a different genre of music. British Isle Folk and sea shanties. Flirting with other instruments can be fun and rewarding. It does not necessarily mean that you will abandon the ukulele.
 
I go out metal detecting.

The BBC has a show called "Detectorists" that you might enjoy. I know I did. It's a comedy series about detectorists!
 
I usta wanna play the concertina, but, since I started the ukulele with all those chords, I’ve lost the desire. My ol’ wrinkled brain just cannot seem to remember chords. I can learn them, but I don’t retain them.

I’ve now learned to pick my music and instruments more carefully.
 
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Decent concertinas are very expensive and really good ones are super pricey.
I got a used Marcus 30 button anglo for less than $2000 and it was a very lucky day for me.
My wifes English tenor/treble was twice that.

The cheapest anglo concertina that gets favorable reviews is the Rochelle.
http://www.concertinaconnection.com/rochelle anglo.htm

Concertinas are wonderful, but to very affordable.


BTW, its easy to get burned on ebay with concertinas, especially if you don't
know what is what.
Better off buying from a reputable dealer for your first,
or rent one for a month or two.
https://buttonbox.com/concertinas-in-stock.html#anglo
 
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I have messed a bit with Anglo concertinas, but I prefer the English and that's what mine is; same note push and pull and the buttons seem to make perfect sense (Maybe because I've been playing it for a couple of decades).
The English is completely chromatic and it's almost as easy to play in any key as in C, though I usually play in the fiddle keys, D, G, A and corresponding minor keys. The keys are set up in a way so that simple 3 note chords are very easy to find.
 
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I'd often thought about a squeeze box too, but they cost a lot of money, & when I took a look into the workings, I had a re think, they are quite complicated inside.
(I can't imagine you getting anything decent for $100.)

Harmonicas have the same sort of sound, they both use metal reeds to create the sound, & that is what I went for, with the advantage that they are pocketable too.
(A chromatic harmonica would be my suggestion.)

I've just recently started with (tin) whistles, they're cheap, & fun to play. :)

I doubt you'll find a chromatic harmonica that's any good for much under $100.
 
I haven't seen the Swan 1040, but I'll keep my eye open for one.
The Hohner Chrometta 10 hole is close to $180 in Canada. Is there a cheaper model? Is this the one you mean?

Hohner Chrometta.jpg
 
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I too have been drawn to the concertina but have not moved forward for the very same reasons. They were a bit more expensive than I expected for a starter. I also am leery about looking for a “good buy” online, when I know nothing about the instrument. I am retired and could find the time to learn it, but I am already involved with playing uke and learning guitar, tg and mandolin. I enjoy them all and not interested in giving up any just to concentrate on one.

My other thought was that as I am getting older, I would like to have an instrument I can noodle with when my string playing days are over. I worked in a nursing home years ago and have fond memories of a wheelchair-bound gent in his nineties that played his concertina all day long. It was a joy to hear and kept him positive and engaged well into his very advanced years. I would love to have this. I thought of harmonica too but I think respiratory issues might cut playing career short and I’d like to go for longevity. I don’t think I’m financially ready to jump into a concertina right now, but I can see one on the horizon.
 
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I haven't seen the Swan 1040, but I'll keep my eye open for one.
The Hohner Chrometta 10 hole is close to $180 in Canada. Is there a cheaper model? Is this the one you mean?
View attachment 118837

Yes, that's the Chrometta, lovely tone, comes in 8/10/12/14 hole versions, (but has an awkward mouthpiece for some).
(I have both the 10 & 14 - these are 'orchestra' tuned, meaning they have a couple of extra lower notes.)

Another 'Swan' type is made by Qi Mei, & is said to be a decent player.
 
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Accordeon is I think more usual than concertinas or bandoneons.

Here in Finland we have the 2 row accordeons, that give different note when pulling or pushing. More common is the 5 row accordeons, that really can excel in virtuosity.
 
Accordeon is I think more usual than concertinas or bandoneons.

Here in Finland we have the 2 row accordeons, that give different note when pulling or pushing. More common is the 5 row accordeons, that really can excel in virtuosity.

The two row accordions you describe are known as Diatonic or DBAs (diatonic button accordions).

The five row are Chromatic and have the same note on the push and pull, or CBAs (chromatic button accordions).

https://www.buttonbox.com/
 
I got a Trinity College English concertina about a decade ago. It was just under $300, the least expensive English (same note on push and pull) style I could find. The Anglos (diatonic in one or two keys) were a lot less expensive, but I couldn't seem to figure them out and I like being able to play in all keys. The English concertina is chromatic.

TC English concertina.jpg
 
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