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[mselic]

I have an old Hohner HA114 in G, which we all know takes a lot of work to play.  Has anyone out there played or come across a one-row, 4 stop box in G that is NOT a Hohner, and if so, what were your experiences with it?  Are ALL one-row, 4-stops in (low) G generally harder to play than boxes in higher keys?  Has anyone ever had one that played like a dream?

I really like one-rows in low G, but I have a hard time getting past the amount of muscle and work that goes into playing one of those.  I once played a Beltuna cajun one-row, in D, and it was the fastest and sweetest instrument I've ever had in my hands.  Does anyone know if these would be available in low G, and might it be a little less arduous to play than a Hohner?

[Steve_freereeder]

For a few years I had a Castagnari Max 1-row 4-stop in G which was a delight to play - very responsive and definitely not too growly. I bought it second-hand from Rees of this forum, and in his words it was 'a little screamer'. I eventually sold it on to finance another box but subsequently regretted its absence. 

I now have a EATMT/Pariselle special 1-row 4-stop in G which I made on Emmanuel's one-row building course in October 2014. It's also very responsive and easy to play. 

[Prestidigitator]

I started playing on a Hohner one-row in C, and I've stuck with it since, over several decades.

If I did wish to step up to a top-quality one-row, whatever the tuning, I'd personally be looking at one of Rees Wesson's, or perhaps an Albrecht. My own view is that a lot of ease of playing and responsiveness is down to the reeds and, if one were to re-reed a Hohner with, for example, a mano reeds, then it would probably play as well as a Beltuna. On the other hand, it would lose its Bullworker-style muscle-building properties. What's not to like about an exercise machine that also plays music?

[playandteach]

I now have a EATMT/Pariselle special 1-row 4-stop in G which I made on Emmanuel's one-row building course in October 2014. It's also very responsive and easy to play. 

Any chance of a youtube clip?

[Adam-T]

The reeds aren`t an issue in the Hohners - plenty of hohners out there play with amazing efficiency from Pokerworks to Morinos , the issue with the 114 IMO is a combination of bellows area (or lack thereof) and air escaping from where it shouldn`t.. for example a 1040 in G (Hohner's other 1 row model) with the reed gaps set right definitely isn`t a problem to play , but then the 1040 unless abused and wrecked tends to send all the air through past the reeds - no stop holes, leaky spoons / growlbox, leaky end corners and badly setup over-long pallets to contend with .

I`d rather have an Italian or Wesson Super-box with Hohner reeds in than a 114 with A-manos in !!!!

[Lester]

The reeds aren`t an issue in the Hohners - plenty of hohners out there play with amazing efficiency from Pokerworks to Morinos , the issue with the 114 IMO is a combination of bellows area (or lack thereof) and air escaping from where it shouldn`t.. for example a 1040 in G (Hohner's other 1 row model) with the reed gaps set right definitely isn`t a problem to play , but then the 1040 unless abused and wrecked tends to send all the air through past the reeds - no stop holes, leaky spoons / growlbox, leaky end corners and badly setup over-long pallets to contend with .

1040s also benefit from having half the reeds of a 114 especially the lack of the bass set which use a lot of air. As for 'no stop holes, leaky spoons / growlbox, leaky end corners and badly setup over-long pallets' these are all fixable with ease.

I had a G 114 in the workshop earlier in the month that was a joy to play.

[Mike Hirst]

There is a simple and rather obvious solution to overcoming the limitations of the Hohner G One Row, which Magnus Ruotimaa ably demonstrates here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHn_tlW5-wo

[911377brian]

Prestidigitator, my D Albrecht was harder to play than my bog standard 114G. John Mckenzie who owns it now may disagree on it's ease of playing. I find that I use the bellows less on the 114, they are never more than half open, and due to a crippled paw I have at last found a box where I can use the bass and air with ease... Answer to an old mans prayer really...

[Prestidigitator]

There is a simple and rather obvious solution to overcoming the limitations of the Hohner G One Row, which Magnus Ruotimaa ably demonstrates here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHn_tlW5-wo

I love it! I want a double-decker in C, please.

[pgroff]

Not exactly a one-row, but here's a 9 + 3 box in G with 4 voices, LMMM. The 2 stops give the most useful voicings (MM mild celeste, MMM wide musette, LMM and LMMM). Very small and powerful, almost too loud to play indoors, and uses very little air. The reeds are TAM quality or possibly a mano.  For sale too!

PG

edited to add - went looking for my classified ad but it seems to have been deleted (though never sold). Here's the box, a Ruggieri organetto.  Too bad if the thread was deleted, because I posted a lot of info and links.

[Adam-T]

Brian invented the double-decker Chanson so why not a 114 one .. I love the sound of the G one too , shame they never officially made one with larger bellows and seals on the stop rods

[911377brian]

Seals? Moustache wax Adam, moustache wax....

[Theo]

edited to add - went looking for my classified ad but it seems to have been deleted (though never sold). Here's the box, a Ruggieri organetto.  Too bad if the thread was deleted, because I posted a lot of info and links.

Unsold for sale or wanted ads are deleted after 3 months as described in the pinned post at the top of the buy and sell forum. I do the deleting manually and look at the posts first and often move them to a more appropriate location, usually instrument makes and models, if they seem to have long term interest.   I don't recall your post Paul, but it may still be around.

[pgroff]

No worries, Theo! I appreciate all your work and all the information shared on melnet. It is true though that the threads developing from classified ads may sometimes include some information that could have lasting value. But I recognize that space limitations may preclude saving everything.

Thanks again to you and all, for your vision & hard work building and maintaining this community.

PG

[Rob2Hook]

I love it! I want a double-decker in C, please.

Any chippy can accomodate you, but how are you going to get the longer arms?

Rob.

[mselic]

I now have a EATMT/Pariselle special 1-row 4-stop in G which I made on Emmanuel's one-row building course in October 2014. It's also very responsive and easy to play. 

Any chance of a youtube clip?

Seconded!

[jonm]

I had a G 114 in the workshop earlier in the month that was a joy to play.

For which many thanks. It is now a no-stop one-row with relocated air button (for left handed playing) and a low E on pull. A few other tweaks have made it even easier to play, certainly no work-out.

[Harmonicatunes]

This year I received a Hohner 114 in G, tuned by Martyn White. A great instrument, not too hard to play. The keyboard travel needs limiting, a task I've yet to get around to.

[Broadland Boy]

You need a lobster (?) stencilled on the bellows like this, childs play 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACtq5NDCSW4

[penn]

This year I received a Hohner 114 in G, tuned by Martyn White. A great instrument, not too hard to play. The keyboard travel needs limiting, a task I've yet to get around to.

I too acquired a 114G recently, and after sorting out some air problems with a quarter re-tape and gaskets, it too is light and easy to play and not as challenging as I'd imagined. In one of the many threads on keyboard travel I saw a comment, from Pikey I believe, who made the suggestion of changing the angle of your hand. So I now play it with the pads of my fingers rather than stabbing the keys with the ends, which means they don't disappear nearly so far down the holes & I don't really feel the need for a button travel mod. Clothes-pegs seem to work pretty well for keeping the stops up. I've seen comments that you may need to take the low voice out occasionally but I love it - it's a huge grunty sound and taking the L out emasculates it.

Mine has 16 bellows folds plus the two end fixed ones (i.e. 17 gussets) - is that normal on a G?
Steve