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[Graham Spencer]

Come on gang, go for it. 

After due discussion with my significant other, we've decided to go to Whitby this year (first time since about 2001), so sadly I can't justify a trip to UK in June with a hefty (though good value for what you get) course fee and then another in August with the need for decent accommodation, car hire and two season tickets among other expenses. Hey-ho.....

Graham

[Theo]

Things are looking good, Alan tells me he has 7 deposits paid, another imminent, and two places left which could be taken by people who have already expressed an interest. 

Anyone who would like a place on the course should get in touch with Alan Balding pronto!

[Alby]

Saturday 4th Oct - One place left.

I've had lots of interest this month that's more than likely down to the interest shown by everyone here.  Thanks for that

For those of you already signed up I'll be sending more information out next week. 

Alan

[Chris Ryall]

Just to say that Andy Cutting now lugs a home made from the course. Sounded very good last week.

[Edit] as below. He said he couldn't quite finish in the "ten" days. Then was invited over to France and found Martin there too! I think we should allow for a little artistic licence, but it's a nice story.  The basses looked interesting, eg I though it had a reversed G (assuming D/G basis)

The Pariselle "make your own" looks to be a very sweet package for anyone with the time to spare. I'm well sorted just now, but was tempted just for the fun of it!

[MartinW]

If I  recall right Andy Cutting, along with Mairtin O'Connor, went over to stay with Emmanuel in France They made their melodeons in something crazy like 5 (very long) days

Andy's has more basses than the usual model made on the course. I think it is 3 voice and has stops on the top end of of the grill similar to the one Emmanuel himself plays.

Martin

[Rog]

This is good news. It's a long way off - the winter will be gone and we'll be heading into next summer... but I am looking forward to it.

[Theo]

The Pariselle "make your own" looks to be a very sweet package for anyone with the time to spare. I'm well sorted just now, but was tempted just for the fun of it!

Indeed it is and for anyone who does not have the time to build one, but wants a versatile 2.5 row 14 bass DG, I have two for sale, one built by Alan Balding iat the Yeovil course in 2012, one built by Jon Eastmond on the London course in 2011.

[Nick Collis Bird]

Now the course seems to be up and running ( terrifying )  and being booked up as a victim 
I now have to choose what sort of box I would like to end up with.
I have only known D/G, as basically  I'm a Morris player or  a player of Morris music. Indeed any English Traditional  music.
Now....  I have two Bb/Eb boxes for singing ,and a D/G Dino Baffetti , we won't mention the Chanson, plus a single row ancient Hohner in some unmentionable key, probably H.
SO!  My question is, what sort of tuning should I go for? And what would you wonderful gang recommend ?
Remembering that I am an old git and haven't learnt anything new for years. Apart from Chansonistering that is.
As you all know my character, I must say this is a serious question. 
 
 
 

[Steve_freereeder]

Now the course seems to be up and running ( terrifying )  and being booked up as a victim 
I now have to choose what sort of box I would like to end up with.
I have only known D/G, as basically  I'm a Morris player or  a player of Morris music. Indeed any English Traditional  music.
Now....  I have two Bb/Eb boxes for singing ,and a D/G Dino Baffetti , we won't mention the Chanson, plus a single row ancient Hohner in some unmentionable key, probably H.
SO!  My question is, what sort of tuning should I go for? And what would you wonderful gang recommend ?
Remembering that I am an old git and haven't learnt anything new for years. Apart from Chansonistering that is.
As you all know my character, I must say this is a serious question. 

Congratulations on getting on the course!

You will work your socks off and expend blood (hopefully not too much), sweat and tears, but it will be worth it and a tremendous personal achievement. For these reasons, you should aim to make an instrument which is going to be as much use to you as possible. You don't have a C/F box on your list, and you might be tempted to go for that tuning, but you have to ask yourself whether you will end up playing it much. If not, all that effort will be possibly less than worthwhile, which would be a real shame.

Given your main genre of playing, my opinion would be to go for a D/G box; make it, be proud of it, and enjoy playing it!   

 

[Nick Collis Bird]

Thanks for that Steve, I had a feeling that's the way I should go. 

[Bob Ellis]

Nick,

I went for a D/G with a half row of accidentals laid out so that I could play comfortably in C, F, Am, Gm and Dm, which are keys commonly used by the French band of which I am a member. My thinking was that I would be able to use one box for Morris, sessions where the main keys are G and D and for French music. My  idea was that I would have a D/G, a G/C and a C/F box all rolled into one. The theory has worked out in practice and my Pariselle is now my first choice box, much to the chagrin of my Castagnari Benny.

[Nick Collis Bird]

Thanks Bob, in my head it's all coming together. 

[pikey]

Come on gang, go for it. 

After due discussion with my significant other, we've decided to go to Whitby this year (first time since about 2001), so sadly I can't justify a trip to UK in June with a hefty (though good value for what you get) course fee and then another in August with the need for decent accommodation, car hire and two season tickets among other expenses. Hey-ho.....

Graham

Great news! 

[pikey]

Now the course seems to be up and running ( terrifying )  and being booked up as a victim 
I now have to choose what sort of box I would like to end up with.
I have only known D/G, as basically  I'm a Morris player or  a player of Morris music. Indeed any English Traditional  music.
Now....  I have two Bb/Eb boxes for singing ,and a D/G Dino Baffetti , we won't mention the Chanson, plus a single row ancient Hohner in some unmentionable key, probably H.
SO!  My question is, what sort of tuning should I go for? And what would you wonderful gang recommend ?
Remembering that I am an old git and haven't learnt anything new for years. Apart from Chansonistering that is.
As you all know my character, I must say this is a serious question. 

How about Unisoric - ie every note the same. It might help you master the One Note Samba      

[Nick Collis Bird]

Now the course seems to be up and running ( terrifying )  and being booked up as a victim 
I now have to choose what sort of box I would like to end up with.
I have only known D/G, as basically  I'm a Morris player or  a player of Morris music. Indeed any English Traditional  music.
Now....  I have two Bb/Eb boxes for singing ,and a D/G Dino Baffetti , we won't mention the Chanson, plus a single row ancient Hohner in some unmentionable key, probably H.
SO!  My question is, what sort of tuning should I go for? And what would you wonderful gang recommend ?
Remembering that I am an old git and haven't learnt anything new for years. Apart from Chansonistering that is.
As you all know my character, I must say this is a serious question. 

How about Unisoric - ie every note the same. It might help you master the One Note Samba      

Now there's a thought! A drone melodeon 

[Rog]

Basic question here: if I select a DG tuned box, does anyone know if there is an option to include some low reeds, to lessen the 'squeakiness' of the G row? And in fact, how many reeds are there per RH note...?  I suppose I ought to know this but..erm..I don't.

[Theo]

There are two reeds per note.

The G row has 9 buttons, and the D row 10, so you have already lost the highest button on each row compared with a 21 button.

I see no reason why you could not have one set of reeds at the standard pitch and one an octave lower, this is know as octave tuning, or bandoneon tuning.  The lower reeds are physically longer, but you build the reedblocks to fit your reeds so I think it would be quite workable.  You should confirm this with Emmanuel but I think it will be ok. With this setup you can't really have any tremolo, in theory you could, but it would sound dreadful.   Incidentally I had an DG like this in for tuning recently, and I liked it a lot.     

[Owen Woods]

I've played several LMs (including one which Andy Cutting built on a Pariselle course) and they have all been awesome. Much neglected tuning.

[Rog]

There are two reeds per note.

The G row has 9 buttons, and the D row 10, so you have already lost the highest button on each row compared with a 21 button.

I see no reason why you could not have one set of reeds at the standard pitch and one an octave lower, this is know as octave tuning, or bandoneon tuning.  The lower reeds are physically longer, but you build the reedblocks to fit your reeds so I think it would be quite workable.  You should confirm this with Emmanuel but I think it will be ok. With this setup you can't really have any tremolo, in theory you could, but it would sound dreadful.   Incidentally I had an DG like this in for tuning recently, and I liked it a lot.   

Ah - thanks. You see I have a Corona IIIR (GCF) with LMH reeds and you can mix and match these with the 5 switches. I particularly like the LM combination, though as you point out there is no tremolo, so it's a dry sound. Ideally I'd like the option to thicken the G (and I suppose the D) row with a lower reed; in the absence of switch option maybe this is the thing to do.

[Rog]

Are there any sample sounds of these boxes? I have a Baffetti Carnival II and much as I love it it is a bit hurty on the ears when you place its upper end...though great for being heard in a noisy session.

Edit: OK I found this of Lester playing his... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxkYSWh0cvo