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Author Topic: Chinese & Happy???  (Read 3964 times)

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HallelujahAl

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Chinese & Happy???
« on: April 10, 2009, 04:36:09 PM »
(Bows Deeply to the Ground)

Hi - just had a great half hour playing my cheapo Chinese made D/G Primo. Some of you will know that a few months ago I was having some difficulties with this box. It'd hardly been played when I got it - so incredibly stiff bellows; and I also felt that the treble side was losing out in the air race to the bass end of things.

But now after a few adjustments and having rigorously played the thing in it's better than ok. This afternoon I just sat and played a load of my favourite scottish tunes (this particular instrument came with a low C natural on the D row and so lends itself to a number of my favourite songs). And I am now bathing in a wonderful pleasure-dome of melodeon joy.

Anyone else out there Chinese & happy???

AL
(Bows Deeply to the Ground)
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Andy Next Tune

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2009, 06:12:36 PM »
Yep - I really enjoy playing my chinese Hohner 4 stop in D - great for filling the house with the East Anglian tunes learnt at MAW last year. Plus it gets me regularly playing up the dusty end of the keyboard!

Andy
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Andy, from the now ex-County Palatine of Cheshire

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Theo

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2009, 08:12:58 PM »
Quote from: HallelujahAl on April 10, 2009, 04:36:09 PM
(Bows Deeply to the Ground)

Hi - just had a great half hour playing my cheapo Chinese made D/G Primo.

Are you sure its Chinese?  Some of the Primo branded instruments sold by the Music Room in the past have been Russian I think.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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HallelujahAl

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2009, 08:42:55 PM »
Assumed it was from a couple of very chinese looking marks printed on the inside of the box when I opened it up to fiddle with.

Still happy though!
AL :D
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Ebor_fiddler

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2009, 10:02:46 PM »
I'm getting more out of my Scarletina than I expected (and some of the notes are right as well)! :||:
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I'm a Yorkie!
My other melodeon's a fiddle, but one of my Hohners has six strings! I also play a very red Hawkins Bazaar in C and a generic Klingenthaler spoon bass in F.!! My other pets (played) are gobirons - Hohner Marine Band in C, Hohner Tremolo in D and a Chinese Thingy Tremolo in G.

Accordion Dave

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2009, 04:50:06 PM »
I am still enjoying my no-name Chinese 2-row (G/C) that I bought second-hand last summer.

On the Chinese box, the buttons are quiet. All three of my old Hohners have clacking buttons.
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triskel

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2009, 04:56:06 PM »
Quote from: Theo on April 10, 2009, 08:12:58 PM
Some of the Primo branded instruments sold by the Music Room in the past have been Russian I think.

For that matter, some used to be made for them by Serenellini, in Italy. Though those wouldn't have been cheap...
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HallelujahAl

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2009, 07:53:46 PM »
Quote
For that matter, some used to be made for them by Serenellini, in Italy. Though those wouldn't have been cheap...

Lawks - the plot thickens - my little black Primo could either be From Russia with Love; Have come on a Slow Boat From China - or is perhaps an Italian Job!!!
AL ;D
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Québécois

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2009, 04:12:21 PM »
I guess that's what we call a "global marketplace"...
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HallelujahAl

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2009, 06:08:55 PM »
Quote
I guess that's what we call a "global marketplace"...
Is that related to the credit "squeeze"? ;)
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Falseknight

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2009, 11:49:17 PM »
So were there never any mass market English boxes, or were they all over-engineered and cost a fortune so never sold?
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triskel

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2009, 04:25:51 AM »
Quote from: Falseknight on April 13, 2009, 11:49:17 PM
So were there never any mass market English boxes ...

There's never been an accordion manufacturing industry in England (though there was a rare instrument called an "English accordion" in the 1860s), and the only accordion factory was the one set up by the Swedish manufacturers Hagstrom after the Second World War - in order to supply the British market at a time when imports were not allowed.

Quote
... or were they all over-engineered and cost a fortune so never sold?

That may well apply to the handful of melodeons built by the concertina makers Lachenal & Co, around the time of the Great Depression...
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ron1

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #12 on: April 21, 2009, 10:26:11 PM »
Hi

I am Chinese and happy, having recently purchased an Ariette, proudly stating, "made in China." Prior to this, I had a one row morelli, also of Chinese origin I believe.

Just thought I let you know as there seem a lot of bad press re Chinese boxes.

Ron



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HallelujahAl

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2009, 08:40:31 AM »
Quote
Just thought I let you know as there seem a lot of bad press re Chinese boxes.

Yes I agree - I think the chinese origin accordions in particular that I have played have much improved in recent years. This improvement seems to have been matched by certain vested Italian and German interests slagging them off. Yes, there have been some bad examples of Chinese manufacture, I'm sure. But generally my experience has been a very positive one - and at a fraction of the cost of a 'costalotti'. To which I say,"Ying-Tong-Diddle-I-Po!"

AL ;D
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Ebor_fiddler

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2009, 11:07:06 PM »
And sixpence!   ;D (but wasn't that the antique upright piano with brass etceteras?)  :||:
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I'm a Yorkie!
My other melodeon's a fiddle, but one of my Hohners has six strings! I also play a very red Hawkins Bazaar in C and a generic Klingenthaler spoon bass in F.!! My other pets (played) are gobirons - Hohner Marine Band in C, Hohner Tremolo in D and a Chinese Thingy Tremolo in G.

HallelujahAl

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Re: Chinese & Happy???
« Reply #15 on: April 23, 2009, 10:00:06 AM »
Quote
And sixpence!    (but wasn't that the antique upright piano with brass etceteras?) 

No, I'm sure that was neddle-nardle-noo!
 ;D

AL Bloodnock -of the Queen's own Foot & Mouth
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