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Author Topic: Best years for Pokerwork?  (Read 3483 times)

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Grape Ape

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Best years for Pokerwork?
« on: February 05, 2016, 02:59:30 AM »

Are some years (or periods) considered better for the Hohner Pokerwork than others, and if so, is there a way to tell the different years apart? 

Are the one stamped "Made in Germany" generally considered better?
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melodeon

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2016, 12:22:22 AM »

Yes Germany and pre 1990s.

My favorites are the 50s just after WW II.. often pre war mismatched components.
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gettabettabox

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2016, 01:05:42 AM »

bought my first ever pokerwork in D/G  recently, (from ebay - not listed as a D/G so made enquiries.)
i haven't touched this one, unlike the D/G erica i had a while ago where i lifted just the G row up to 4th button. brings most reversals closer and C nat in the 'irish' place
you will all be pleased to hear that i've left this pokerwork as is.
however, ....some tunes sit better on the D row with a C nat to hand..yet others sit comfortably on the G row.
this pokerwork, i would guess from the 1980's.....very responsive, very loud....too loud.
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boxer

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2016, 07:39:05 PM »

I bought my first pokerwork (D/G) brand new in 1974 and, although German built, it was a bit of a dog.  Springs and reeds broke several times.  I never liked it and after a long spell in the attic it went as a trade-in against a banjo.

I returned to the pokerwork tribe in 2005 when I bought a second-hand German built B/C model probably made in the 80s.  It's a great box that I will never part with, and, yes, it's loud, but the upside is that I can play it very lightly (therefore relatively well) in polite company and still be heard clearly.

I think that the moral is that the quality of later German built Hohners isn't consistent.  Ask for a test drive.
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Nuage, Tommy, Cairdin, 
Double Ray DLX 21x12, Black Dot,
Pre-Erica, Pokerwork
plus various stringed things

AirTime

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2016, 03:38:15 AM »

Quote
... it went as a trade-in against a banjo.

Ouch!   :o
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1920's BbEb Hohner; 1920's  AD Koch; 1910 (?) One-row Hohner in D,  1910's GCB Maga Ercole; ; AD 1950's Pistelli, CF Sandpiper, CF Preciosa, BbEb Preciosa.

melodeon

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2016, 06:50:26 PM »

Hold on now..

"against a banjo"  not "for" a banjo.
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triskel

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2016, 08:58:27 PM »

I think that the moral is that the quality of later German built Hohners isn't consistent.  Ask for a test drive.

From what I've heard, they might have been "made in Germany", but some were made the other side of the border in the GDR.

At least, I know somebody who got a load of 1140s (without Hohner branding) from the "back door" of a certain well-known factory in Klingenthal, before the wall came down - and I saw them and had some off him...   ::)

triskel

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2016, 09:10:10 PM »

Are some years (or periods) considered better for the Hohner Pokerwork than others, and if so, is there a way to tell the different years apart? 

I guess that may depend on exactly what you mean by a "Pokerwork" because my favourite Hohner model is the same size and shape as one, only it's black without any pokerwork decoration and was made in the 1930s:

malcolmbebb

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2016, 09:12:02 PM »

I've noticed that style always seems to sell well on Ebay. What's its particular good points?
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Dino BPII.
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playandteach

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2016, 09:23:57 PM »

If I'm right, this was the first box I hired to try out the melodeon.
Here's the clip link, that I uploaded as my first beginner's showcase effort. Just listened to it, and it is a fruity box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6qOpYpMEv8
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Serafini R2D2 GC, Serafini GC accs 18 bass

Ada

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2016, 11:17:59 AM »

Interesting that a 1974 model was a dog - Mine was new in '75 and was fine. It's just about dead now, but gave 4 decades of good service with only a couple of spring and reed replacements needed.
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boxer

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2016, 11:33:41 AM »

well, the damned thing almost barked
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Nuage, Tommy, Cairdin, 
Double Ray DLX 21x12, Black Dot,
Pre-Erica, Pokerwork
plus various stringed things

triskel

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2016, 07:17:10 PM »

I've noticed that style always seems to sell well on Ebay. What's its particular good points?

Well, apart from having reeds on zinc plates for that wonderful pre-war sound, they were also designed/made from the start (with that removable metal plate on the keyboard) to have packing behind the keys, to limit their travel.

Back in 1938, when a 2815 pokerwork cost RM 32.75, a 3515 1/2 (one of these black ones) cost RM 39.00 - in fact they were the dearest of the "regular" 2-rows. They were also available in 12 bass, and/or 3-voice, also in 3-row, and in many key combinations.

Grape Ape

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2016, 07:40:40 PM »

That is one nice looking box and if it sounds like the one Play and Teach is playing, I have to say is one great sounding box as well.  Would love to find one in GC.  That old sound musette is just what I am looking for...
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Harmonicatunes

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2016, 01:58:33 AM »

A few years back I bought this GC 2915 from eBay in the US. Arrived in almost new condition, despite the age, with understandably wooly tuning.. A trip to Peter Hyde put that right, and much else besides, it is now a delight to play. I'd be interested to know the actual age. Pre war, post war..?

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Harmonica Player
Just starting with the Box

triskel

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Re: Best years for Pokerwork?
« Reply #15 on: February 09, 2016, 05:24:20 AM »

A few years back I bought this GC 2915 from eBay in the US.

Except that's a 1600, not a 2915 - and in the 'States Hohner still use the old 2815 model number for the 2915...  ;)

Quote
Pre war, post war..?

It's pre-war if the four feet on the bass board are integral with swivelling catches that hold it on, post-war if they're simply domed with seperate screws holding the board on.
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