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Author Topic: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.  (Read 5138 times)

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Daddy Long Les

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Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« on: September 25, 2016, 06:32:02 PM »

I was in Hobgoblin on Saturday and amongst other boxes, I tried out a new Lilly.

It felt and sounded absolutely wonderful but the thing I noticed straightaway was that the bass seemed to drown out the treble.  Now I know that this is a single reed instrument so that's likely to be the case I suppose but I was wondering if I was missing a trick with this.  I guess a company such as Castagnari must have designed such an instrument not to have an imbalance like this but it seemed to be so.

I'm in the market for a lightweight quality box and this is wonderfully light and felt fantastic to play and even at £1695, I must admit I was tempted.

My other question is - has anyone out there ever used one of these for morris?  I know it's probably not the ideal box for such a purpose but if you have, does it hold its own or get drowned out?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Les
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2016, 06:41:21 PM »

Fairly common morris box and to my ear more than suitable. Don't forget that you are not hearing the same 'noise' as someone stood in front of the box.

Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2016, 07:06:23 PM »

Yes, we've had people playing Lilly's for us to dance morris over the years.
If you pop in for another look, get one of the shop people to play it for you. Then you get to hear what the audience hears, as opposed to what it sounds like when you are playing it.
They are nice little boxes.
Q
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2016, 07:10:36 PM »

To add a further yes, I know of at least two musicians who use (used) a Lilly. Including Helena, of this parish, just today.
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Amanda Beech

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2016, 07:42:00 PM »

We have three Lilly players in our Morris side, the boxes are of different ages and all sound different.  When played with gusto they sound great for Morris dancing, strong, clear and punchy.
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2016, 08:06:50 PM »

Don't forget that you are not hearing the same 'noise' as someone stood in front of the box.

This seems to be particularly true of the Lilly.  My Lilly seems to be my go-to box these days because being G-scale fourth button start, thirds out and a nice size to fit in a rucksack it can go pretty much everywhere with me and do most of the things I want to do.  It would not be my first choice of a morris box but I do play it for one team in particular - Taylor's Men, although this is mainly because it blends will with the concertinas played by John Watcham for the team.  That said the Lilly makes a reasonable morris box although for solo work or more 'lumpy' morris my Binci would be first choice.
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george garside

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2016, 10:24:13 PM »

I am another who has used a DG lilly for morris but only occasionaly  as I considered it too expensive a box for the rough and tumble of outdoor playing in possibly inclement weather!  It is in  quite suitable but for practical /financial reasons I usually used a well worn and battered pokerwork  which the dancers danced just as well to! 

george
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2016, 12:17:58 AM »

Definitely agree with both Helena and George, they are great sounding boxes and bass/treble balance isn't a problem (just for the player!). Mine was purchased off eBay, is about 15 years old and has been changed to 4 button start but thirds are retained.

Lilly is great for Morris with a strong punchy sound, and can definitively hold its own. It's sound cuts through in a similar way to a concertina.
However they are not great when it is wet, I've had a few problems with just a little rain causing buttons to stick (48 hours in airing cupboard drying sorted it).

And yes in the ideal world....
Bad weather Morris - pokerwork or Erica.
Solo or leading Morris band - Dino Binci
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2016, 01:07:43 AM »

And yes in the ideal world....
Bad weather Morris - pokerwork or Erica.
Solo or leading Morris band - Dino Binci

Bad weather Morris - pokerwork or Erica. Go to the pub.  >:E
Solo or leading Morris band - Dino Binci
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2016, 08:00:25 AM »

Or.....
Bad weather morris dance *in* the pub!
I have had so much fun dancing inside, where somehow lunacy takes over..... memorable dances with Smiffs  in the Zetland Arms at Warwick FF is legendary - still fondly remembered with a smile.

Then such lovely boxes ( and dancers ) don't need protection!
Q
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2016, 08:52:48 AM »

ditto - used mine for a decade. It has the guts to contribute in a band, great played in chords! Being solo reed and a bit 'concerina' like it can also be used more subtly for things like jigs, and the enigmatic 'signposts'.

Also tiny, and light as a feather. Mine did the Alps in a motor cycle pannier.
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2016, 09:16:04 AM »

However they are not great when it is wet, I've had a few problems with just a little rain causing buttons to stick (48 hours in airing cupboard drying sorted it).

I was pleasantly surprised at how mine performed in the wet, in basically became a waterlilly at Saddleworth on the last leg of the rushcart run back to Uppermill despite my best efforts to wrap it up in a binbag.   A week later at Towersey it was found to have three stuck levers but a night left out in the campervan with the bellows open and all was well.
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george garside

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2016, 11:53:21 AM »

a traditional cycling cape works far better than a bin bag and keeps the person as well as the box dry. I always had such a garment with me as a precaution when going to play in potentially soggy conditions

george
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2016, 12:22:21 PM »

a traditional cycling cape works far better than a bin bag and keeps the person as well as the box dry. I always had such a garment with me as a precaution when going to play in potentially soggy conditions

george

I have a poncho but hate playing in it.  It really, really robs the joy out of playing as well as muffling the sound.  I would usually retreat to the pub in such wet conditions but, hey, it was the rushcart and it was dry when we started out.
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Theo

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2016, 12:25:14 PM »

I completely fail to understand why anyone would ever want to dance and play in the rain!  Is it some sort of peculiar southern English sense of humour?
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #15 on: September 26, 2016, 12:26:25 PM »

the proper cycling cape worked much better than a poncho  as , being designed to cover both the person and the bike including handlebars  it has   considerably more bellows room.

george
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #16 on: September 26, 2016, 12:32:05 PM »

I completely fail to understand why anyone would ever want to dance and play in the rain!  Is it some sort of peculiar southern English sense of humour?

As far as playing is concerned I compeltely agree, much better to find a nice warm pub to protect both box and player - also surely I can't be the only one who hates ponchos, capes etc?

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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #17 on: September 26, 2016, 01:16:27 PM »

1. Somewhere on here over the last year, someone has put on links to a Scottish company that actually makes accordion capes!

2. Theo, and you thought us Southern Softies! .....but of course you are right.
It is far better to go inside and create mayhem then stand outside getting wet. Though sometimes you do get caught out and start a dance in the dry and get hit by a shower and with an audience you can't suddenly get wimpy and run off. Not done!. That's when brollies are grabbed quickly to protect the musicians.
The trouble is, morris is meant to be danced in the summer, but there can be huge variations in the definition of 'summer'!
Q
who danced last Monday in a light drizzle, whilst the muso's kept dry under the smoking shelter, spluttering occasionally
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I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #18 on: September 26, 2016, 02:55:46 PM »

It might be true that the listener hears your sound in a different way than you yourself do. And that is somethng to consider, if you intend to play it for a specific purpose.

But my own ears are important too, both for my own enjoyment, but also for adjusting my playing according to what i hear.
In this case that could mean for instance that i would play my left hand shorter because it drowns the righthand less (consciously or unconciously). Because that is what i hear. And that could be a bad "improvement", as the dancer/listener hears something else.

That said, i like the Lily :-)
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Re: Castagnari Lilly DG - Bass v Treble and use with the morris.
« Reply #19 on: September 26, 2016, 02:59:32 PM »

It might be true that the listener hears your sound in a different way than you yourself do. And that is somethng to consider, if you intend to play it for a specific purpose.

But my own ears are important too, both for my own enjoyment, but also for adjusting my playing according to what i hear.
In this case that could mean for instance that i would play my left hand shorter because it drowns the righthand less (consciously or unconciously). Because that is what i hear. And that could be a bad "improvement", as the dancer/listener hears something else.

That said, i like the Lily :-)

Thanks - you make some good points!
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