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[Nick Collis Bird]

Almost all boxes in the England in the 80s and earlier used to be Hohners because they were widely available in D/G. Most Sopranis (more common in Scotland and Ireland) were B/C, there were a few D/G around but not many, maybe because there wasn't enough demand to keep the factory happy. There were a few non-Hohner D/Gs around (like the Jorgina), but mostly as personal imports or from a dealer who brought a very few in but didn't sell many. IIRC Dave Roberts' Castagnari was the first in the UK, closely followed by mine (bought directly from the factory, like many others later -- it was me who lead Andy Cutting down this route).

That's interesting Ian.
In 1976 Bell's in Surbiton were selling Paulo Sop's in D/G. I know because I bought one.

[Thrupenny Bit]

I  think access to  people who sold boxes, *any boxes*, were extremely limited before something like the mid '80's.
If you were in that neck of the woods ( Surbiton ) you had a choice.
I first got interested then swept up by the morris in '77. The only outlet I knew of for boxes or printed music was the very small EFDSS office run by John Dowell ( assistant to, then Sidmouth festival organiser for many years ) in Queen Street in Exeter. I remember they had a lone 'token' Pokerwork in there when I went in to buy some tune books.
I remember the first Hobgoblin stall at Sidmouth, in the arena and it was an Aladdin's Cave! That must have been mid 80's (?) and that then started giving people choices and precipitated other music stalls becoming prevalent. My long term friend and box player bought his first 'non-Hohner' from them and that was a Paulo.
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[IanD]

Dave got his from Rees of this parish, and if I remember correctly they'd converted the C row of a GC box to a D therefore making it a GD box to the utter confusion of anyone else playing it!

I know Dave's box had the rows the "wrong" way round, it certainly flummoxed me. Are you sure it came from Rees? If he was importing them since 1984 this sounds a bit late to me, I think I had mine by then and Dave's predated it by a year or two.

[Thrupenny Bit]

yes - cos it's come up in other threads!
There was one thread about a year ago which was posted showing Dave's daughter playing it at her wedding ceilidh, which was a lovely thought.
If Rees pops along soon he can give you chapter and verse......
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[baz parkes]

I remember the first Hobgoblin stall at Sidmouth, in the arena and it was an Aladdin's Cave! That must have been mid 80's (?) and that then started giving people choices and precipitated other music stalls becoming prevalent.
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I'd guess a bit earlier Q...I bought my first Pokerwork from Hobgoblin at Cambridge in 1977 (I think....much under the bridge...or should that be belt?)

[Steve_freereeder]

yes - cos it's come up in other threads!
There was one thread about a year ago which was posted showing Dave's daughter playing it at her wedding ceilidh, which was a lovely thought.
If Rees pops along soon he can give you chapter and verse......
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This thread, I think...
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,19341.msg235134.html#msg235134

[Thrupenny Bit]

thanks Steve, good spot. I knew I'd seen it somewhere!
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[Thrupenny Bit]

Baz....maybe, I just don't remember their presence at Sidders.
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