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Author Topic: History of Saltarelle?  (Read 41469 times)

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triskel

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #60 on: October 27, 2017, 01:37:51 PM »


 that's a quote from my post above triskel with the link. and yes indeed it does have a wood (ply) grill Jeff which actually makes for a nice readily detachable one, I attached a small piece of ribbon to mine between the base of the grill and the finger board which keeps it in place and allows quick removal (no screws). It definitely plays a role in softening the sound as when removed its as bright as the Chrome grilled ones

Ah yes, it was very late and I didn't understand Jeff''s meaning without a link. Well at least I did find the right clip, along with two more!  ::)

Ply-/laminated-wood is much the best material to make delicate wooden structures like grilles out of - a thin piece of solid timber wouldn't be strong or stable enough for the job, and tend to warp, or crack, with bits falling off it. :( (It's why solid timber was normally only used for the ends on cheap models of concertina too - the expensive ones, with intricate fretwork, were laminated... ) Whilst plywood panels make it possible to build a lighter, stronger accordion.

I like the sound that aluminium grilles give to a box the best, which is why I own three vintage Paolo Soprani ones like that.

Quote
The quote from sounds interesting I mentioned in my above post about my Nuage being in a wardrobe for 10 years from the time lines would definitely seem to have been somewhat of an exaggeration more like 2yrs maybe I misheard ::) as I've had it since 1996/1997

That would seem to fit in with my starting to deal with Serenellini in 1995, when I saw the 233 De-Luxe (in 3-stopper LMM, and no-stopper MMM formats) on their stand at the Frankfurt MusikMesse Trade Fair. They were no-longer building for Saltarelle at that stage, but clearly trying to establish their own identity with the 233 models.
 
Quote
Martin O'Connor's DD# Nuage is also the same (ply) construction I believe although in a lighter wood veneer finish.

That box may well be the first of them, made by Serenellini in late-1989/early-1990.

Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #61 on: October 27, 2017, 02:08:31 PM »

Intereting to see the catalogue listings, triskela and Melodeon.

Does anyone know just  when Serenellini stopped doing  making Saltarelles (it may have been mentioned, but I can't find it)?
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

mory

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #62 on: October 27, 2017, 02:59:47 PM »



That box may well be the first of them, made by Serenellini in late-1989/early-1990.
[/quote]
So my Gold Badge could be as early as Mairtin's potentially.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #63 on: October 27, 2017, 03:08:19 PM »

Another thing that intrigues me is the butterfly. There's was was one loose in the case when I got my (> third hand ) box. I assumed someone (some child, maybe) had put it there. Is it a feature?
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

triskel

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #64 on: October 27, 2017, 03:08:34 PM »

Does anyone know just  when Serenellini stopped doing  making Saltarelles (it may have been mentioned, but I can't find it)?

Not exactly, though it's hinted at in my last post, just before yours - perhaps/about 1994?

But the more we compare the information we've got, between us, the closer we'll get to answering that question, and others. We're only starting on doing the research at the moment, the history hasn't been written yet...

triskel

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #65 on: October 27, 2017, 03:15:46 PM »

So my Gold Badge could be as early as Mairtin's potentially.

Somewhere between 1990 and 1994, as best I can tell at the moment.

Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #66 on: October 27, 2017, 03:51:15 PM »

Does anyone know just  when Serenellini stopped doing  making Saltarelles (it may have been mentioned, but I can't find it)?

But the more we compare the information we've got, between us, the closer we'll get to answering that question, and others. We're only starting on doing the research at the moment, the history hasn't been written yet...

Are you putting together a time line, Triskel. I would love to see that. Especially if it could include aspects of quality. We know the quality is inconsistent, but has it been better or worse at particular times? I also wondered if different models were farmed out to different makers at the same time. Or, if a particular model was farmed out to different makers at a particular time. Guess the answers to those questions may be long lost.
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

Graham Spencer

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #67 on: October 27, 2017, 03:57:55 PM »

I bought mine new,but I have to confess I don't remember exactly when. However, I did write both the date of purchase and the price inside. I don't feel particularly inclined to open it up just to look, but next time I'm in there doing something useful I'll make a note of it! 1989 sounds pretty likely, though....

Graham
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Among others, Saltarelle Pastourelle II D/G; Hohner 4-stop 1-rows in C & G; assorted Hohners; 3-voice German (?) G/C of uncertain parentage; lovely little Hlavacek 1-row Heligonka; B♭/E♭ Koch. Newly acquired G/C Hohner Viktoria. Also Fender Jazz bass, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Epiphone Sheraton, Charvel-Jackson 00-style acoustic guitar, Danelectro 12-string and other stuff..........

Squeezing in the Cyprus sunshine

Chris Brimley

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #68 on: October 27, 2017, 04:51:29 PM »


My first Tramontane 14 bass (2r+7) was sold to me by Rod Stradling, I think about 30 years ago when as I understand it he was the only (private) supplier in this country.  He advised me the design was Andy Cutting's, and this is supported by a comment that I heard from Andy some time later - I said that I thought it was a shame his design had been discontinued, and he replied saying that he also felt it was sad, because he thought it was a successful concept too.  Later on, it appeared that Emmanuel Pariselle was playing a 14 bass Tramontane, probably with a very different design.  I bought my second (2r+9) Tramontane secondhand from someone south of Lyon, and I suspect it came from Emmanuel originally.  Although the same concept, it is actually a different size and colour, with different reeds, in GC+Acc, and it was so different a layout that when I tried it out in France I was completely unable to play it meaningfully.  I bought it nevertheless, and Theo did the necessary transformation for me, into DG+Acc, extending the third row appropriately.

I often scour the 'Petites Annonces' for Tramo bargains, and very occasionally (every few years, that is) one will come up, one or two in the US, but they are all unfortunately very rare.

My first Tramo has the Saltarelle badge in an inset area, in fairly crude computer-printed (fading) red text on card.  My second is plain, without this area, and without the later butterfly, suggesting early manufacture.

Buttons 13 and 14 are bass-only, in and out, and complete the LHS bass chromatic range.  The technical problem I mentioned earlier is that the slider that cuts the lower bass register cannot physically work on these two buttons, which are adjacent to the G/D and C/C bass buttons.  Personally, I find this problem very minor, but I can understand why a manufacture might wish to avoid it.
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gettabettabox

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #69 on: October 27, 2017, 08:16:12 PM »

Here's mine.
According to previous owner, it was bought new from rod stradling in 1993.
If my memory serves me correctly, I recall the previous owner telling me that mr stradling delivered it personally to his home on a motorbike. ....now I might be making that up...
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Guy

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #70 on: October 27, 2017, 11:51:37 PM »

Another thing that intrigues me is the butterfly. There's was was one loose in the case when I got my (> third hand ) box. I assumed someone (some child, maybe) had put it there. Is it a feature?

Errr...I think that if it's the one that I think you had from me, I was that child...

There were some that had migrated into the case of the Nordsud that I had from Rod Stradling in 2001 (as the last of his Saltarelle dealership) when I played at a wedding in a shower of confetti. I think that at some time I swapped cases, and one of the confetti butterflies stuck to the instrument and got transferred into the other case....

So sadly not a feature....

Cheers,
Guy
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Danielle M

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #71 on: October 28, 2017, 09:04:33 AM »

Before buying my second accordeon I went through different vendors in order to listen to the various brands in my range of price. I always came back to the Saltarelle sound (I am not saying it's the best but it is the sound I like).

I came across a second hand one lately (7 years old) and I decided to buy it immediatly because of its sound. Up to now, friends who had the opportunity to hear it like it too.

Now, having said that, one of my friends, has bought the same model but a new one.  Totally different !  She much prefers my old one (easier to play, better sound) and is disappointed by hers (although she had been told that a new instrument would take months of playing before becoming really itself).

So are the old Saltarelle better ?
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #72 on: October 28, 2017, 09:15:24 AM »

Another thing that intrigues me is the butterfly. There's was was one loose in the case when I got my (> third hand ) box. I assumed someone (some child, maybe) had put it there. Is it a feature?

Errr...I think that if it's the one that I think you had from me, I was that child...

There were some that had migrated into the case of the Nordsud that I had from Rod Stradling in 2001 (as the last of his Saltarelle dealership) when I played at a wedding in a shower of confetti. I think that at some time I swapped cases, and one of the confetti butterflies stuck to the instrument and got transferred into the other case....

So sadly not a feature....

Cheers,
Guy

:D

It's still there and will probably stay there.
It's a box I am becoming very fond of.
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

triskel

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #73 on: October 28, 2017, 06:04:07 PM »

... the more we compare the information we've got, between us, the closer we'll get to answering that question, and others. We're only starting on doing the research at the moment, the history hasn't been written yet...

Are you putting together a time line, Triskel. I would love to see that.

I suppose ny post about the models available in the years 1989 to 1992 would make a good start on one, so I'll build on that, but that's as much information as I have and I'll need lots more data from other people who've got old catalogues, price lists, letters, messages etc., or who know when they bought a certain model new...

Could I ask people to contribute such information in this thread, so I can edit/collate it and make the timeline a locked article? (Otherwise it's likely to get messy, and confusing, and finish up like a duplicate of this thread. ;))

mory

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #74 on: October 28, 2017, 06:30:41 PM »

I have Music Rooms first catalogue 1997 when they bought out Mallys and they advertised themselves as the "importers of Saltarelle" I tried to post a photo of the Salterelle part but the pics way to big to up load. Your welcome to it Stephen I'll stick it in the post. Sure I have a bunch of Hob Goblins from around then and a bit earlier but can't lay my hands on them at the moment, they were good because they had photo quality pics. AtB mory

It also has the Oakwood range 1-7 and prices
« Last Edit: October 28, 2017, 06:34:04 PM by mory »
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Gromit

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #75 on: October 28, 2017, 06:51:41 PM »

Hi Mory - would be interesting to see those old pics - I've got some photo editing software (Photoshop and Lightroom) so should be able to reduce the size if that helps.
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mory

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #76 on: October 28, 2017, 07:18:19 PM »

Hi Mory - would be interesting to see those old pics - I've got some photo editing software (Photoshop and Lightroom) so should be able to reduce the size if that helps.
Thanks Gromit no pics in the music room one, but if n when I find the Hobgoblin ones that would be great
AtB mory
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Harmonicatunes

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #77 on: October 28, 2017, 11:31:58 PM »

I guess I was lucky. I bought a 2004 D/G Le Bouebe of Melnet about 5 years ago. The tuning was pretty wet when it arrived in Australia, so I sent it to Peter Hyde to dry it out. He did, with a 2 Hz tuning, it's now a superb instrument. I'll own it forever.
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Just starting with the Box

Steve_freereeder

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #78 on: October 29, 2017, 12:12:27 AM »

So are the old Saltarelles better?
Often but not always. See the discussions on this thread.

Quote
Now, having said that, one of my friends, has bought the same model but a new one.  Totally different !  She much prefers my old one (easier to play, better sound) and is disappointed by hers (although she had been told that a new instrument would take months of playing before becoming really itself).
All instruments need a playing-in period during which everything settles down but normally this doesn't take months. A few weeks perhaps is more realistic, although some people do indeed claim the months required for a Saltarelle.

What I suspect is more likely in your friend's case is that the reeds probably need a proper set-up and tune, especially if this was not done prior to sale. It's worth paying a respected fettler to do this. Typically, the reed set-up process will involve (i) checking all the valves are working properly and replacing if necessary; (ii) setting each reed-tip gap to its optimum height for best response; and finally (iii) fine-tuning. It is amazing the difference all this can make. It can turn a mediocre instrument into one which plays very nicely indeed.
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Danielle M

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Re: History of Saltarelle?
« Reply #79 on: October 29, 2017, 07:44:36 AM »

''What I suspect is more likely in your friend's case is that the reeds probably need a proper set-up and tune, especially if this was not done prior to sale. It's worth paying a respected fettler to do this. Typically, the reed set-up process will involve (i) checking all the valves are working properly and replacing if necessary; (ii) setting each reed-tip gap to its optimum height for best response; and finally (iii) fine-tuning. It is amazing the difference all this can make. It can turn a mediocre instrument into one which plays very nicely indeed.""

Thank you for the advice. I think this has been done but I will pass the word.
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