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Author Topic: Looking for my first melodeon***SORTED***  (Read 6108 times)

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byteofthecherry

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Looking for my first melodeon***SORTED***
« on: December 12, 2017, 05:08:20 PM »

I'm a newby on melodeon.net and a complete beginner wanting to buy an instrument and start playing.
Background: 68 year old with long experience playing saxaphone/cornet/guitar, reads music, I'm very comfortable with using computer based 'Band in a box' type of software(Apple IOS apps just get better 'n' better) and I like electric 'folky/east european/ stuff(not Irish) usually in minor keys.

 I guess I'm looking for a 2 row or perhaps a 2.5 in D/G..??..  I like quality instruments but obviously don't want to pay dealer prices/break the bank. I feel buying from members/reccomendations here would be a safe way for me not to end up with something I know little about. Any suggestions offers to get me started..the Erica advertised seems a good bet but appears taken. I'm based in West Somerset(bottom of Exmoor) U.K.
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 10:29:36 PM by byteofthecherry »
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1 X Corona II(ADG)..1X Early 'Darth Vader' Corona IIIR (Eb/Bb/Ab)..2 X Erica(DG/CF)..1X Club VictoriaX(CF)..1 X Club II(Bb/Eb) 4 X Liliput (DG(red)/BbEb(purple)/GC(purple)..2 X preciosa(D/G(green)/Bb/Eb(Grey)+ lots of guitars/banjos/saxes/brass/synthy 'stuff'

Bakerspace

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2017, 05:11:38 PM »

There is a Hohner Morganne listed in the for sale section, great instrument to start on, and a great price.
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boxcall

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Hohner 1040 C, Beltuna one row four stop D, O'Byrne Dewitt/ Baldoni bros. D/C#, Paolo soprani "pepperpot" one row D

tirpous

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2017, 06:21:21 PM »

A good used/German-made Hohner is often recommended.  I noticed yesterday that Martyn White has a few D/Gs for sale, including a couple of Ericas.  He's listed here (and other shops too!).  Welcome and good luck !!

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/page,shops_repairers.html
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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2017, 06:37:00 PM »

I wonder if, in view of your previous musical instrumental history, whether a Bb/Eb might suit you better. D/G is fine if you intend playing in sessions with massed melodeons, where you will find D/G predominates. Although we do have Bb/Eb sessions at some festivals, like Whitby, D/G does dominate.


Sir John
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: Hohner Club Modell 1. Bb/Eb, de-clubbed : Early Hohner Pressed Wood A/D : 1930's Varnished wood G/C:  Hohner Erika C/F: Bandoneon tuned D/G Pressed wood: Koch F/Bb; G/C Pre Corso

byteofthecherry

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2017, 07:10:35 PM »

I wonder if, in view of your previous musical instrumental history, whether a Bb/Eb might suit you better. D/G is fine if you intend playing in sessions with massed melodeons, where you will find D/G predominates. Although we do have Bb/Eb sessions at some festivals, like Whitby, D/G does dominate.


Sir John
Mmm...there we go...shows my ignorance, I never even considered that although I 'live' in a Bb(mainly) musical world...(Eb not so much)..I certainly won't be playing with massed accordions..more like 'tunes' with tireless orchestras/rhythm sections/klezmer ensembles(using MP3/Wave/Midi backing tracks) however I see most teaching material is D/G and I'll be starting from scratch...
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1 X Corona II(ADG)..1X Early 'Darth Vader' Corona IIIR (Eb/Bb/Ab)..2 X Erica(DG/CF)..1X Club VictoriaX(CF)..1 X Club II(Bb/Eb) 4 X Liliput (DG(red)/BbEb(purple)/GC(purple)..2 X preciosa(D/G(green)/Bb/Eb(Grey)+ lots of guitars/banjos/saxes/brass/synthy 'stuff'

John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2017, 07:25:05 PM »

Well you're no stranger to scales, and transposition should be OK for you.

SJ
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: Hohner Club Modell 1. Bb/Eb, de-clubbed : Early Hohner Pressed Wood A/D : 1930's Varnished wood G/C:  Hohner Erika C/F: Bandoneon tuned D/G Pressed wood: Koch F/Bb; G/C Pre Corso

byteofthecherry

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2017, 07:29:58 PM »

Well you're no stranger to scales, and transposition should be OK for you.

SJ
Are Bb/Eb harder to find/more expensive :( /cheaper :D..??
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1 X Corona II(ADG)..1X Early 'Darth Vader' Corona IIIR (Eb/Bb/Ab)..2 X Erica(DG/CF)..1X Club VictoriaX(CF)..1 X Club II(Bb/Eb) 4 X Liliput (DG(red)/BbEb(purple)/GC(purple)..2 X preciosa(D/G(green)/Bb/Eb(Grey)+ lots of guitars/banjos/saxes/brass/synthy 'stuff'

Lester

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2017, 07:42:30 PM »

Well you're no stranger to scales, and transposition should be OK for you.

SJ
Are Bb/Eb harder to find/more expensive :( /cheaper :D..??

I look on the melodeon as a transposing instrument, learn a tune in G on a D/G, same fingering will play in Eb on a Bb/Eb or F on a C/F etc etc.

Sebastian

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2017, 08:07:55 PM »

'folky/east european/ stuff(not Irish) usually in minor keys.
Do you mean balkan sounds? They all play piano accordions. In Russia (and Belarus) they play an instrument which looks a bit like a two row melodeon, but it is double-action and therefore plays more like a chromatic button accordion. If you go for that kind of music, a melodeon might not be the thing you are after (regardless of the number of rows), and you might be happier with a small (48 to 60 basses) chromatic accordion
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2017, 08:52:43 PM »

Hiya, welcome to the madhouse that is melodeon playing!
There are several people on here that refurbish and tune melodeons so buying from them, or a box that has been fettled by them will mean it's in good condition and optimum playability.

In terms of key - the DG thing is based on a historical tune collecting trip in the north in the early 1950's when most tunes collected were in either of those keys. Therefore the die was cast. Most English music sessions and Morris musicians play in those keys so there is a predominance of information in those keys on here.
Those favouring continental tunes are often in GC, and there are less common keys like CF or BbEb. The BbEb boxes are cherished as they generally are lovely and mellow , less squeaky than DGs and great for playing in the back room just for you to savour the mellowness..... Or join a 'flat session' where these are played, but not a common occurrence.
The Irish musicians go for half tone boxes such as BC or C#D of which I have no knowledge.

The question 'which key do I go for ' is answered by ' what do you want to play' .
'What do you want to play' is the question to grapple with which will dictate your choice of key. 
By your earlier comments, that might well be BbEb.
Cheers
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Rog

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2017, 08:54:18 PM »

Is there any particular reason why you want to learn Melodeon as opposed to a piano accordion or a chromatic button accordion? BTW it's worth reading up a bit on the Irish style semitone box, like a BC or CC#, just so you can survey all the options.

Theo

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2017, 10:56:47 PM »

Wanting to learn the melodeon is not a logical choice.  If the idea appeals then go for it.  If we all chose instruments logically there would be far fewer melodeon players!
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byteofthecherry

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2017, 12:07:19 AM »

Is there any particular reason why you want to learn Melodeon as opposed to a piano accordion or a chromatic button accordion? BTW it's worth reading up a bit on the Irish style semitone box, like a BC or CC#, just so you can survey all the options.
I had a look at PA(the very obvious, my wife plays) but I have very small hands(always been a problem in my chordal guitar playing) Never looked at button(no one I know has one) (c) I don't much like 'Irish 'music, (d) At my age melodions are wonderfully small/light

I've actually looked at it logically. Musically I'd consider it relatively easy to work out/learn stuff in two keys(and I'm a good reader) monophonic scale/chordal arpeggio patterns I'm used to(saxophone) What will be difficult is the 'suck/blow' physical/mental cordination. However I'm starting to see why people seem to have 'lots of boxes'
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 04:30:03 PM by byteofthecherry »
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1 X Corona II(ADG)..1X Early 'Darth Vader' Corona IIIR (Eb/Bb/Ab)..2 X Erica(DG/CF)..1X Club VictoriaX(CF)..1 X Club II(Bb/Eb) 4 X Liliput (DG(red)/BbEb(purple)/GC(purple)..2 X preciosa(D/G(green)/Bb/Eb(Grey)+ lots of guitars/banjos/saxes/brass/synthy 'stuff'

Sebastian

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2017, 03:01:01 AM »

(d) At my age melodions are wonderfully small/light
Yes, at my age too. :D

To me, that is part of the melodeon magic (and one reason why I often hesitate to use a 2.5 row Club box and pick up a simple (and smaller) 2 row instead). Another part is the functional differentiation of push-pull, standing for the two main functional harmonies: tonic and dominant. It gives you a real physical feeling of the underlying structure/architecture of the music you are playing, as does the changing of the diatonic rows. It gives you a kind of physical orientation in the musical space no other instrument, that I know, does.  (:)
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pete /acorn

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #15 on: December 13, 2017, 08:08:45 AM »

Hi
I have a Castagnari Nik
It is in good condition for its age and has been serviced before I got it.The tuning is  not as dry as a standard Castagnari,It can go at  £850 if interested.
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« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 12:21:01 PM by Gromit »
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byteofthecherry

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #17 on: December 13, 2017, 12:05:48 PM »

Well you're no stranger to scales, and transposition should be OK for you.

SJ
Are Bb/Eb harder to find/more expensive :( /cheaper :D..??

I look on the melodeon as a transposing instrument, learn a tune in G on a D/G, same fingering will play in Eb on a Bb/Eb or F on a C/F etc etc.
Excellent :D..that's cleared the way to empty my bank balance and make space next to my 15 guitars/6 saxophones/various cornets/tenor horns 'n' loads of 'other' stuff..the down side is my wife plays a PA and has a fair idea of how much this 'area of music' costs...the great fear is that if/when I 'pop my clogs' all the instruments will be sold for what I told her they cost  :-\
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 04:32:01 PM by byteofthecherry »
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1 X Corona II(ADG)..1X Early 'Darth Vader' Corona IIIR (Eb/Bb/Ab)..2 X Erica(DG/CF)..1X Club VictoriaX(CF)..1 X Club II(Bb/Eb) 4 X Liliput (DG(red)/BbEb(purple)/GC(purple)..2 X preciosa(D/G(green)/Bb/Eb(Grey)+ lots of guitars/banjos/saxes/brass/synthy 'stuff'

John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2017, 12:26:23 PM »

Ah yes, the approach we all take when telling our partners the cost of instruments. Perhaps you need to buy a Streb melodeon. A little research will bring up the details of a Streb.
This will get you started  http://www.streb.co.uk/eml_about.htm


Sir John
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: Hohner Club Modell 1. Bb/Eb, de-clubbed : Early Hohner Pressed Wood A/D : 1930's Varnished wood G/C:  Hohner Erika C/F: Bandoneon tuned D/G Pressed wood: Koch F/Bb; G/C Pre Corso

byteofthecherry

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Re: Looking for my first melodeon
« Reply #19 on: December 13, 2017, 12:53:54 PM »

Hi
I have a Castagnari Nik
It is in good condition for its age and has been serviced before I got it.The tuning is  not as dry as a standard Castagnari,It can go at  £850 if interested.
Thank you, nice to get so many replies to my post,however i think for starters after a couple of days watching/re-searching UTube  8) I'll be taking the Hohner route..looking very much Erica/Double Ray & de-clubbed III's have seriously piqued my interest(something about those curves/red pearloid)
Now that I've realised fingerings are the same for all keys I can start to 'think outside the box'..I've been watching all the daddy long les videos avidly(what a guy) and his Dino Baffeti I like...however I'll come to this sort of stuff in about 10-12 months, at the moment I'll budget £5/600 (approx) Back to Daddy Long Les..I found his reason/conclusion for going/using a 2.5(not sure about the 3 row) makes great sense, had a 'gut' feeling..and it seems to bear out, points in the way for a de-clubbed III...i like the thought of a third reed as well...
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1 X Corona II(ADG)..1X Early 'Darth Vader' Corona IIIR (Eb/Bb/Ab)..2 X Erica(DG/CF)..1X Club VictoriaX(CF)..1 X Club II(Bb/Eb) 4 X Liliput (DG(red)/BbEb(purple)/GC(purple)..2 X preciosa(D/G(green)/Bb/Eb(Grey)+ lots of guitars/banjos/saxes/brass/synthy 'stuff'
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