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Author Topic: Castagnari or Saltarelle?  (Read 3332 times)

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Luigi Reveruzzi

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Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« on: October 07, 2018, 02:01:05 PM »

I want to buy a diatonic accordion, 18 bass and 3 rows, to play popular repertoire (tarantella, pizzica). Which do you recommend between: castagnari and saltarelle?
Thank you
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Howard Jones

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2018, 03:59:38 PM »

There's no straightforward comparison.  They each have their own distinctive sound. Castagnari is a maker, whereas Saltarelle gets its designs made by other makers.  Saltarelle also produces some models with flat keyboards, although I'm not sure if they currently do one with 18 basses.  You'd have to try both and decide which you prefer.

Fred

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2018, 07:17:18 PM »

There's no straightforward comparison.  They each have their own distinctive sound. Castagnari is a maker, whereas Saltarelle gets its designs made by other makers.  Saltarelle also produces some models with flat keyboards, although I'm not sure if they currently do one with 18 basses.  You'd have to try both and decide which you prefer.

Can only agree with this statement. If you'd like a more in-depths recommendation from any one of us, you should point out which sound you prefer when it comes to melodeons and also you're price range as there are oh so many variants to choose from (stepped or flat keyboard, number of voices for treble and bass sides, wood choice, reed choice, etc.).
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Graham Spencer

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2018, 07:47:44 PM »

Absolutely agree; it's a "Marmite" thing (apologies to non-UK friends). I've had my Saltarelle for years and I love it; I've played other Saltarelles and have liked the way they feel and the way they sound. Personally I'm not a great fan of the Castagnari sound and those I've played I've found heavy and uncomfortable to play. Now ask another melnetter and s/he will hold exactly the opposite opinion. Neither of us is right or wrong - we just have different preferences, and the only answer is to play and listen to as many boxes as you can until you find the one that suits you. Good luck in your search.

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..........

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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2018, 08:51:04 PM »

There might be other considerations to take into account.
For instance, if you were looking at a 2.5 row/12 bass DG + accidentals, then the basses on a Saltarelle are configured differently to a Castagnari.
The Saltarelle are reversals of the main basses found on an 8 bass, whereas the Castagnari have other basses allowing you to  play in other keys away from the 'home' keys of D&G.
I have no experience of 3 row/18 bass boxes but these two makers might well have very different bass setups. One might be a better option than the other, depending on your type of music.
Just a thought.....
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!

Lester

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2018, 09:03:16 PM »

The Saltarelle are reversals of the main basses found on an 8 bass, whereas the Castagnari have other basses allowing you to  play in other keys away from the 'home' keys of D&G.


The Saltarelle bases are not just reversals, there are G and A reversals but also F and F#


Details here. http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/page,keyboard_25_row.html

melodeon

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2018, 12:49:31 AM »

Castagnari.
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Graham Spencer

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2018, 05:10:29 AM »

The Saltarelle are reversals of the main basses found on an 8 bass, whereas the Castagnari have other basses allowing you to  play in other keys away from the 'home' keys of D&G.


The Saltarelle bases are not just reversals, there are G and A reversals but also F and F#


Details here. http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/page,keyboard_25_row.html

Mine's not like that - I have A/E and F/Bb at the chin end......

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

Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2018, 08:02:26 AM »

Thanks Lester, 'twas from memory, I should have checked the layouts first.
Graham's Saltarelle  seem to be different again!
I was trying to make the point that their bass set up could well be different so it's worth checking as that could be the deciding factor.
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!

Julian S

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2018, 08:12:25 AM »

I have both Salty and Casty, two voice D/G, two and a half rows, completely different in basses, extra notes, low notes - and fundamentally size, weight and sound. As to which is better - the Salty but it is thirty years old like Graham's and is just not the same beast as the current Saltarelles. If I lost it   I'd be bereft and probably would see if Serenellini could build a clone - I'm sure they built the originals. And the Castagnari Dony is an excellent instrument in its own right, particularly for the French music I love. Mellow tone, smooth action, but not quite as fast to play.
Choosing between the two makes, I agree that it's essential to try out as many instruments as possible (and why stop at Salty and Casty ?). I've made the mistake of ordering without playing an instrument enough, and subsequently finding major problems (due to weight), and also with another ordering and finding that the instrument was just not as good as the one I'd tried out. I wonder how many of us ever find the perfect instrument - we just learn to accept the disadvantages ! (And so often end up buying others with slightly different disadvantages ::))

J
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Winston Smith

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2018, 08:25:44 AM »

 (And so often end up buying others with slightly different disadvantages ::))"

In which case, is it really worth lashing out on new instruments? Surely it would make more sense in every case to search out (and try, and have fettled to one's own requirements) an older second hand one. It would probably work out less expensive as well?
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arty

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2018, 08:37:28 AM »

The world doesn’t end with Castagnari and Saltarelle, I would look at other makers of quality instruments as well. Clement Guais and Marc Serafini to name but two. They are both superb.
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Roger Howard

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2018, 08:56:06 AM »

The world doesn’t end with Castagnari and Saltarelle, I would look at other makers of quality instruments as well. Clement Guais and Marc Serafini to name but two. They are both superb.
I agree completely. There are a number of artisan makers producing great instruments!

 (:)
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G/C Gaillard 2 row, 3 voice, D/G Lilly, D/G Pariselle 2.6 row, Preciosa Bb/Eb.

Luigi Reveruzzi

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2018, 01:23:25 PM »

There's no straightforward comparison.  They each have their own distinctive sound. Castagnari is a maker, whereas Saltarelle gets its designs made by other makers.  Saltarelle also produces some models with flat keyboards, although I'm not sure if they currently do one with 18 basses.  You'd have to try both and decide which you prefer.

Can only agree with this statement. If you'd like a more in-depths recommendation from any one of us, you should point out which sound you prefer when it comes to melodeons and also you're price range as there are oh so many variants to choose from (stepped or flat keyboard, number of voices for treble and bass sides, wood choice, reed choice, etc.).


The sound must be suitable for the folk music of southern Italy (for example: Pizzica, Tarantella, Taranta, Tammurriata). The keyboard must be stepped, registers 3 and 4, price around 5000 €. The best musical instrument with 18 bass and 3 rows of steps
« Last Edit: October 08, 2018, 04:07:25 PM by Luigi Reveruzzi »
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Steve C.

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Re: Castagnari or Saltarelle?
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2018, 01:28:13 PM »

5K euros ought to do it!
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