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[Adam-T]

The word isn't in "Robert/Collins" but from Latin .. it's about jumping.  The Scrabble online dictionary says SALTARELLO: n. A lively medieval Italian dance with a leaping step

Interesting -----------> from Wikipedia on Saltarello

""Charles-Valentin Alkan used the Saltarello in his Saltarelle Op. 23, and in the final movement of his Sonate de Concert Op. 47 for piano and cello, "Finale alla Saltarella"""

Though the Jumping reference works if you consider that the French company may have jumped between many Italian box builders over the years  (Graham`s Serenellini ref being point of proof that they`ve used at least Two) .

[Chris Ryall]

I guess Castagnari have always been a factory, albeit a very small family run one.

It's a house (quite a big one) on via Risorgimento. But I was there 1991 and they might have expanded into the courtyard, or next dooor since ...

Rees had told me a long time back of the big before and after difference between instruments as supplied by Castagnari, and then after going through La Maison's workshop. He's absolutely right- as supplied they feel like a reasonable Castagnari, afterwards - they sing. 

Just to say that the "Castagnari" stand at Ch.d'Ars is actually (and technically 'against the rules') paid for and run by Maison d'Accordeon, though the family always attend.  That might explain why the boxes there always sound and feel good. We might note in passing that our friend Bernard Loffet also "tunes" his imports.  If anyone here in Blighty needs this  - don't look further than Theo . My Oakwood was much improved following his attentions last year.

[Andy Simpson]

Compared to my older Benny (in cherry), the box work on the Lilly (in walnut) is not as smooth, they probably could have used a slightly less grainy piece.  Or perhaps there is some sanding/sealing that could have been better.

That's just the nature of the timber, walnut is an open pored wood whereas cherry is closed and is much easier to finish. To get a perfectly smooth finish on open pored woods like walnut, mahogany, padouk, etc the grain needs to be filled and Castagnari have never used grain fillers to my knowledge, certainly not on my early 90s window logo Dony in chestnut. I'm glad they don't because modern commercial ones invariably look hideous, (Martin guitars chocolate brown mahogany anyone?, eugh), and the traditional methods that don't like pumice in French polishing or the gunstock finishers method require a great deal of skill, are extremely labour intensive and would be prohibitively expensive for any factory.

The Dony I used to have was a marvelous instrument that was an absolute joy to play and a perfect example of a "window" box. I had to sell it in a period of financial hardship, if you played a C/F Dony on Theo's stall at Whitby in 2010 then that was it. According to Theo there was "lots of praise" and DTN was raving about it on here.....but....the top button on the F row was noticeably off-centre, there were a couple of small gaps in the marquetry and I hear people today nitpicking about the case and the grille not being an absolutely perfect match but on this one the bass panel, (beech), wasn't even the same wood as the rest of the case, (chestnut). If a new instrument showed up with any of those quirks then Castagnari would be crucified and it'd be held up as a sure sign of Casta's decline, yet this was a box from their golden age and everybody who played it thought it was brilliant. I've seen it time and again with other instruments, new ones are subjected to rigorous scrutiny but old ones, especially with a particular feature or "Pre-x", are viewed with rose-tinted spectacles and faults that a new instrument, and it's maker, would be pilloried for are overlooked. All the new Castagnaris I've seen from the last few years have been very tidy cosmetically.

There's a lot of myths and plain old common or garden nonsense floating around as well. When I was looking for my first one I was interested in a Sander with upgraded reeds but someone told me to get a Hascy instead because it "wasn't just the reeds, the mechanics are much better as well". I don't know where he got that from because Rees, a man who has probably seen more Castagnaris up close and personal over a longer time period than anyone in the UK, tells me that they are, (or were at that point, before the Hascy came with switches on the grille), exactly the same internally.

I think Graham has picked up on an important point as well, even Saltarelle's worst clunkers can be dramatically improved with a trip to a professional and it's unrealistic as well as pointless to expect a factory to deliver the same results. Castagnari are still a lot better with their "off the peg" tuning and setup with new instruments than most comparable makers and it's also worth remembering that old ones have usually been worked on at some point.

Castagnari losing it's quality?....nah....

[Theo]

Rees had told me a long time back of the big before and after difference between instruments as supplied by Castagnari, and then after going through La Maison's workshop. He's absolutely right- as supplied they feel like a reasonable Castagnari, afterwards - they sing. 

Just to say that the "Castagnari" stand at Ch.d'Ars is actually (and technically 'against the rules') paid for and run by Maison d'Accordeon, though the family always attend.  That might explain why the boxes there always sound and feel good. We might note in passing that our friend Bernard Loffet also "tunes" his imports.  If anyone here in Blighty needs this  - don't look further than Theo . My Oakwood was much improved following his attentions last year.

Thanks Chris, and I've always been of the view that any new box should be thoroughly checked over, tuned and set up before it can be expected to play its best.  String players expect to have their favourite luthier do this as part of the process of buying a new instrument. Box players should as well, and perhaps more retailers should take this on board in the way that La Maison does.

[Gary P Chapin]

Sez here that Saltarelle started up in 1984  so yours is a  'pre-production' model   Gary. 

Hm, I guess I need to research this.  I wonder when they started making Pastourelle III?  I guess in a wine soaked conversation with the previous owner he must have said, "I've been playing since the seventies."  And I heard, "I've been playing it since the seventies."  I shall inquire further.

[waltzman]

Though that's entirely possible as their main contribution to engineering is making up a French name and sticking a butterfly on (that's not to suggest that any  underlying Italian lutherie might not be superb)!

But that wouldn't explain why the Saltarelles sound different than the Baffettis or Serenellinis.  The mystery continues......

[nfldbox]

Back to the castas. This is still the box that most people I know feel is most dependable.  I am very happy with my Cairdin and wouldn't swap it--and I certainly would not reject the gift of a Gaillard, although I have never actually seen one. But for most of us in non-European, non-Button Box locations our choices tend to be Hohners, Saltarelles, Castas and a few others. Of that the Casta is the one for most who can afford it.

[boxer]

The Tommy I bought in 2008 is just starting to sing and I'm just starting to properly get used to it.  Perhaps these two facts are linked.

[oggiesnr]

Thanks Chris, and I've always been of the view that any new box should be thoroughly checked over, tuned and set up before it can be expected to play its best.  String players expect to have their favourite luthier do this as part of the process of buying a new instrument. Box players should as well, and perhaps more retailers should take this on board in the way that La Maison does.

Yup, totally agree.  Also getting a melodeon fettled is small beer compared to fettling a Double Bass.  Mine has nothing major wrong with it but it's current fettling (new strings, planing the fingerboard for more relief on the bass side, new tailpiece and wire) will be around £400.  If I decide to add an adjustable bridge that would be another £100 plus but the end result should be a bass that plays and sounds how I want it to play and that is surely what we look for in any instrument we play.

Steve

[Steve C.]

You are right, and I don't think enough players understand that the same box bought from a discounter or ebay WILL NOT sound or play the same as one bought through a reputable specialty house or tuner.

[Graham Spencer]

You are right, and I don't think enough players understand that the same box bought from a discounter or ebay WILL NOT sound or play the same as one bought through a reputable specialty house or tuner.

Absolutely.  FWIW, my Saltarelle came from a reputable specialist dealer and STILL sounded ropy until Nils Nilsson had worked his magic on it.

Graham

[melodeon]

Said it before , and I'll say it again..accordeons are "kits".

Some are better kits than others.

Reeds adjusted, retuned, and finish and construction and design flaws corrected, even the best of boxes can be better.

[gioui]

I prefer my old Castagnari's of 90's, those of today in my opinion does not have the same quality, this is due to the fact that castagnari has become a factory that produces more than 700 melodeons a year  ( semi-industrial production )  most components are external to them and the quality is lowest in favor of mass production ...

[Anahata]

I prefer my old Castagnari's of 90's, those of today in my opinion does not have the same quality

Funny, in the '90s I remember people were saying the same thing, citing the same reasons...

[blackdot1234]

i bought a tommy in 2001  and got nils to tune it straight away  and tuned again in 2006 people always ask about the box and the sound of it so rich for a small box i think sound is down to nils tuning sad to hear he is no longer tuning

[Québécois]

I prefer my old Castagnari's of 90's, those of today in my opinion does not have the same quality

Funny, in the '90s I remember people were saying the same thing, citing the same reasons...

We heard that same line every decade for over half a century.   

[rees]

I prefer my old Castagnari's of 90's, those of today in my opinion does not have the same quality

Funny, in the '90s I remember people were saying the same thing, citing the same reasons...

We heard that same line every decade for over half a century.   

Yes, we certainly have.
Being in close contact with the Castagnari factory, I can categorically state that their quality is now the highest that it has ever been.

[Andy in Vermont]

Being in close contact with the Castagnari factory, I can categorically state that their quality is now the highest that it has ever been.

I'm glad that you chimed in, Rees.  People need to take the "factory" argument with a hrain of salt -- there is a difference between a huge operation where only unskilled labor is used and a small factory/large workshop where most of the workers are performing skilled tasks and the quality control upholds very high standards.

I would also add that although Castagnaris are not cheap, it is clear that the family has striven to provide very high quality while maintaining reasonable prices compared to some other instruments.  It makes me happy that a business like that is thriving.

[gioui]

I'm not  said that Castagnari produces mediocre or bad instruments  , are my favorites ,  I only said that in my opinion they are losing in quality compared to the past for a variety of reasons related to the fact that now are a factory and not  a workshop .. why  all instruments are equal to each other??

[Chris Ryall]

Are they still in the house on via Risorgimento? There wasn't much room for a 'factory' there - though they could I suppose infill build the courtyard, or buy next door.

The issue to me would be at what level they bought components. Reeds and marquetry have always been external, probably bellows and straps too. I'd be slightly concerned if they were making the blocks but not the caracass in house. As said above, Sandro denied this when the "now acknowledged" dip happend in the late 90's. (I've not enquired since).

I suspect it may be a time availalbe  thing. what with so many going through now .. there is surely less time for tweaking and fine tuning, adjusting the action. However good importers tend to apply these fininshing processes too. My experience at Ch.d'Ars (I played about 5 of 40+) was that there was nothing unacceptable, some felt a little stiff (they do play in) and that some of the higher note tunings might be improved.

As I say in my blog - went to Gaillard's next. It felt like moving from a decent BMW to a Merc. But BMs are pretty sound and I'm not sure Castagnari have even been in the "London banker's car" market.