Review of Button Box Anglo Concertina
Chris Timson
For a long time now the concertina community has been waiting for the
fabled Button Box concertinas to arrive, which have been Real Soon Now
for more years than anyone (least of all Button Box) would prefer to
remember. Well, Real Soon Now has at last become simply Now, and
frankly, it has been worth the wait.
A couple of weeks ago The Button Box sent me one of the first production
anglos for review. The instrument is a thirty-button C/G anglo using the
Jeffries layout. The Button Box have named the concertina Trillium after
the flower. The manufacturers name plate reads "R. Morse & Co.
Concertinas. Amherst Mass. USA" and the number is 004. It is priced at
$1350, which puts it in the same price arena as the new breed of
accordion-reed-based anglos from Herrington, Marcus and Norman, and it
is no surprise to learn that this too uses accordion reeds.
This price range - $1200 to $1500 - is important because it is
affordable to many beginners where the better quality concertinas
(Jeffries and the like) have been priced through the ceiling recently
and are simply inaccessible to most people. For the same price you can
sometimes find nice Lachenal boxes that play well and have a beautiful
tone, but the supply seems to be drying up, and until these new
concertinas came along it was often very difficult to know what to
recommend to a beginner. There is a similar problem with English
concertinas, but more of that later.
In appearance it is a conservative brown, wooden ended instrument with
black bellows and black delrin buttons. It has six sides (obvious I
know, but some of us play 4-sided Herringtons...). The fretwork on the
ends is very attractive, with the perfection that betrays the laser
cutting technology used in the manufacture. (Just a thought, but there's
nothing like bellows papers to make a concertina look expensive. Perhaps
they could offer these as an optional extra). It looks sober and
serious, a "real" concertina.
Inside, this concertina is a mixture of the traditional and the
innovative. Removing the six screws that hold the end on reveals a
completely traditional riveted and sprung action that looks good for
many years of use. When you remove the plate on which the action sits
you find the major innovation. The concertina doesn't use a conventional
reed pan. Instead the reeds are mounted on the other side of the action
plate. Action and reed-pan are one unified unit. The reeds are held in
place by wax, as per accordions. This means that if you have problems
with the reeds of this concertina then an accordion repairman should
feel at home.
Now for some first impressions. The first shock is the weight. There
isn't any. It weighs just 915 grams. It is much the lightest concertina
I have ever encountered. You could play this thing standing up for
*hours*.
Considering its use of accordion reeds the sound is more like a
concertina than an accordion (though people listening usually were able
to identify the type of reeds used). It is bright and fairly loud. Not a
singer's instrument, but it will make itself heard in a session without
being obtrusive. The instrument might have been brighter with metal
ends, but I personally think that it is bright enough already, and that
the wood plays an important role in making the sound pleasant. For those
who want to sweeten the tone a little then it should not be difficult to
add leather baffles (maybe another optional extra?).
The action is pretty good. There is no play on the buttons and the
response is quick. For my taste it is a little heavily sprung, but this
is marginal and well with the realms of personal preference. Overall the
instrument feels very slightly stiff, but this is almost certainly due
to its newness. I enjoyed playing it.
I own a square Herrington G/D anglo (cost $1200), which I have had for
about a year now, and it was very interesting to compare the two
instruments. For two anglos in the same price range, they are amazingly
different. The Herrington is much heavier, but is beautifully put
together. It doesn't particularly look like a concertina, but I don't
regard that as a disadvantage (I should point out in fairness that
Harold makes more normal looking 6-sided instruments at $1500). It uses
an innovative action but a normal concertina reed pan, whereas the
Button Box box uses a normal action but an innovative approach to the
reed pan. In the Herrington each reed plate is individually clamped in
place, whereas in the Button Box they are waxed in. The Herrington uses
accordion style bellows, while the Button Box uses more normal leather
bellows. I could go on and on. The bottom line is that both are fine
instruments at their price. I am very fond of my Herrington, but I may
well have become just as fond of a Button Box concertina if I had owned
that instead. I also have a Dickinson/Wheatstone C/G anglo, which is a
dream of an instrument and clearly outclasses both the Button Box and
the Herrington anglos, but that is an unfair comparison as the
Wheatstone would cost you an extra couple of thousand dollars. There
must always be something to aspire to in life...
Button Box have some very interesting future plans ahead. This
instrument uses the Jeffries layout, but future production runs will
also include Wheatstone/Lachenal layout concertinas. Also they intend to
make G/D anglos in the near future. Down the line somewhat, Rich Morse
still hasn't forgotten his plans to make Hayden duets, which started the
whole ball rolling.
Perhaps most interesting is the possibility of Button Box English
concertinas. People may have seen the recent challenge Alistair Anderson
threw out for an affordable but worthwhile new English concertina. Well,
at Button Box's request I am forwarding this instrument to Alistair for
his own review, to see if an instrument derived from this one would meet
his requirements. I would be really pleased if this happens, as now the
anglo world is quite well served with midrange instruments, but the
English world is less so.
From Alistair this concertina will go to an English dealer to see if an
arrangement may be made for marketing it in the UK.
The concertina arrived while I was at Sidmouth Folk Festival, The Button
Box having taken care to send it to the hotel where I was staying, so I
was able to take it around and get the opinion of other players. It met
with a lot of approval and was generally regarded as good value at the
price. Mick Bramich (author of The Irish Concertina) was sufficiently
impressed to offer the endorsement "If I were a beginner, I'd buy it".
Given its lightness I can particularly imagine a good market among
Morris musicians and the like, who have to play outdoors and standing. I
could easily imagine such people buying one of these as a second
instrument.
When I wrote a review of my Herrington concertina I ended by saying that
I have always felt that a good beginners instrument is one that will
continue to suit the player until long after the appellation "beginner"
is no longer appropriate. Like Harold Herrington's concertinas, the new
Button Box Trillium concertina will do this splendidly. It is a good
instrument at a good price, and should do very well.
--
Chris Timson Have concertinas, will travel
and For our home pages and for the Concertina FAQ:
Anne Gregson http://www.harbour.demon.co.uk/
Feadog
Chris,
Thanks for a very informative review.
Does anyone know what the current wait is for the Button Box Trillium and the
Herrington tinas? I'm not in the market for either one, although the review
tempts me, just curious.
Bill
Walter M. Swentko
new order as there's a waiting list of about 12 I think.
Herrington last said about 14 to 16 months although he's training in another
associate and if he works out the wait might be half as long.
Wally
Feadog wrote:
> >REVIEW OF THE NEW BUTTON BOX ANGLO CONCERTINA
>
Marc G. Lamb
>>REVIEW OF THE NEW BUTTON BOX ANGLO CONCERTINA
>
>
>Thanks for a very informative review.
I'll second that!
>Does anyone know what the current wait is for the Button Box Trillium and the
>Herrington tinas? I'm not in the market for either one, although the review
>tempts me, just curious.
I ordered mine back in the middle of June; Doug told me this week that it
should be ready by the end of September. I am order #7. As mine will be used
as a Morris box pending the completion of my Dipper, I'll post a Morris
oriented review after I've had it out a few times. If delivered on time, I'll
have it at the Bluemont Ale, for those on the list who will be attending.
The pre-production model I played in the shop was both bright and loud, nice
action, very lightweight. I'm looking forward to getting mine!
Regards,
Marc
Marc G. Lamb
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
Anglo Concertina
Button Accordion
Foggy Bottom Morris Men
ross schlabach
ago, and it was very well received. In fact a couple of people tried to buy
it on the spot -- but were unsuccessful. While the sound of accordion reeds
can not be expected to challenge a Wheatstone or Jeffries, the overall tone
was very pleasing and well balanced from the high range to the low end..
In his review, Tim noted the very light weight of the concertina. For those
more used to playing seated with the instrument on one knee, the light
weight may take some getting used to. But I understand that the Button Box
has in the works an upscale (read: more expensive) version of the anglo that
will have regular concertina reeds. With concertina reeds, the instrument's
weight should go up some and be near ideal for almost all players.
The Button Box is to be complimented for sticking with this project. Their
concertina is well made, sounds good, and has an excellent action.
Ross Schlabach
Chris Timson
>In his review, Tim
Er, that's Chris.
Sorry to be pedantic, but it's just one of those things that I really
don't care to be called Tim.
Cheers,
Chris
Jim Lucas
>
>Sorry to be pedantic, but it's just one of those things that I really
>don't care to be called Tim.
Luckily, a problem I don't have to worry about.
/Jim "Jim's son" Lucas
P.S. Also Jim's grandson. :-)
S2MAURICE
>
> /Jim "Jim's son" Lucas
>
>P.S. Also Jim's grandson. :-)
Luke, you are absolutely safe from anyone calling you by the wrong name!
Steve
E-mail: <s2ma...@aol.com>
Jim Lucas
>>Luckily, a problem I don't have to worry about.
>>
>> /Jim "Jim's son" Lucas
>>
>>P.S. Also Jim's grandson. :-)
>
>Luke, you are absolutely safe from anyone calling you by the wrong name!
Now if I could only improve my playing to the point where folks would refer
to me as "Cool-Hands Luke". ;-)
ross schlabach
So sorry to mess your name up -- it's especially unforgiveable with a last
name like mine (Schlabach). Please accept my apologies.
Ross
DavBarnert
Anglo on the Morris Dance Discussion List. He gave me permission
to repost it on the Squeezebox List.
______ /\/\/\/\
<______> | | | | | David Barnert
<______> | | | | | <davba...@aol.com>
<______> | | | | | Albany, N.Y.
<______> \/\/\/\/
Ventilator Concertina
Bellows Bellows
(Vocation) (Avocation)
=================================================================
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 23:14:32 EDT
From: KLO...@AOL.COM
Subject: MORSE Anglos
After trying one out at the Toronto Ale (via Doug Creighton), I am
amazed at Rich Morse's entry into the Anglo-concertina field.
I must say I don't like the accordion reeds. But they are together
within the whole. It seemed a little off to me (who plays a 1908
Jeffries I didn't pay for) when i was playing it. But when the
musician for Bells of York (Sorry, didn't get your name) played it
it, it sounded really okay. Very together within itself. Not
cheesey, not like a Hohner or Bastari, more like one of the
usually-lower-priced Lachenals.
The action is very clean & fast. The external finish looks very
good & durable. While I suspect the bellows are entirely man-made
materials, they seemed stronger for street-playing than the
exquisite hand-made leather Rosalie Dipper ones I 've got on my
Jeffries. And they looked real good, not like some East German
toy-maker. The sides would fool you for an 1890's Lachenal or
Wheatstone, Six-sided, quality wood, artistic, intricate cutting &
tasteful, too, not an easy-off job.
The thing is, the Button Box is offering these for $1300 (US)!
That's incredible. You could pay 500 to 1000 for a fuckin' German
toy. Or $2000 for a Lachenal that needs $1000 fixing. It might not
be the instrument for an advanced player ( who'd expect to pay
$3000 to $6000), but for a serious beginner, it's a REAL instrument.
I don't want to sound like a shill for my friend Doug, but this is
something for folks to talk about. Any others out there who've
played the MORSE Anglo who'd care to comment?
Peter Klosky
DoN. Nichols
DavBarnert <davba...@aol.com> wrote:
>Peter Klosky posted the following review of the new Button Box
>Anglo on the Morris Dance Discussion List. He gave me permission
>to repost it on the Squeezebox List.
[ ... ]
>After trying one out at the Toronto Ale (via Doug Creighton), I am
>amazed at Rich Morse's entry into the Anglo-concertina field.
[ ... ]
>The action is very clean & fast. The external finish looks very
>good & durable. While I suspect the bellows are entirely man-made
>materials, they seemed stronger for street-playing than the
>exquisite hand-made leather Rosalie Dipper ones I 've got on my
>Jeffries. And they looked real good, not like some East German
>toy-maker. The sides would fool you for an 1890's Lachenal or
>Wheatstone, Six-sided, quality wood, artistic, intricate cutting &
>tasteful, too, not an easy-off job.
>
>The thing is, the Button Box is offering these for $1300 (US)!
>That's incredible. You could pay 500 to 1000 for a fuckin' German
>toy. Or $2000 for a Lachenal that needs $1000 fixing. It might not
>be the instrument for an advanced player ( who'd expect to pay
>$3000 to $6000), but for a serious beginner, it's a REAL instrument.
I think that it is $1350, not $1300, but my memory may be off.
I had a chance to do some detail photos while Rich Morse was at
the Irish Festival in the Washington D.C. area. I have now got them
scanned, and have the large photos on my web site -- but no web page
written yet to tie it all together. If you want some detail photos (be
warned -- they're *big* -- you'll have to scroll most of them. I've got
an index page set up, so you can look at them that way. A few of the
more distant ones are too dark -- out of range of the built-in flash for
the Medical Nikkor lens that I was using).
Also -- note that the Delrin buttons don't photograph well --
they're just *too* black compared to what surrounds them. :-)
The URL is:
http://www.d-and-d.com/SUB/Rich_Morse/JPG/index.html
I'm not sure that I'll have a chance to write the web page
before the squeeze-in, so here you get a preview.
Squeeze On,
DoN.
--
Email: <dnic...@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
My Concertina web page: | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
Chris Timson
> I think that it is $1350, not $1300, but my memory may be off.
No, $1350 is correct.