George said......

[TW]

George said in Wet or dry,10/4/2015:

to me nothing is finer than the 'wet' tuning of the Shand Morino

I couldn't agree more.

Following PA's since 1960 I have been playing Rolands since 2005, mostly CBA, but recently have been returning to acoustics.

My favoured genre is Scottish Musette music, and my favoured sound is that of the Shand Morino (as in Melodeonman52).

My course so far has been...
I tried a Gaelic IV (at about 8Kg, the greatest weight at which I am comfortable) but the reversals of the heavy bass machine was too much to cope with - even though the sound and stradella was just about perfect.

Under George's guidance and book I then tried a DG melodeon which was lovely and light but not musette tuned and without a stradella bass.

The melodeon and I parted company with the advent of a Tricord.
George's book has principles valid for all diatonics and so is well used as I come to terms with the Tricord. This has an attractive musette but it's limited stradella is not exactly what I'm looking for - and to tell the truth the BCC# is taking some getting into...

The V3 sound expander has a Shand accordion which is nice..but although a bit too rounded it is definitely worth using.

I wonder, given the limitations I have suggested, coupled with a not inexhaustible pot, the forum might suggest acoustics that I could explore - either PA or CBA?

 

[dunlustin]

Have you considered a B/C/C# with a more useful bass setup (eg 4*12 =48)?

 

[TW]

Thank you for the suggestion .... I hadn't realised that a 48 bass was a possibility..it would certainly make for a lighter bass machine.
However I'm not sure that more BCC# is the way for me!

I think that I would be happier with 60 or 72 basses however and that - because of the turning moment - almost makes a unisonic instrument mandatory.

I had wondered about a Hohner Student 72 LMM which might have traces of the Scottish accent.

 

[george garside]

John, the only way to be sure you get the tuning/sound you want, whch is a very personal thing, is to try a selection of boxes at a dealers. If you don't buy from the dealer you will know exactly what to look for on the used market.

I can't think of any on the east coast but there is a cluster of three in the Leeds/Huddersfield area that can be done in one trip. Hobgoblin in Leeds, The music room in Cleckheaton and Eagle music in Huddersfield. All 3 cater for the folk/trad market so are likely to stock smaller ?60/72 bass boxes.

All 3 have decent websites which list their new and used stock. ( and all 3 are reputable!)

I am loving the gaelic and have difficulty in putting it down!!

george

 

[TW]

Putting it down was never a problem for me, gravity was always my friend..it was the lifting!
I'm glad that it is now having an able and appreciative owner though.

I've bought from Murray twice but my last exploratory visit left the impression of an attempted hard sell that I hadn't experienced before - so I'm loath to return.
I'll explore the others though...and of course you are right, writing is never going to to be the answer to the tuning..it has to be tried and heard.

Near me is Acorn Instruments, again first class, where I know there is a small Manfrini that sounds just fine but it's new and at the high end of things for me, similarly Robert had a good offer on Facebook but even then it is second mortgage time and a very long ride......

So, off the forum, on the wheels.....