OuijaBoard
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2016
- Messages
- 817
- Reaction score
- 854
Well, if you get on with the system and your interest in the system holds (not guaranteed, and it takes time to know), and Classical remains what you want to use it for, you'd probably eventually want at least a 96-bass. But for starting
out and since you do mention weight, I'd go with a Hohner Nova ll 60A. Four rows, 2 voices, and all scale notes represented in the basses albeit not with the repeating "wraparounds" you start getting at 96 bass instruments. Ample treble notes for you to go pretty far in learning scales, arpeggios, and music and get an idea of whether it's a good fit before getting in deeper with a bigger, heavier Italian instrument.
That is a small, light 2-voice MM model designed for students with collaboration of one of the French CBA pedagogues. Buy it new and so long as there are no cracks, damage, or big issues take it to a local tech near you to have any small setup tweaks or fine tuning that may be needed. It has a switch for a dry single-reed concertina-ish sound but you could also have a tech thin the 2-voice MM setting to make the musette drier if you wanted.
I learned on one that's now 20 years old. Its admittedly flimsy parts didn't start needing repair or replacement until about year 12. You'd know long before that if classical CBA was for you and worth the investment of upgrading. Myself, I use CBA for folk/trad, not classical, and tbh for tchunes find the small Hohner Novas almost as good as the small but way pricier 2-voice Italian CBAs in the same size, such as the whoppingly expensive Saltarelle Chaville. Naturally for Classical if you find CBA a good fit you'd eventually be upgrading and might be considering a freebass or converter model.
Which reminds me --there is also the Hohner Nova l 49F. Specifically for classical students. One single voice like an accordion reeded concertina, and 2 octaves of single note freebasses. You could do a lot of learning and have plenty of time to assess whether it's a good fit and research upgrade options.
out and since you do mention weight, I'd go with a Hohner Nova ll 60A. Four rows, 2 voices, and all scale notes represented in the basses albeit not with the repeating "wraparounds" you start getting at 96 bass instruments. Ample treble notes for you to go pretty far in learning scales, arpeggios, and music and get an idea of whether it's a good fit before getting in deeper with a bigger, heavier Italian instrument.
That is a small, light 2-voice MM model designed for students with collaboration of one of the French CBA pedagogues. Buy it new and so long as there are no cracks, damage, or big issues take it to a local tech near you to have any small setup tweaks or fine tuning that may be needed. It has a switch for a dry single-reed concertina-ish sound but you could also have a tech thin the 2-voice MM setting to make the musette drier if you wanted.
I learned on one that's now 20 years old. Its admittedly flimsy parts didn't start needing repair or replacement until about year 12. You'd know long before that if classical CBA was for you and worth the investment of upgrading. Myself, I use CBA for folk/trad, not classical, and tbh for tchunes find the small Hohner Novas almost as good as the small but way pricier 2-voice Italian CBAs in the same size, such as the whoppingly expensive Saltarelle Chaville. Naturally for Classical if you find CBA a good fit you'd eventually be upgrading and might be considering a freebass or converter model.
Which reminds me --there is also the Hohner Nova l 49F. Specifically for classical students. One single voice like an accordion reeded concertina, and 2 octaves of single note freebasses. You could do a lot of learning and have plenty of time to assess whether it's a good fit and research upgrade options.
