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Title: Reccomendations for a new box?
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Steve_freereeder
31# 



Rank:none
Posts:405
Registered:01/07/2004
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:18/04/2007 22:16:48)

Reply to : Erics owner

I've tried a Tommy a few times andhaveliked the feel of it. The weight of it was ok if I remember rightly. I'm not wanting to make myself out to be a puny female I have youth and stupidity on my side so can always start body building or something to beable to play a big box.



Hi Lou,

I played a Tommy for several years and really liked it for most of that time. It was a great punchy, lightweight box with lots of carrying power for outdoor playing. But I eventually decided that I wanted something with a bit more depth on the bass for my 'outdoor' box. I eventually ended up with a customised Sander with handmade reeds instead of the usual factory-made reeds. This makes it virtually identical to a Hascy. Both the Hascy and the Sander are three-voice (LMM) instruments, a bit larger than a Tommy, though still a lightweight handy-sized box and with the full 3-reed basses so you have a bit of oomph down below.

I can thoroughly recommend a Hascy, although they don't seem to be as readily available as a Tommy.

Just to keep this thread in the family way, so to speak (!) I have to say that the my customised Sander used to belong to someone else on this Board who will recognise it if he reads this - it has gone to a very loving and appreciative home! My Tommy was bought by someone else - another regular poster on this Board - who will also recognise the reference, and as far as I know is still happy with it. I hear it being played out and about quite often.

Finally, I will put in a plug for Theo and his expertise. He did some retuning work on my Sander just recently and I am very pleased with it indeed. Many thanks Theo!
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georgegarside
32# 



Registered:19/06/2006
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:18/04/2007 22:34:38)

Reply to : Erics owner
Hello MelnettersI was just reading this thread with somecuriosity as I am also thinking about getting a new box and would like to hear your opinion.I have been playing for morris and sessions for over a year now on an Erica. My Erica has been a great box to learn on but I'm wanting a box now with a little extra something about it. In particular I would like to be able to take the 3rd out of my basses. The problem is I think I'll find the majority ofboxes to heavy to play standing for long periods of time. I'm not wanting to down size to a lily and have played a Dino but was not too keen on it. Is my only real option a Tommy? Any other suggestions? Or is it a case that I may find a bigger box heavy to start with but would eventually get use to it?Lou

Its a funny thing but weight isn't just a question of weight when it comes to boxes (so to speak!!   Whislt there is no doubt that some boxes weigh more than others  the actual effect of the extra weight  may or may not be a problem, depending particularly on your style of playing and how you attach yourself to the thing. 

 two   fairly  wide padded straps  help to spread the weight evenly on both shoulders  and can make a fairly heavy box feel quite light.  My 48 bass casali 3 row  with  4" padded straps feels little heavier that my Serenellini salterelo with unpadded straps about an inch wide.

Playing seated & taking weight on left knee  results in actual weight of box being less important.

As to the way its played I think that often much of the feeling of being too heavy comes from  playing with the bellows  at full stretch & possibly  with unnecesary gusto! This is unnecesary  & greatly reduces the dynamic qualities of the box . Play a bit quieter & your audience or dancers will listen a bit harder!  Bellows at full stretch exept in a dire emergency leads to very uneven pull on shoulders , feeling of box being out of control and therefore heavier than it really is.

Therefore when trying a box at one of the dealers insist that it is fitted with  decent straps and adjust them to you liking  rather than strugling with any old strap  - also ask to try same box with wider posher straps.  Its a shame to have to choose a box just because its a couple of pounds or so lighter than one you may otherwise prefer - having said that I personaly think the Tommy is a great box, particularly with reasonably wet tuning.

 

george
Dazbo
33# 



Registered:08/08/2004
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:19/04/2007 11:58:15)

I admit it, 'twas me that purchased Steve's Tommy and a very good box it is too.  The main problem I have with it is the sound of the bass.  As it's only a two voice bass it pales in comparision with a full 3 or 4 voiced bass.   To ameliorate (sp?) this, last year at Sidmouth I got Pete Grassby to lower the lowest G reeds in the bass by an octave.  So far this has worked well and the reeds don't appear to have suffered. 

Although I'm not the loudest player (Rich Arrowsmith for example seems to get about twice the volume out of it than I can - although this may be caused in part by being in a better listening position) we (Boggart's Breakfast border morris team) had a dance-out outside the Dove and Rainbow in Sheffield last week.  This is a rock pub and there was a rock band setting up at the time and I was seriously worried about being drowned out.  From video evidence this was not the case and shows that a dry tuned Tommy has plenty of carrying power.

 

Evidence Here

And Here

 

 
Lester Bailey
34# 



Rank:none
Posts:344
Registered:27/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:19/04/2007 19:32:56)

I must be strange, one of the mods I have done to my Tommy is to tape off the big bass reeds and take out the thirds from the chord to quieten down the bass end, thus now pressing down the bass button whilst playing the chord makes no difference as there is no extra reed to add.

The first thing I did to my Elfique was to tape off the big bass reed as I found the whole bass overly loud.

Mind you I play a lot of droney bass lines so getting the balance between the bass and treble is important, with all the bass reeds in hearing the treble is indistinct..
artidots
35# 



Rank:none
Posts:8
Registered:16/10/2006
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:10/05/2007 19:10:18)

Reply to : Erics owner
In particular I would like to be able to take the 3rd out of my basses. The problem is I think I'll find the majority ofboxes to heavy to play standing for long periods of time. I'm not wanting to down size to a lily and have played a Dino but was not too keen on it. Is my only real option a Tommy? Any other suggestions? Or is it a case that I may find a bigger box heavy to start with but would eventually get use to it?Lou

Could I suggest that you take a serious look at the Bernard Loffet boxes. It is easy to deal with him direct and he is a very helpful chap, neither do you need to speak French. In December last year he supplied my 2-row 3 voice Graet and Breizh box which indeed has a stop to remove the thirds on the bass, unlike many Castagnaris. The various G and B models are a little lighter and smaller than the normal models and are fitted with high quality reeds; workmanship and sound are superb and his prices are extremely competitive. You can more or less specify any set-up you want.  Delivery of my box was about 12 weeks from order. Removing the thirds is often useful with many French traditional tunes; you are always welcome to try my box on a Norwich night. My sole complaint is Bernard's insistence that bellows straps are unnecessary !  Robin 
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pitleyfalley
36# 



Registered:09/09/2003
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:13/05/2007 22:44:41)

Heya Guys,

Still looking at box hunting, and at the moment am spending a bit more time playing as many boxes as possible to try and decide what to get. Probably looking at getting a new box at the end of the summer.

For the meantime this leaves me with the Pokerwork (slowely growing on me) and the Scarlatti... Is there any way of making the bellows less tight on this box? It sounds fantastic, its just a total sod to play as the bellows have so little movement in them. I understand that obviously the more I play it the freer they will become, but I was wondering if there are any 'quick fixes' for making a tight box play more easily?

Cheers
Txbear
37# 



Rank:none
Posts:85
Registered:23/05/2007
Time spent: 0 hours


(Date Posted:06/06/2007 23:17:38)

I recently bought a Gabbanelli "Cajun King" in C and the quality of this instrument just blows me away. They make professional quality boxes at very decent prices.  Their main market seems to be Mexican "Norteno" and "Conjunto", but my "Cajun" box is first rate.    Take a look at their site www.gabbanelliaccordions.com

 

 
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