Stagi concertinas: okay for slow tunes?

[Rhadge]

I have a Weltmeister PA that I enjoy playing slow tunes on, but I recently saw people claim on thesession.org that cheap concertinas like Stagi work fine for slow tunes, and that most of the critizism towards them is based on their incompatibility with fast tunes.

I prefer the sound and looks of concertinas over accordions, and since I still have the ability to return the PA for a refund, I'd like to ask if people here could confirm that they indeed are okay when it comes to slow tunes?

[cboody]

You'll get all sorts of opinions about Stagi instruments. I wouldn't buy one without being able to try it, and if you are a beginner having someone who plays try it. I had a Stagi english concertina for some time, and liked the sound for slow tunes. Stagi uses accordion reeds and so doesn't sound like a "real" concertina, but I liked the sound. And yes, it worked for slow tunes but was slow to speak and very awkward for fast ones. I wouldn't go back...but I still miss the sound sometimes.

[Rhadge]

Thank you.
It seems that there largely is concensus regarding Stagi concertinas for slow tunes, so it's promising.

[Fergus]

Hi everybody.

I've owned a Rochelle, that I had to sell , a Stagi - under the brand Gremlin - that I bought at Hobgoblin in Greater Manchester, And the box that I play nowadays, - the one of my avatar -: a Morse Ceili.

Even being bigger and cheaper, I think the Rochelle is by far, into its limitations, better box than the Stagi. It's not only the reeds, but the action too, that makes it a better instrument: it's riveted, like in the 'true' concertinas.

But having a decent middle range box as the Morse is, your learning curve will grow exponentialy. It's not only the reeds respond a lot faster, but the bellows is a lot better and no stiff at all: you don't play a Stagi, yuo struggle with it

Next report when I get my definitive box, a Suttner A2 - pity there's no a 'drooling' emoticon -.

Cheers,

Fer

[MTGuru]

My 2 cents ... it's not that a slow-to-speak Stagi can't handle playing slower melodies or slow chording for song accompaniment. It can. But the details suffer. The cuts and taps, the note to note connections (portamento), swelling notes, etc. The things that make your playing expressive, not just playing notes. And those things don't necessarily slow down just because the tune is slow. A fast tap is about as quick in a jig or a slow air. A sluggish instrument limits your expression, and only you can judge how soon before you'll begin to chafe at that.

[Fergus]

My 2 cents ... it's not that a slow-to-speak Stagi can't handle playing slower melodies or slow chording for song accompaniment. It can. But the details suffer. The cuts and taps, the note to note connections (portamento), swelling notes, etc. The things that make your playing expressive, not just playing notes. And those things don't necessarily slow down just because the tune is slow. A fast tap is about as quick in a jig or a slow air. A sluggish instrument limits your expression, and only you can judge how soon before you'll begin to chafe at that.

I wish only were the details who suffer... playing a Stagi for a while makes your shoulders, back and forearms hurt like hell

But I agree with you. Not only cuts and taps, it's impossible to play a 'phantom button' on such an instrument.

Cheers,

Fer