Saltarelle Le Bouebe versus Saltarelle Irish Bouebe

[Jay]

Does anyone know the difference between these two button accordions. The Irish Bouebe tends to be about $300+ more in price- must be something different...

Thanks,
Jay

[deltasalmon]

The only difference I'm aware of is that the Irish one has a flat keyboard where the "le bouebe" is an open, stepped keyboard.

[StevieJ]

The Irish version has 23 buttons and is bigger than the plain Bouebe, which has 21 buttons. Lever mechanism quite different also.

[Jay]

Thanks for the input. Looks like I want the Irish for the flat keyboard, if nothing else. Do these boxes sound the same?
-Jay

[StevieJ]

My first box was an Irish Bouëbe and I've always regretted the fact that I sold it when I got my second. (Not having realized at the time that you could cheerfully own a cupboard full of the things.) I've only tried the other kind for a minute or two... it was nice as I recall, but it didn't fill me with enthusiasm. Smallish and I didn't take to the traditional keyboard. One of the treble buttons had fallen off its wooden lever.

The older Irish Bouëbes ought to sound different because Saltarelle followed Jackie Daly's advice to them and arranged the mechanism so that the inner row of buttons opened the outer row of pallets, thus giving a brighter, clearer sound on the inner row (on other systems of diatonic box the outer row is most used and the inner row is usually slightly muted). However on a model I saw from about 2007 they had regrettably dropped this innovation, for reasons unknown.

If you can find a 1990s model Irish Bouëbe, get it, would be my advice. Later models... try them.

[Jay]

Thanks for the information StevieJ. I'm sort of settling on the Irish Bouebe for my first box. I was able to briefly try an Irish Bouebe a few months ago, and that has gotten me hooked on getting into button accordion. I prefer the wood ones over the shiney plastic looking material. I know that doesn't matter much for the music, but that's what I like. Probably a BC. I've been listening to the sound of BC and C#D players and like the BC sound better. Are there any other boxes in this price I should consider?

Best wishes,
Jay