Hello:

I am considering getting a Gabbanelli Cajun King for Irish playing. I have read a few comments here,about the Cajun King. Are there any players here who own and play a Gabbanelli King? How heavy are they in relation to a handmade Cajun box? On Gabbanelli's website, they look well made, but Gabbanelli is selling them pretty cheap. Cheaper than the Hohner HA114, which I really do not want (just a personal choice).

Thanks in advance.

Playing Irish

Are you already playing Irish ( thank you for not saying celtic) and if so on what

The Hohners are real lightweights.. I know of no other 4 stopper that is that light.


I called a distant friend who has one of the Gabs and says it is about the same as a cajun accordion perhaps a little lighter..but in the ball park

Check or ask if it has Cagnoni reeds and if they are
"macchina" or "dural", or "tipo a mano". Get ready for some BS...

Didn't the Button Box have one of these for sale recently ??

If you are concerned about weight I'd like to know why.. what's a pound here or there..

I have had heavy and light boxes..within reason it doesn't matter..

Keep in mind the old 4 reed 2 row Paolos and the incredibly fast music that has been and is played on them

I'd be as concerned about the reed quality, the tuning
the sound and the playability as I would the weight.

But your question is valid, not that you need it to be validated

Bohemian:

Did your friend tell you whether they were satisfied with their Gabanelli? I spoke to Mike Gabbanelli a couple of days ago. Mike stated he puts "Sapi"(sp)
reeds in the Cajun King. Mike also stated he "thought" the gabb weighed "around 10lbs". I tried to get Mike to be more specific about the weight issue. He also stated he could tune the King LMMM with any amount of tremolo or musette I wanted. With all Mike stated he could do, I am "shocked" that he quoted a price of $795.00. Should I be worried about quality? I realize the Paolo Soprani boxes weigh around 11-12 lbs. I prefer playing the melodeon myself. I had a Hohner HA 114. Nothing "wrong" with it, except fpr the bass spoons. YUCK!

Playing Irish

Playing irish.

P.S: I HATE the term "Celtic"

Why do you hate the term Celtic?
Do you have any links to your Irish accordion?
I would be interested to hear some.

Hal

I have a gab in A. It weighs the same as my handmades. Nice accordion. For what it's worth, I just saw Chris Ardoin this weekend and he had two Gabs in his arsenal. It's not a Falcon but it is definitely a nice box.

The Gab's have more volume than the two key Falcons and are not as heavy. Salpa reeds used in the Gab's are good but I don't know if Mike uses (voci a mano) hand made reeds. The Gab's I have seen have removable reed blocks which unlike La. made boxes don't have removable reed blocks.

What do they sound like?? Would imagine they cost a fraction to make than a normal LA box.

G.

Bohemian and Playing Irish

I too thank you for not saying celtic. Its become a nondescript term for anyone that can play a jig, hornpipe or reel on any stringed instrument. Play Irish, play Scottish, play tunes from Brittany etc. Not sure about Celjun music yet. Perhaps Michael Barney will connivence me this summer. Very much of a traditionalist and I love Cajun music the way it is and was.

Best of luck on getting the accrodion that you want. This is the forum to find out people's opinion.

IMHO .... Ed

SAPI and SALPA are not the same

Around 6 -7 pounds

I luvs dem spoon basses..

Celtic means nothing any more..
Afro Celt
Pop Celt
Euro Celt

Celts were a tribe that wandered a bit..
Some include the following
Bretons from Brittany France
Welsh
Scots
Irish ( but what about the pics)
some include The Galicians in Spain

and believe it or not.. and this is factual

the Bohemians which by definition were German speaking Czechs by the last they actually existed in the late 1800's, were originally of the Boli tribe and yes they were Celts.

Bohemians invented the harmonica and a many of the accordion forms so ergo accordions are Bohemian

You are welcome and no charge

The Removable reeds block is a plus and a minus..
they can be quiter but depends on the maker
Definitely simplifies tuning and of course was the original way to switch keys
I carried reed set in my case for my B/C and G/C 2 row for a long time.

If I were to get a new lesser expensive 1 row The King might be a choice over the Hohner owing to the Chinese origin
but don't be fooled.. many Euro boxes have parts sourced from around the globe...

Irish traditional music is Irish traditional music check out IRTRAD-L newsgroup

Celtic is a record company's merchandising and promo slogan

Ever been to a restaurant and ordered Cajun blackened something and it is just overspiced charred slop
same thing

Paolo Sopranis were nearly all 2 rows after 1940 at least those in use by norhterners and westerners.. these were great honking celluloid covered buicks
and highly sought after.. at least those made up until the 60's . Soprani died and left the company to one of his daughters who mismanged it into the ground and then sold off the name.. I believe now owned by Menghini (sp) and produced be=y several companies prior to a lower qulaity

Just a side note.. these highly collectible and expensive 40's and 50's Paolos particularly the Grey Paolos did NOT have handmade reeds...average [price for one opf these beasts would be around $4K

Have you thought about one of the Weltmeister made 1 rows.. Call the Button Box in Mass or look at their web site.. Ask for Doug Creighton as he has familiarity with the Kings and many other one rows.. he'll steer you straight.

$800 for a King sounds like a good deal...spend a few more bucks and get one of their switchers with stacked blocks..lots of stuff inside but not much comes out..

Boliman

Update

Menghini consolidated with some other makers and now is called SUONI.. they produce
Paolo Soprani
Scandalli
SEM
and make for many lesser known rebranders

these are ok but what kinda music u trying 2 play?

Booo-E-Man Moooosic .
Sorry, seven, I couldn't resist .

Krazy Kanuk.

I have a Gabanelli B flat box and I like it.
It is way better in response that a Hohner G box I acquired for some strange reason, but somewhat less good than my Acadian C.
First I had a problem with a clapper sticking open, but eventually I was advised to apply some wd40 on it with dental floss around the pivot and after that it worked fine.