Has anyone any experience with this kind of animal...hand made by Eric Martin, two row C/C# melodeon. Interesting... Link #2

John

Irish style (like C# D).

When you hear his accordeons you will hear a 'cajun' sound, is my experience. (He is also a well known cajun accordion builder) Therefore it is a beautiful accordeon for music from f.e. Brittany (Bretagne), where I ve seen it more than in other parts of France.

Gus

Thanks for the information. I wondered what kind of "sound" it would have. I know many Irish players use a C/C# box. It looks well made and could probably be used for many different forms of music. The seller talks about buying it to use for klezmer music.

Eric is an excellent builder (having studied under Marc de Savoy) and these two row accordions are his masterpiece. I have owned his single row before and only traded it because I got the hots for an E accordion that came up for sale. I like they way they play, the tone he gets- strong bass; the action of the fingerboard gets a thumbs up.

They can and do hold up to La/Tx heat and humidity.

Might be that the reeds are fitted (screwed)on leather skin and not waxed, like the one row Eric Martin I had. So they can have a lot of heath until the leather melts, right?

Gus

That's what I'm talking about. Where do I get in line for a custom job?

Ganey, amuses toi avec ca, et en passant,j'aimes beaucoup la facon dont tu joues.

Cordialement. Claude.

Mes Excuses, essayes ca, plutot. C.

Merci, Claude. J'aime des accordéons de M. Martin. J'aime jouer, aussi.

Here's a photo of a Hohner circa 1904 that is even more complicated that the Eric Martin box for sale. (link #3)

A great site for reference photos of old accordions.

First of all, this box is NOT for Klezmer, although all the "notes" would be there. It is either a "sharp" box for a B/C or "flat" box for a C#/D Irish player. I'd love to hear how it sounds. I believe that Eric Martin's newer two-row boxes have a different bass set-up. Hohner and some other German accordion manufacturers made similar two-row boxes with open pallets. It would be a fun box to play but I'd rather have the D/G box that the seller mentions! (Better for my purposes).
-Andy
P.S. a tuner could retune the C# row into D, and then you'd have a "two-tone" box -- an oddball for sure, but a fun one.

As to the commonality of the C/C# it is the least used of the half step "Irish" boxes..
In order of popularity B/C, C#/D, D/D#, C/C#
As Andy mentioned the C/C# is usually used as a 1/2 tone higher box playing the B/C style..
I have met only one player of C/C# in the States and he usues it rarely, usually plays B/C

However C/C# was very well known in Scotland and England before WWII And early on the Wyper Brothers
were known for the C/C#

Those early players played for the outside in as if it were a piano..

The Irish players play from the inside out..rarely playing in the key of C but in D the common Irish key as well as G and relative minors...

Klezmer.. I don't think so.

As to the style... very much looks like an early 1900's 2 row with open pallets...

I think Eric Martin's three row is even more interesting.......

As for that one row.. I'd even consider retuning it C#/D much more useful

Very informative indeed. I was thinking such a box would be most useful played outside/in as you describe. Basically a chromatic box (like a piano). Might be a useful substitute for a regular piano accordion.
Irish is a world unto intself. I tried a B/C box for a bit and found it rather interesting, but gave it up. I also play penny whistle and low whistle and I find that instrument suits me much better for Irish tunes. I have thought about getting a D/G box someday. Change it to a D/G and have it "Cajun" tuned, Eric's two row might be great fun.

If you "Cajun " (just) tune a 2 row you may have some ear wracking experiences playing cross row...

Better to tune Tempered and dry far more flexible
for a wider variety of styles

If you want to hear "Irish" trad on a dry tuned 3 reed
2 row give a listen to Tim Eady's first CD entitled
"Tim Eady"
you can also find him on youtube

A great fan of Eric MArtins 2 rows and a great French diatonic player and CAJUN style player is Yann Dour

More details about tuning I didn't know. I guess Cajun boxes are one row for good reasons.

John, thanks for the word about Tim Edey! Man, what a fantastic player. I've never heard any Irish accordion player use such beautiful combinations of chords. Awesome stuff

People check that Tim Edey dude out!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pj8Gk6V-Rec&feature=related

You're welcome

Just for clarification

Tim Eady is English

The tune is not "Irish"

And I believe he is playing a Saltarelle Nuage in a 5th (4th) apart system.. my guess D/G..

An "Irish" tuned box would be B/C,C/C#,C#/D,D/D#

He mentioned he was going to play with Brendan Power.. a phenomenal harmonica player from New Zealand I believe...

I also understand that Eady may be messing about with
B/C box but due to the fingering and the chords I think it was a D/G
His self titled C/D was in D/G

Note that also on youtube you can see him play "melodeon" the one row accordeon..

excellent player in may styles...

Also plays guitar and piano