Concertina roundup
The Best Concertinas for the Money
The concertina market rewards those who know where to look — the best value isn't always the newest or the most expensive, and the second-hand market is often transformative.
What makes a concertina genuinely worth the money? Not the label on the box, and not necessarily the price. The concertina market runs from cheerful toy-level imports to instruments made by individual craftsmen that players treat as heirlooms. The sweet spots — the instruments that offer real musical value at a fair price — sit at several distinct points along that range, and knowing where to look changes everything.
What "Best for the Money" Means Here
A good concertina is one that responds well to the bellows, has even and reliable reeds across its full range, comfortable button action, and airtight bellows. At any price level, those qualities matter more than aesthetics or brand cachet. An instrument that fights you at every phrase is a poor instrument regardless of what it cost.
The concertina also has one complicating factor that many instruments don't: the used market is often better value than new, particularly in the mid-price range. Victorian instruments made by Lachenal and Wheatstone — when properly serviced — frequently outperform modern budget and mid-range instruments.
Budget Tier: Under £250
In this range, most options are Chinese-manufactured instruments with accordion-type reeds — mass-produced reed plates rather than the individually fitted traditional reeds of quality concertinas. They work, in the sense that they produce sound when the buttons are pressed, but they tend to be sluggish in response, requiring more bellows pressure than a better instrument, and they can actively hinder the development of light, sensitive bellows technique.
The Rochelle and Jackie (for Anglo and English respectively), both from Concertina Connection, are frequently recommended in this bracket as the most reliable options — better action and more consistent reed quality than many similarly priced alternatives. They are explicitly designed as starter instruments, and that's what they are: a valid entry point, not a destination.
Mid-Range: £250–£700
This is where the market becomes genuinely interesting. At the upper end of this bracket, you can find entry-level instruments with traditional concertina reeds — and the difference in responsiveness and tone compared to accordion-reed instruments is immediately noticeable. The bellows feel lighter, the dynamics wider, and the whole instrument more expressive.
The used market is particularly worth exploring here. A Lachenal 30-button Anglo in solid condition — serviced by a competent repairer — is attainable in this price range and will often outperform a new instrument costing twice as much. Condition matters enormously; a Lachenal that hasn't been opened in thirty years needs work before it will play well.
For new instruments in this range, the Stagi range (Italian-made) is a step up from the entry-level Chinese options, though still using accordion reeds in most models. The Marcus Music hybrid concertinas offer traditional-style instruments with a more accessible price point through the use of modern materials and manufacturing.
Quality Tier: £700–£2,000
Above £700, the quality of available instruments rises sharply. New instruments from established makers like Morse (USA) are built with traditional reeds and high-quality materials, and represent lasting instruments rather than starter tools. In the vintage market, this budget opens access to better-condition Lachenals, good Wheatstones, and occasionally instruments from smaller 19th-century makers.
Players at this level should also begin seriously considering their choice of tuning. Standard C/G is correct for Irish traditional music; G/D tuning, a fifth higher, is preferred by some players for its brighter tone and different key distribution. Both are widely available in this price bracket.
Professional: £2,000 and Above
At this level, instruments are made by individual craftsmen or small workshops — Dipper, Edgley, Tedrow — with waiting lists that can stretch to years. These are precision instruments with years of playing life in them, and players who get there often keep one concertina for the rest of their musical lives. Premium vintage instruments — particularly fine Wheatstones — also fall in this bracket.
The Overlooked Value: Getting a Service
One of the best-value moves in the concertina world is finding a good second-hand instrument and having it properly serviced by a specialist. A well-made old concertina that hasn't been touched in years, with dried pads, stiff action, and shifting reeds, can be transformed by a skilled repairer into an instrument that plays beautifully — often for a total spend well below what a comparable new instrument would cost.
For help deciding which type of concertina suits your musical aims, read our Concertina Explained guide. Our complete buyer's guide covers the full decision process. And if you're just starting out, the beginner's concertina guide will point you in the right direction.
The Bottom Line
The concertina rewards investment, and the gap between cheap and decent is wider here than almost anywhere else in folk instrument buying. If you can reach £400–£700 — new or used — you'll have an instrument that genuinely supports your playing rather than resisting it. Below that, manage expectations. Above it, the world opens up considerably.
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