OT(?) Harmonium

keyboardman · 13th March 2004, 01:07 AM

Hey Ya

I've been wanting to pick a harmonium and have slightly less than _no_ idea what and where to look. Does anyone play one? Know a good place to buy one in the LA area? Are there any brands to look out (in both good and bad ways) for?

Didn't know where to post "muso" questions so I took it to the top...!

Carlos Boll · 13th March 2004, 01:52 AM

The best one I found is the BINA 23B Deluxe which I got from Keshav Music Imports. He used to deal out of his apartment on the Lower East Side here in NYC but now he has a store and web site - http://www.keshav-music.com/harmoniums.htm

What I like about dealing with him is that he inspects every instrument for build quality and sound.

Make sure you get one that is tuned to A440 - just makes it more practical.

littledoodler · 13th March 2004, 02:45 AM

www.larkinthemorning.com is out of SF, i know they have some there. great music store!

splattercell · 13th March 2004, 04:09 AM

ali akbar college of music (store), san rafael california usa.

(agreed about the 'A440', unless yer playing indian classical music, only).

dt / spltrcl

initialsBB · 13th March 2004, 05:14 AM

McCabes usually has one lying around on the floor somewhere broken & neglected :)
I heartily second the recommendation for the Ali Akbar College of Music. It's a fun place to go but I wouldn't hesitate for a second to order from them long distance. I had a problem with a tabla I bought in person and they dealt with it very quickly through the mail after I was back in LA. They know how to set up the instruments and they carry used stuff as well. Give them a call and find out who to talk to about harmoniums. There are some helpful people there if you can find the right person to talk to. If you talk to the wrong person they can seem a bit flakey though :)

Check it out. Lots of good info at their site...
http://aacm.org/shop/harmonium.html

Ted Nightshade · 13th March 2004, 06:40 AM

Personally I prefer a pump organ- saw a nice looking one at Lark of the Morning in SF. Pumping with your feet leaves both hands free to play, and some of these have a nice big sound.

keyboardman · 13th March 2004, 05:31 PM

Thanks for the heads-up everybody!

I'm going to SF in a couple of weeks...maybe I'll be able to persaude the fiance to go harmonium shopping!

Ted Nightshade · 14th March 2004, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by keyboardman
Thanks for the heads-up everybody!

I'm going to SF in a couple of weeks...maybe I'll be able to persaude the fiance to go harmonium shopping!

Definitely check out the Lark store down there. Just plan on being there for at least 3 hours...

And see what's up at the SF Jazz Fest when you're there! Some great stuff this year.

David R. · 15th March 2004, 06:35 PM

Lark is good. You can find anything old or foreign there, problem is they charge an arm and a leg for their stuff. I think you can check them out online.

Ali Akbar gets my

.

Tuning is a big issue. I play live with a band that has two sometimes, and one is 3/4 of a step sharp, and the other is a half step flat. The would is not a perfect place.

Ted Nightshade · 15th March 2004, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David R.
Lark is good. You can find anything old or foreign there, problem is they charge an arm and a leg for their stuff. I think you can check them out online.

Ali Akbar gets my .

Tuning is a big issue. I play live with a band that has two sometimes, and one is 3/4 of a step sharp, and the other is a half step flat. The would is not a perfect place.

Ali Akbar is really cool, a great institution. Way out in Marin, but I did go to their shop and they do have cool harmoniums. Probably a better place to buy a harmonium, as Lark stuff seems to be chinsy sometimes- but their pump organ was real solid and impressive, worth a visit to give it a try.

Carlos Boll · 15th March 2004, 10:44 PM

Half the stuff at Lark is constructed really well and sounds great - the other half seems more like decorative wall hangings.

It is a great place to look around and play stuff.

David R. · 15th March 2004, 11:10 PM

OK, I was being too kind to Lark. It is a place to get a decorative drum from Africa, a nicely finished dulcimer, or a rare 16 century hurdy gurdy that you would never really play.

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13th March 2004, 01:07 AM	#1
keyboardman Gear maniac Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: LA, CA, USA Posts: 185	OT(?) Harmonium Hey Ya I've been wanting to pick a harmonium and have slightly less than _no_ idea what and where to look. Does anyone play one? Know a good place to buy one in the LA area? Are there any brands to look out (in both good and bad ways) for? Didn't know where to post "muso" questions so I took it to the top...!

15th March 2004, 06:35 PM	#9
David R. Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Left Coast, and don't call it 'Frisco Posts: 1,594	Lark is good. You can find anything old or foreign there, problem is they charge an arm and a leg for their stuff. I think you can check them out online. Ali Akbar gets my . Tuning is a big issue. I play live with a band that has two sometimes, and one is 3/4 of a step sharp, and the other is a half step flat. The would is not a perfect place. __________________ -David R. "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." - C. Bukowski

15th March 2004, 10:44 PM	#11
Carlos Boll Gear addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta Posts: 439	Half the stuff at Lark is constructed really well and sounds great - the other half seems more like decorative wall hangings. It is a great place to look around and play stuff. __________________ Carlos Boll

15th March 2004, 11:10 PM	#12
David R. Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Left Coast, and don't call it 'Frisco Posts: 1,594	OK, I was being too kind to Lark. It is a place to get a decorative drum from Africa, a nicely finished dulcimer, or a rare 16 century hurdy gurdy that you would never really play. __________________ -David R. "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." - C. Bukowski

13th March 2004, 02:45 AM	#3
littledoodler Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Beezers' Nook Posts: 684	www.larkinthemorning.com is out of SF, i know they have some there. great music store!

13th March 2004, 04:09 AM	#4
splattercell Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: ny Posts: 70	ali akbar college of music (store), san rafael california usa. (agreed about the 'A440', unless yer playing indian classical music, only). dt / spltrcl

13th March 2004, 05:14 AM	#5
initialsBB Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: LA Posts: 747	McCabes usually has one lying around on the floor somewhere broken & neglected :) I heartily second the recommendation for the Ali Akbar College of Music. It's a fun place to go but I wouldn't hesitate for a second to order from them long distance. I had a problem with a tabla I bought in person and they dealt with it very quickly through the mail after I was back in LA. They know how to set up the instruments and they carry used stuff as well. Give them a call and find out who to talk to about harmoniums. There are some helpful people there if you can find the right person to talk to. If you talk to the wrong person they can seem a bit flakey though :) Check it out. Lots of good info at their site... http://aacm.org/shop/harmonium.html

13th March 2004, 06:40 AM	#6
Ted Nightshade Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: state of jefferson Posts: 1,328	Personally I prefer a pump organ- saw a nice looking one at Lark of the Morning in SF. Pumping with your feet leaves both hands free to play, and some of these have a nice big sound.

13th March 2004, 05:31 PM	#7
keyboardman Gear maniac Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: LA, CA, USA Posts: 185	Thanks for the heads-up everybody! I'm going to SF in a couple of weeks...maybe I'll be able to persaude the fiance to go harmonium shopping!

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