I've had no problems since but it's worth giving the instrument a good work out at all volume levels and with all stop combinations - but I guess this is good advice for all makes.

The newer range, the Ocean etc? look good with stops operated from levers behind the finger board rather than from on top of the instrument.

Mitch Stradivarious

By the way, you can get Castagnaris with couplers! (at a price, of course...)

While looking for good boxes not quite as expensive as Costalotti, consider Dino Baffetti too. They are the only ones I liked nearly as much as the Oakwood that I play now. Depends on what you need it for but the Dino was punchy and powerful, not quite as bright as the Oakwood.

While I have the attention of any melodeon players out there - I'm looking for an instrument with just two voices an octave apart. Preferably a 2.5 row with 12 basses. I could use a 3 voice and cut out one of the trebles, but that makes an expensive and heavy box. It's a sound popular in the Balkans, and that's the kind of music I want to play on it. Since Nils Nielsen tuned my Oakwood to a fairly fruity tremolo I'm not sure if it sounds right for those Macedonian and Bulgarian tunes any more.

The problem is getting a box like that in the UK - I get the impression they are made for the East Eupropean market but don't get imported here because there's not so much demand. I have spies making enquiries at St Chartier next month but any info would be appreciated.

Anahata