Deagan 145 info and cases

I checked out the 145 at the Deagan Resource online, and it looks to me like it would be fine for chamber ensemble work. I don't see it being very versatile by today's standards for solo work. The tone quality for classical music might be more satisfactory on a Musser instrument.

I believe that the stock tuning of a Deagan is A-440, so bear that in mind if your chamber ensembles tune higher than that.

Tony turned me on to Beiner Bags, and Gary has recommended a fine case company whose name I can't remember. Both will take good care of you.

The Deagan Model 35 is not the same vibe as the 145, but in the same ballpark perhaps -- it's close to the same era with non graduated bars.

I made a bracket and put on a variable speed motor to control the tremolo speed.

The good side is that it's REALLY easy to set up and move. The sound is really nice, however, the low bars don't produce much volume vs. a graduated bar vibe. Harder mallets help some with projection with the sacrifice of tone. I play with a some friends from time to time in an acoustic setting and I can play just fine with a wide bar musser un mic'd. The deagan would need mics if I used it with them on a regular or gigging basis. The other down side is since the bars are all the same size, 4 mallet work is a challenge if I am practicing on a wide bar instrument and I have to switch back and forth. So the 35 stays in my attic.

Cases would likely have to be custom and Beiner and others certainly makes great bags. Since everything is much smaller than a typical modern vibe you may be able to find a hard case that's made for something else, like a case for artwork/sales display.

If it's cheap enough I'd give it a shot, I think the sound would fit great into some chamber music. The percussive attack of a vibe can really add some nice flavor to fiddles and other instruments as well.

Unless it's been retuned (which isn't likely), it will be at A=440, and everyone would need to tune to the vibe, of course. I would also use a cheap tuner to see if the bars are basically in tune. If it's way out expect to pay to get it tuned ($100-$300 is a guess).

It would be possible to get it retuned to A=442, or even higher if necessary.

--IG