Ollie

This instrument is still for sale. I am looking for a quick sale, so I'm open to sensible offers.

Hi John, I've sent you a private message. Best, Ollie

Hello all, I'm looking to sell my Maccann duet, as I've fallen hopelessly in love with another one! The instrument is a 1925 (I haven't got it to hand at the moment, and can't remember the serial number) metal ended 64 key Maccann. The ledgers describe it as a model 39, but it's a little larger than other model 39s that I've seen. I'm pretty sure it was a custom job, as it not only has 64 (down to F bellow middle C, rather than G) keys, but also comes with an extra set of reed pans that are tuned a semi-tone higher than standard. It's got a good, bright, strident tone, and cuts through a session well. However, it does need some work doing to it. There are some obviously out of tune notes, but and a few that need a spot tune. Also, one of the end bolts has snapped in the hole, so that will need removing, and replacing. It's cosmetically a little rough (a previous owner decided to scratch their postcode into both ends...), and I've undone some of the bodge jobs that had been done previously, but it's a great instrument from Wheatstone's golden period, it just needs some TLC. I'm looking for a reasonably quick sale, so I'm looking for £1800 ono. This factors in the repair work that needs doing, as I think the instrument would be worth around £2250 when done up. I've attached a few pictures, and two sound files of me playing it badly! https://soundcloud.com/olliekingbox/haste-to-the-wedding https://soundcloud.com/olliekingbox/jacobs_well I'm based in Sheffield, if anyone would like to give it a go. Best, Ollie

Just tried to access the forum from my iPhone (5s, running iOS 8, using Safari), and the mobile site wouldn't work. I got the home page, with all the various forums on it, but whenever I click on one, I get an error message. I was also unable to request the desktop site (which would work perfectly fine on my phone - I use the standard site when browsing melodeon.net on my phone), so had no way of accessing it. Not sure if this is a known problem, or whether it's just me, but I thought I'd flag it up.

Better late than never! Here's my first attempt at recording something on my 64 key Maccann. As you can hear, it needs a tune, so apologies for interesting harmonies (unfortunately, the instrument's condition is no excuse for my playing...). I've been playing on and off for around 6 months, but only recently got an instrument of my own. Anyway, here is the Sheffield carol Jacob's Well - https://soundcloud.com/olliekingbox/jacobs_well

Many thanks for all the welcomes, it's good to be here! It seems that I can neither count, nor read the Wheatstone ledger properly - it's a 64 key! Still in the large body of a model 39, and it extends to middle C on the right hand, but F two and a half octaves below middle C on the left. I think there are a few squeaky notes up the top that are missing. I'm guessing the extra set of reed pans were for playing with brass bands. Ab, Eb, and Bb become pretty easy, which is nice as I love flat keys! I'll start a new thread with pics and things, as I'm documenting its restoration on Facebook. Thanks again!

Hi all, Just thought I'd do a little introductory post introducing myself as I'm new round here. My name is Ollie King, some of you may know me from melodeon.net where I am relatively active. I'm a melodeon player by trade (see my website www.olliekingmusic.com for the sort of thing I do), so I'm not new the world of free-reed, but the concertina is still a slightly alien instrument. Back in March, I started work as the free-reed specialist at Hobgoblin Music in Leeds. After settling in, I thought I'd better learn how to demonstrate all the instruments in my department, and started with the concertinas. Anglo came naturally, as you'd expect, but I must admit that I still cannot get a tune out of an English; my brain isn't wired that way, and I find it quite uncomfortable. I approached the duet (we had two Maccanns in at the time) with trepidation. I'd heard a lot about how bizarre the system was, and after my failure with the English, I didn't hold much hope! However, after a few frustrating hours, something clicked, and I knew that the Maccann was the system for me. For the next few months, I spent most of my free moments in the shop playing the 62 key Aeola that we had in. Unfortunately, the owner took the instrument off commission, and I was bereft of an instrument. Thankfully, the wonderful Mike Wild came to the rescue and loaned me his small Lachenal for me to continue to mess around on. I am now reasonably proficient in home keys, although my left hand needs a little work. Yesterday, I made the trip over to Cleckheaton to The Music Room to have a look at their duets, with the view of coming away with one as an early 21st birthday present. I spent a few hours deliberating between a 62 key ebony ended Aeola, tuned a tone lower than concert pitch, and a 67 key metal ended Aeola, tuned in concert pitch with an extra set of original reed pans tuned a semitone higher than concert. I am now the very proud owner of the latter (30582 if anyone is interested). It is playable, and has a lovely tone, but needs some work doing to it, especially the extra reed pans. However, I hope to be able to do most of this work myself (bar tuning, which still scares me). Sorry for the long rambling introduction. I expect I'll be popping in here a lot, for both restoration and playing advice, from now on!