Lester Bailey

I'm mostly a melodeon player but decided I wanted to play a concertina. Tried an anglo as it seemed the natural progression from the melodeon but just could not get on with it due to, in my mind, it being too alike but too different to the melodeon. So I now I play an English which I found easier due to it being completely different. YMMV

It's a stuffed toy tardigrade at a guess

Mine is Morris the Gnome, he's playing an accordion. He was a 1st wedding anniversary present from my wife.

Slightly more scary than my melodeon face

I. like Mikefule, bought my concertina from Barleycorn in the exact same manner. I gave Chris a list of what I wanted, he selected a bunch that he thought fitted my spec and left me to play them. My wife says she knew which one I would buy from me first picking it up despite going round them all twice.

I use ABC as it means I can carry my main ABC file with its 875 tunes on my phone and thus be able to show the manuscript, play a midi version of the tune or, in my case, play directly from the ABCs. The thought of carrying around sufficient paper to do this and not have the ability to search by name/key/time sig whilst sat in a pub makes ABC seem a good solution. Additionally there are around 690,000 tunes already transcribed (albeit with varying accuracy) available on the net and easily searched for.

I have recorded my 500+ melodeon videos almost all using just a Lumix TZ series cameras with their built in mics, currently a TZ70. https://lesters-tune-a-day.blogspot.com/p/tune-index.html

Not the case with your brand new Swallow but it is risky to take vintage boxes that use materials that are banned under CITES (tortoiseshell, ivory, some woods), this can end up with your box being confiscated and destroyed. https://www.musicinstrumentnews.co.uk/2018/06/08/government-dithers-over-fate-of-seized-cites-guitars/

I use Newmoon Insurance they understand free reed instruments https://www.newmooninsurance.com/musical-instrument-insurance

Whatever happens do not use beeswax, it will run everywhere and make a mess. You need proper reed wax. http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/CGM_Musical_Services/Reed_Wax_Nails.html#1

Feeling pleased with myself at having this tune learnt in D, go to a session to be told it should be played in C. I hate it when people say tunes 'should' be played in a particular key. Play it in what ever key you like the tune won't mind in the slightest. One caveat is for new learners who see a tune with one sharp and assume G when it's in Emin, OK if just playing the melody but really pants if they are playing chords as well.

We have a slow and steady folk session on the second Sunday of each month at the Red Lion, Marsworth, Bucks, HP23 4LU - from 7:00 to 9:00. Fair few melodeons but at least one anglo and one English most months. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RedLionSteadySession/

Similar set up to Colin's Franglo box

I alway look up on it as a delightful journey rather than a wade Sorry can't help with the tunes

Charlie Marshall's your man, he can ship to the US and can supply small numbers of reed plates http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/CGM_Musical_Services/Reed_Plates.html