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A Small Concertina?


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The Mini Lachenal is a beauty! In the event that the price gets too high on Ebay .... there are other options.

 

First, Bob Tedrow's accordion reeded concertiny costs $1500.00 or one can get a custom built one from one of South Africa's top concertina builders. I have just received photos of Willie van Wyk's English miniature concertina. He builds them for $1000.00 USD. They are Piccolo concertinas with a range two octaves above middle C. The reeds are traditional steel concertina reeds. The bellows have eight folds. I have Willie's phone number and address in South Africa in the event someone wants more info. from him

 

Please see attached photo. This concertina is made from Bird's Eye Maple wood.

Edited by Ben Otto
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I have just received photos of Willie van Wyk's English miniature concertina. He builds them for $1000.00 USD. They are Piccolo concertinas with a range two octaves above middle C. The reeds are traditional steel concertina reeds. The bellows have eight folds. I have Willie's phone number and address in South Africa in the event someone wants more info. from him

 

Please see attached photo. This concertina is made from Bird's Eye Maple wood.

Looks very nice. Does Willy make them in Anglo versions too? Do you know of a link that would permit us to hear the sound of one being played?

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Hello Bruce. Willie does not have a computer or internet although his neighbour receives email on his behalf.

I will try to get some type of recording from him. In the event you want to contact him his phone number in South Africa it is as follows: 011-27-12-802-1104. The 011 number is the overseas calling number and the 27 is the code for South Africa. South Africa is 9 hours ahead of Seattle time.

 

Willie follows a Wheatstone English miniature concertina model. (See Morgana Creely's miniature concertina website). He told me that if someone can provide him with the layout of notes (diagram) of an anglo miniature model then he will be able to build it. I believe that this miniature is less than 3 inches across the flat side of the concertina.

 

Willie advises me that he is not interested in making money with concertinas but rather for the satisfaction that his concertinas are appreciated overseas.

 

Willie made a 40 button anglo recently for me and he placed his miniature next to it. The miniature concertina is 1/3 the size (in hight) when placed next to the Wifra. See the attached photo of my golden Wifra. (The golden concertina with ivory tipped buttons is currently in Bob Tedrow's care - to receive gold tooling and bellows papers).

 

(Disclaimer: I do not receive any commission from Willie van Wyk for writing about his concertinas. I am just a satisfied customer who would like to see this elderly concertina master builder receive some recognition). . Another mini concertina is also being built for me by Koot Brits - another South African concertina builder for USD $1000.00. I am also supporting the American economy by ordering a custom built Bob Tedrow mini concertina sometime during this month.

Edited by Ben Otto
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Small concertinas:

 

post-67-1153164482_thumb.jpg post-67-1153164535_thumb.jpg

 

I make a twenty and twenty four button concertina as well.

 

 

Bob Tedrow

 

 

Hello Bob,

 

could you make a Crane or Triumph system duet the size of your Zephyr? I'm thinking the 48 (45 if Triumph) button model.

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...could you make a Crane or Triumph system duet the size of your Zephyr? I'm thinking the 48 (45 if Triumph) button model.

Hooves, the above suggests that you think there's a difference between Crane and Triumph. Could you please explain what that difference is?

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...could you make a Crane or Triumph system duet the size of your Zephyr? I'm thinking the 48 (45 if Triumph) button model.

Hooves, the above suggests that you think there's a difference between Crane and Triumph. Could you please explain what that difference is?

 

 

I had read somewhere the Triumph system is the Crane system minus the upper 3 notes: apparently the Salvation Army didn't feel the upper notes were neccessary for chordal accompiament. Maybe this was a later change, and not enough to make a distinction in the system name.

 

I went to try to find where I read this, and I can't seem to find it, I was sure I read it either here or on the Concertina.com site, but I can no evidence of it.

 

In searching I saw many SA instruments, but it looked they had the standard number of Crane buttons. I will keep lookign for where I picked that up, it may have been info in a PM that I discarded.

Edited by Hooves
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...could you make a Crane or Triumph system duet the size of your Zephyr? I'm thinking the 48 (45 if Triumph) button model.
Hooves, the above suggests that you think there's a difference between Crane and Triumph. Could you please explain what that difference is?
I had read somewhere the Triumph system is the Crane system minus the upper 3 notes: apparently the Salvation Army didn't feel the upper notes were neccessary for chordal accompiament. Maybe this was a later change, and not enough to make a distinction in the system name.

I'd be interested in learning the source for this apparent misinformation, if you can rediscover it. If such an attitude did exist in the Salvation Army, I would guess that it was early and temporary, rather than later.

 

The only concertinas I've personally seen that were inscribed with the Triumph name were 55-button models. And The Salvation Army Tutor for the Triumph Concertina includes three keyboard diagrams, respectively for 35, 48, and 55 buttons. Nothing about a 45-button model. Also, none of the arrangements in the tutor (nor in their other tutors, for the anglo and the English) restrict themselves to "chordal accompaniment". (As far as I know, chordal accompaniment is a style made popular by jazz bands and folk guitar players, and wasn't used by the Salvation Army. I believe their playing evolved from hymn singing, with its moving harmonies.)

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There's a 48 button Lachenal Crane on the buy-sell forum right now which is clearly labeled Triumph on its handles.

Which tells us what?

 

It was described by Bruce (the seller) as a "Crane", but since it has a Lachenal label, I doubt that it says "Crane" anywhere on it. I suspect that Bruce described it as a Crane in spite of the word "Triumph" on the straps, because that particular keyboard layout is known both as "Triumph" and "Crane", but better known as "Crane". (I have a 48-button Crane with a "Crane & Sons" label, but it has no Lachenal name, though it was certainly made by Lachenal.) They are two names for the same layout, but the coincidence of Bruce's description and the printing on the handstraps proves nothing.

 

In fact, the handstraps aren't necessarily even original, though I suspect they are. I've seen Lachenals with straps that said "Wheatstone". Quite likely those straps were replacements bought from Wheatstone after Lachenal closed.

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There's a 48 button Lachenal Crane on the buy-sell forum right now which is clearly labeled Triumph on its handles.

Which tells us what?

 

 

You said that you had only seen 55 button concerrtinas with Triumph labels. I pointed out a picture of a 48 button one. I haven't looked closely enough to see if it has the Triumph name inscribed in any place other than the obvious ones on the handles.

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There's a 48 button Lachenal Crane on the buy-sell forum right now which is clearly labeled Triumph on its handles.
Which tells us what?
You said that you had only seen 55 button concerrtinas with Triumph labels. I pointed out a picture of a 48 button one.

Ah, I didn't realize you were responding to my post, especially to that detail. In fact, a fair observation on your part.

 

However, the straps are removable and interchangeable with other instruments, so not conclusive evidence.

 

I haven't looked closely enough to see if it has the Triumph name inscribed in any place other than the obvious ones on the handles.

I'll bet the seller could tell us.

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...could you make a Crane or Triumph system duet the size of your Zephyr? I'm thinking the 48 (45 if Triumph) button model.
Hooves, the above suggests that you think there's a difference between Crane and Triumph. Could you please explain what that difference is?
I had read somewhere the Triumph system is the Crane system minus the upper 3 notes: apparently the Salvation Army didn't feel the upper notes were neccessary for chordal accompiament. Maybe this was a later change, and not enough to make a distinction in the system name.

I'd be interested in learning the source for this apparent misinformation, if you can rediscover it. If such an attitude did exist in the Salvation Army, I would guess that it was early and temporary, rather than later.

 

The only concertinas I've personally seen that were inscribed with the Triumph name were 55-button models. And The Salvation Army Tutor for the Triumph Concertina includes three keyboard diagrams, respectively for 35, 48, and 55 buttons. Nothing about a 45-button model. Also, none of the arrangements in the tutor (nor in their other tutors, for the anglo and the English) restrict themselves to "chordal accompaniment". (As far as I know, chordal accompaniment is a style made popular by jazz bands and folk guitar players, and wasn't used by the Salvation Army. I believe their playing evolved from hymn singing, with its moving harmonies.)

 

My apologies, I read this somewhere and I must have taken it as fact. I looked high and low and could not find the info, so I'm going to say it is incorrect. I don't know where I read it, but its not the type of thing I would invent, though I do kid people around quite a bit.

 

I'm thinkign now I read it on a vendors web page, a few years abck when i first got into concertina, took that little factoid and sealed it away takign for granted soembody else knew more about it than me. i will keep looking, maybe the best thing to do would eb to check the order ledgers if they exist and see if they requested the to row of 3 notes be removed on soem of the boxes.

 

I admittedly extrapolated the 48 to 45, I never read that, but I thought it was common practice enough to desiginate a real difference. But without any supporting info, I woudl say ist just another misinformation factoid I dug up (the interent is great, but you need to consider your sources).

 

So good concertina.net memebers and guests, please disregard the comments about Crane vs. Triumph system.

 

This really isn't the appropriate thread for this, howver I would still be interested if the Zephyr could eb made to bea crane style duet.

 

I have a crane duet with 48 buttons, its great, my favorite box. (I also ahve a MacCaan, my former favorite, which i plan to keep and continue to learn tunes on).

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  • 1 year later...

I sympathize with ANYONE looking for a 'small' concertina!

 

I recently purchased an Anglo and proceeded to learn from methods books. As a former accordion player (ladies' piano), this wasn't difficult to figure out.

 

I soon had a big problem. The instrument's button placement, combined with my small hands made it very difficult.

 

I did find a wonderful suggestion which helped helped somewhat...to use pipe-insulating foam pieces on the handrest. This still isn't a solution; however, as my wrists paid a price.

 

HELP...IS ANYONE OUT THERE WHO KNOWS WHERE I CAN FIND A SMALLER CONCERTINA?? :(

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I sympathize with ANYONE looking for a 'small' concertina!

 

I recently purchased an Anglo and proceeded to learn from methods books. As a former accordion player (ladies' piano), this wasn't difficult to figure out.

 

I soon had a big problem. The instrument's button placement, combined with my small hands made it very difficult.

 

I did find a wonderful suggestion which helped helped somewhat...to use pipe-insulating foam pieces on the handrest. This still isn't a solution; however, as my wrists paid a price.

 

HELP...IS ANYONE OUT THERE WHO KNOWS WHERE I CAN FIND A SMALLER CONCERTINA?? :(

 

Marcus music sell a travel model, which has 21 keys allowing more range for Irish tune playing. they say it is the size fo a piccolo but standard pitch. This pic should show comparative size.

post-315-1234769582_thumb.jpg

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I'm sorry, but I don't see the point about this...

 

My hands are pretty short - my right hand middle finger is about 7.5 cm. ( 3" ) long - and never had any problem with either fiddle or concertina... I think is not a matter of hands size, but to open your fingers.

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

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