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Tinkering And Beginning Repairs


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Once upon a time in the 80's I had my first computer and modem and had my first taste of a computer network. I had to choose an internet name for myself. "Tinkerer" is what I picked because that was what I was. I tinkered with my computer, in fact, built it myself from an assortment of cast off computer parts and swap meet pieces. I'd been tinkering with everything all my life, from the time I took my toy telescope apart to my current job repairing electronic equipment and I've done pretty well with it.

 

Now I find myself wanting to take my concertina apart. I'm not crazy, I don't plan on taking an expensive Wheatstone or Lachenal apart. Instead I have a couple of cheap second hand buys from Ebay coming, a Scholer and what I think is a relabeled Bastari. I'm hoping for some guidance from one of the books available on concertina construction and repair. There are two available. The Concertina Maintenace Manual by David Elliott and another available from Lark in the Morning.

 

Does anyone have any opinion on which might be better for the concertinas that I mentioned?

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Once upon a time in the 80's I had my first computer and modem and had my first taste of a computer network. I had to choose an internet name for myself. "Tinkerer" is what I picked because that was what I was. I tinkered with my computer, in fact, built it myself from an assortment of cast off computer parts and swap meet pieces. I'd been tinkering with everything all my life, from the time I took my toy telescope apart to my current job repairing electronic equipment and I've done pretty well with it.

 

Now I find myself wanting to take my concertina apart. I'm not crazy, I don't plan on taking an expensive Wheatstone or Lachenal apart. Instead I have a couple of cheap second hand buys from Ebay coming, a Scholer and what I think is a relabeled Bastari. I'm hoping for some guidance from one of the books available on concertina construction and repair. There are two available. The Concertina Maintenace Manual by David Elliott and another available from Lark in the Morning.

 

Does anyone have any opinion on which might be better for the concertinas that I mentioned?

Get your Hand at any Information you can get. Money won't be an issue; you'll be spending lots in the learning process anyways. Also check out Bob Tedrow's wonderful site.

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I have found Dave's book to be very informative in terms of the specifics of technique. It is definitely slanted toward English made concertinas, and so will not have all of the specifics for the instruments you have pruchased. That said, the techniques for replacing valves etc. should be directly transferrable - and learning them that way will give you future options if you ever decide to move up.

 

When you have questions, searching this forum and resources would, I think, get you past the differences in construction. And if all else fails, there are many here who will gladly proffer advice.

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Thanks! I am finding c.net to be a great resource and I'm constantly reading old message threads and columns posted trying to learn something new. I don't have any doubts that the book by David Elliot is good, but I was wondering if the accordion/concertina book from Lark in the Morning was worth buying at all.

 

Come to think of it I never did get that telescope back together properly.

 

T.

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I lost the thread, but I wanted to thank whoever it was on c.net that posted the videos on YouTube showing the different Scholer concertinas. I enjoyed that.

 

Terrence

 

edit: The name on the YouTube video was Alexander Jones. Thanks, AJ!

Edited by Terrence
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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the comment about the book, it was written to address the English made concertinas of the classic construction often referred to as 'vintage' instruments, not accordion reeded reproduction instruments.

 

Terrence, coincidently my trade name is 'Concertina Tinker'

 

regards

 

Dave E

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