Dick Anderson Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 My wife was given a scholer concertina by her uncle the other day. After reading about the scholer it dosn't seem to be a quality concertina. Are they worth making work and if so where are parts available? It's missing some buttons but don't know if there are other things wrong. I play the tuba and don't know anything about the concertina. Any information will be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Dick, You don't say where you are, but in the UK Hohner used to have the agency for Scholer concertinas, but that was before the reunification of Germany. It is possible that your local Hohner importers may have some spare parts left, but the Scholer was really a "disposable" concertina, and the company is no longer in business, so it may be more trouble than it is worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 "worth making work" ... Well, I started out on a Scholer-type concertina and the experience was "good" enough for me to discover how much I enjoy playing the anglo concertina. So .. does you wife want to discover whether she wants to play this type of instrument? And, what else is wrong apart from missing buttons? Take the ends off and have a look inside. It's a very simple machine. If any of the reeds are broken or the bellows is very leakey, I'd say it's too much trouble. If it's springs, balsa-wood slats, buttons or felt items that are the problem, then how handy are you? Could you fix it up enough for your wife to get addicted? Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Hello There If your Scholer would take more time and energy to get back into top mediocre condition and you or your wife are just a bit curious to try taking a step towards learning the concertina you can take a small risk by buying a Scholer on e bay(one which appears to be and is "promised" to be intact). You should be able to find one for $60.00-$100.00. Some of them have a very smart and appealing mid 20th century plastoid stylishness that I appreciate just for that. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Anderson Posted February 20, 2005 Author Share Posted February 20, 2005 I appreciate all of your comments. Samantha, I took your advice and took it apart. Looks pretty good on the inside. The reeds are all there although one of them has been soldered on the end a little. I don't know what the small paper flaps on the opposite side of the reeds are called but some are missing. Almost looks like some are gone and some were never there. Are some of the flaps supposed to not be there? I noticed some of the brass on the reeds has been removed, is that the way the reed is tuned? Is there a chart available to tell what note each button is for so I could use my tuner to check it? I have a little hobby machine shop and limited amount of woodworking tools. Will turn the missing buttons on the wood lathe. What is the best material to use for the flaps? Should I be asking these questions on the repair forum or is it better here? Quess I have a lot of questions but this the first time to have a concertina in my hands leave alone see the inside. Thanks.....Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 I appreciate all of your comments. Samantha, I took your advice and took it apart... [snip ] ... a concertina in my hands leave alone see the inside. Thanks.....Dick <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Both the solder and the filing will almost certainly have been done to tune the reeds. So, what you have inside are a metal plate at each end with twenty reeds in each? The paper flaps are valves to stop air going past the reed that's not being played (ten at each end play when bellows are squeezed, and ten when bellows are stretched). The very small reeds probably don't have valves. If the valves are missing from the bigger reeds just try to match the paper, or you *could* use leather. The thing about a Scholer is that because it isn'te very valuable in the first place you can't do expensive damage! If you've got a hobby machine shop you probably have all the skills you need to fix this (just enough to get your wife hooked so she wants an expensive one!). The notes, assuming a 20 button instrument .... Each row of five buttons should give you (left to right) tonic, dominant, tonic, mediant, dominant (over to right hand now) tonic, mediant, dominant, tonic and I can't remember what at the top. Basically a major chord should sound when all (or virtually any) buttons in the *same* row are depressed and the bellows *squeezed*. When the same buttons are held down and the bellows *stretched*, you'll get notes from the related dominant ( or dominant 7th) chord. The row of buttons nearest to you will do the same as the other row but a fifth higher (I'm assuming you're ok with this terminology, being a tuba player). There are charts elsewhere that make this clearer. The reason I'm not giving you specific pitches for the buttons is that it could be anything (almost). My scholer-type was in Ab/Eb (the first pitch relates to the row further from the player, and the second the nearer row). So, experiment and tell us whatcha got! Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 (edited) Scholer triple reed concertina. Nice new one from I don't know. Sounds great! This is NOS but when could have it be built? Ron Edited January 4, 2017 by darticus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick McMahon Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Dick, agreeing with what Samantha has said, the marks and solder on the reeds is normal, and some of the smallest reeds would not have been fitted with the valves from new. ( they aren't needed on the smallest reeds ). So it sounds like the concertina is all there, and could just need the buttons to make it playable. I would personally close it back up, and play each button on the push and pull of the bellows, just to check that all is well. If the button's missing, you can usually poke something down the hole and play the note. If you get a note on both the push and pull, from each button hole, then you might like to check that it's in tune, with a tuner, before doing any more work like making buttons. And find out what keys the rows play in. Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_holden Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 This is a twelve year old thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick McMahon Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Wow, how did that re-surface? I should look at the dates. That Scholer must be singing like a bird now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Wow, how did that re-surface? I should look at the dates. That Scholer must be singing like a bird now. Hi Is there a way to find the dates? It really does play and sounds nice. Found in original box. Thanks Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick McMahon Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Hi Ron, no, I mean't I should look at the dates of the posts on the thread. I doubt if there would be any way to date a Scholer, unless you were expert on the history of the company. Going by the finish of the black one that you posted pictures of, I would guess that it's one of the last made. But that really is a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Hi Ron, no, I mean't I should look at the dates of the posts on the thread. I doubt if there would be any way to date a Scholer, unless you were expert on the history of the company. Going by the finish of the black one that you posted pictures of, I would guess that it's one of the last made. But that really is a guess. Do you know when Scholer went out so I can get a idea of how old it might be. Thanks for your help. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill N Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 (edited) There's some info about dates in this thread Ron: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7775&hl=scholer To summarize, if the "made in.." mark says: - Germany U.S.S.R. Occupied- 1945ish- late 1949 - Made in Germany East- 1949ish-1989 - Made in Germany- 1989-1993 Approximately! Edited January 5, 2017 by Bill N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Scholer triple reed concertina. Nice new one from I don't know. Sounds great! This is NOS but when could have it be built? Ron Like I said before Ron, it was made by the accordion and concertina makers Beschäftigungsgesellschaft Klingenthal (B.G.K.) a.k.a. "Schaumanufaktur", who usually (but not always) used the band name "Silvetta". .They took over the old "Scholer" operation and set up in the renovated former "Royal Standard" factory at Brunndöbra, Klingenthal, after the reunification of Germany. I had accordion and (unsatisfactory) concertina dealings with the firm, which closed down at the end of 2010. So (though "new") it was made at least six years ago, and probably not too long before that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darticus Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Scholer triple reed concertina. Nice new one from I don't know. Sounds great! This is NOS but when could have it be built? Ron Like I said before Ron, it was made by the accordion and concertina makers Beschäftigungsgesellschaft Klingenthal (B.G.K.) a.k.a. "Schaumanufaktur", who usually (but not always) used the band name "Silvetta". .They took over the old "Scholer" operation and set up in the renovated former "Royal Standard" factory at Brunndöbra, Klingenthal, after the reunification of Germany. I had accordion and (unsatisfactory) concertina dealings with the firm, which closed down at the end of 2010. So (though "new") it was made at least six years ago, and probably not too long before that time. Great INFO! Thats better yet. I thought maybe it was 20 years old. Only 6 years means most stuff is nice and fresh and not ready to crack. Thanks for your help. I need triple reed to make me sound better. Maybe they sell a quadruple reed maybe more. LOL, maybe I should just buy a radio. Thanks Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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