Hello,

I think I read somewhere that the 30 key English concertina has some sharps and flats. Does anyone know just what sharps and flats this concertina has:

30 Key concertina on e-Bay

Thanks much,
Regie

Hi,

I'm not sure but it may have a similar layout to this one -
http://www.concertinaconnection.com/jackie%20layout.htm

But don't get one. Buy from Concertina Connection, old chant it becomes.

It's a Jackie rip-off. Go with a real Jackie or Jack.

It's not a rip-off. It's the original. In a way, we can say that a Jackie is a "traditional" cheap Chinese made concertina rip-off, but better made. So we can equally say: Go with copy-cat Jackie or Jack. Way better.

Misha,

For once, we're in complete agreement!

Apart from anything else, could you trust a seller who makes a completely false and outrageous claim like "retail value $928"?


Hello Regie,

In fact a "proper" English concertina has all the sharps and flats, and it is a fully chromatic instrument.


It isn't very clear, so I've blown up the eBay dealer's only photo, which shows the left hand end:



The accidentals then appear to be different, in that the one in the photo appears to have a low Ab that the Jackie doesn't have on that side (though it does have it as G# on the right hand end), and it doesn't have the (very necessary) low C# that is on the Jackie.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

The real issue is that all the standard Chinese versions have a mechanism copied from the fatally flawed Italian design (so, as I'm forever telling people, the only thing you can guarantee about them is that the buttons are going to start disappearing inside the ends when you're playing), whilst the Jackie/Jack English and the Rochelle Anglo have an action modelled on that found in "proper" concertinas, with individual levers and buttons that slot into the woodwork beneath them (so "disappearance" is not an issue), as well as other design improvements engineered by Wim Wakker, plus the Concertina Connection's stringent quality control, plus you get the full value when/if you trade it up, and you get a gig-bag - all for $340.00!

I wonder if you should mention gig bag. It's not a good one, and if anything, will prompt the instrument to be damaged, having fooled the owner to have instrument protected. I wonder if CC gets those Stagi bags for something like a dollar a piece. They should make a deal with some American Lunch case manufacturer.

I think they're perfectly adequate for the inexpensive but sturdy instruments that are supplied inside them, and they help to keep the cost down. (Though I wouldn't put an expensive but fragile instrument in one! )

Anyway, you can always choose to upgrade the case.


Aren't they all made in China these days?

I got one! It was awful! It still hangs on the door knob in the basement, I don't even know what to use it for. And the ziplock broke.

Even better. Cheaper.

From playing and comparing it to a keyboard it does have the low C sharp on the left hand side. It is immediately above and to the right of the C button. I could be wrong but that's what I have been calling it and playing it when I find it in music.

Please let me know if you find out I am wrong.

For G sharp I have been using the A flat button on the right hand. It is left and slightly down from the A button.

I'm a beginner though but I am finding this little old cheaper instrument quite ok for my purposes. It may wear out soon though as far as I know and then I probably will be wanting to get a better one for I am sure enjoying playing the melody just one note at a time.

Thanks to all,
Regie