Paul Woloschuk

Sorry to see that you're selling your Jeffries Andrew. I hope the sale goes well for you, it should do....it looks a very fine instrument.

My Jeffries Duet is in C, although that's a key I rarely play in. I generally play in 'G' being primarily a Morris musician, though occasionally I need to play in 'D' and minor keys for some dances. I have attended a couple of 'tina workshops which force me to play in 'strange' keys. In answer to your question Jim, whilst I am most comfortable playing in G, I find that playing in another key isn't too difficult once you've run through the scale or a tune a couple of times - I try not to think too hard about the layout (maybe I'm a natural ) despite the key 'patterns' for a scale being totally different in each and every key

I suggest you should make a call to Colin Dipper, he's probably your nearest specialist - see here for his contact details - http://www.chiltinas.org.uk/weblinks.htm

Hi Chris, I'm winding down my current Monday evening commitments, so I might well be along to a couple of your sessions in the near future!

Duet the nothing There's Jeffries confusing system about

I play a single-acting Wheatstone 56 key Bass/Baritone EC. It weighs in at 6 lbs 12.5 ounces: that's 3.085Kg. I don't often play standing up! I take my hat off to you...and step aside to allow you top step on the podium (that is, if you can climb up there with all that weight!)

Now, that's a nice thought

I came across my concertina whilst I was working as a TV repair engineer back in the early 1980s. I had to collect a rented TV from the house of an elderly gent who had passed away. His son was in the house at the time sorting out his father's belongings. I noticed a hexagonal leather case on the mantlepiece, and asked whether I might take a look at the instrument inside. The son said it was his father's old concertina (I looked at it, but had no idea what it was, other than it had metal ends and looked quite old) and that he was planning to learn to play it. "Well done" I said, "but if you ever decide to sell it, please allow me the first offer". After about 18 months, I received a call from the chap who said he couldn't get on with it after all, and would I like to make him an offer. Now, I'd always wanted a concertina, and recalled that it was in need of some restoration work, but not knowing anything about concertinas at the time, and not even knowing what make it was but that it was probably worth buying, we agreed on a price of around £50. Once it arrived in the post I took it to Marcus (of Marcus Music) for him to check out and re-tune (I had found that it was in old pitch). Marcus told me that it was a Jeffries Duet, and that it was quite an uncommon instrument, and that many people had converted them to Anglos because of the difficulty in getting to grips with the Jeffries Duet system. I told Marcus that I wanted it to be kept in the original state, and that I would try to learn it as it was.....which I am still trying to do! Several years later, I became a little more educated in the matters of concertinas, and only then did I realise what a gem of an instrument I had bought!

At the moment, it's only being shown in the west country. But I would think the first thing for anyone elsewhere in the UK (or overseas) to do is to contact and lobby the producers themselves at film@morrismovie.com (see the movie website for details & info) as I suspect they'd love it to be more widely distributed.

Luckily, it's being shown in a hall about 15 miles from me. Tickets reserved! ...Woody...are you going?

I had always thought my Jeffries Duet was a bit weighty - I've just checked....it's 2.25kgs! It does get a bit heavy after a while whilst standing up when playing for morris.

I've only just discovered that a fine collection of previously discontinued Free Reed recordings are now available on CD - so I've bought The Rampin' Cat as a Christmas present to myself.

Wot 'e said! Didn't go to Kilve this month, might go again sometime...not sure

Should that not be "I cannot think of anything better than a Duet playing Solo" ....I'll get me coat!

B*gger! I'll have to look out for the CD re-release then

Hi, and welcome to c.net. I'm suprised that Chris Timpson hasn't been along yet! Meanwhile, you might like to take a look at his website http://www.concertina.info/ - it should answer at least some of your questions.

Cor - luv a duck Guv'nor! That's a fine widow's mite to eepa in the acka ocketa of yer kecks an' no mistake!

Way-hey! Another one for the J. Duet players 'club'! ....unless it gets converted to an Anglo

I'll probably wander (or should that read 'splash') around Chippenham on Sunday, as I'm on call Saturday and Monday and will probably be travelling up & down the M4 all day!

Me too. I'd go somewhere else. I agree, but I'm not sure that I'd go so far as to emigrate because of it!

Hi Richard, welcome to c.net.

But watch out for those nasty injuries W!

As a PA player, shall I add my two-penn'orth? ......nah!

At least it's better that what I had understood the plans were whilst Father Ken was a live - that he was going to pass it to the EFDSS to display at C# House!

There y'go...another link to concertinas ! Talking of MGs, they were built in Abingdon, from the 1920s under the management of one Cecil Kimber. It will not have been lost amongst many on here, that the name Kimber has long been associated with the concertina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kimber ....and yet another link back to concertinas ! BTW - does anyone know what has happened to Kimber's concertina following the death of Father Ken Loveless?