Laurence
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Posts posted by Laurence
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I bought this Anglo C/G Wakker concertina (listed above) from Stephen a few years ago. He custom ordered it while Wim was still living in Europe. I also bought a couple old Wheatstone concertinas from forum member Ben, at the same time. I bought three because I wanted to compare and see which one I liked best. I sold one of the Wheatstones and decided to keep the other one. This Wakker is available again if someone would like to buy it. This is a high quality instrument and in original condition. It's still like new and everything works great. Between the previous owner and myself, it has probably only been played a few hours. It has great carrying power, but I don't play in sessions, so the mellower Wheatstone suits my needs best. Location of this concertina is in the US. PM me if interested. Asking $4400. There's a demo of this instrument on YouTube. Not sure how to get the link on here, but you can search for the title "For Sale - Wakker Concertina C/G Anglo"
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Check your messages.
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You might try surgical tubing. It's spongy/springy and holds the buttons vertically in place by tension. Can be purchased anywhere you find fishing gear FS.
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Wheatstone...
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I bought three expensive Anglo concertinas about a year ago, this Wakker and two Wheatstones, just to compare and decide which one I liked best. I resold one of the Wheatstones and spent this last year learning to play, comparing the two, and deciding which one I wanted to keep. Being kind of a mellow guy, I've decided to keep the old Wheatstone because this Wakker is just a little too loud for me. It WILL hold its own in a session though--which I rarely play in.
This Wakker W-A1 C/G Anglo concertina is like new. Made in 2007 while Wim was still in The Netherlands, it was custom ordered with several extras like all leather bellows (7 folds), a drone, and raised ends. According to the price list on the Wakker website, and with all options, it comes to a total of $5600 USD. This one is in perfect working condition and has basically never been played. In fact, it may well be the black W-A1 pictured on his website. With a radial reed pan, metal keys, and finest hand made reeds available in todays technology, it sounds as good or better than any 1st quarter century Wheatstone concertina I've ever played. http://www.wakker-concertinas.com/A-1.htm
Here's a video I made showing the concertina and case.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR21cxARdew
I don't expect to get full replacement value. Asking $4400 USD + shipping.
This is what I paid for it from the original owner.
Message me if interested
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When I was young I played ukulele and guitar. Concertina is a fairly recent thing. I just got back into guitar a couple years ago.
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A friend brought me the leather bag for his bagpipes, which had a puncture hole in it, and asked me to fix it. I went shopping at the thrift stores for some similar matching leather (often found in the women's purses section), brought it home and cut out a patch to cover the hole. I was surprised how well it worked. First, I sanded the leather on both surfaces, then applied contact cement (stays flexible), then applied a second coat after the first dried, let it dry till it just barely lost it's stickiness, then clamped it for a day and night.
Not sure this works on concertina leather--you'd have to find a clamp with the right reach. If the leak is on a corner or edge, you might have to get creative. But I've seen leather patches overlaid there before...in pictures of concertinas for sale. I would think the outside would be the best place for a patch. Thin leather too so it doesn't interfere very much with closing the folds.
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Just saw Mikes post so thought my comments irrelevant.
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How wide is the concertina--across the metal end plates? About 6 1/4"? And with the bellows collapsed--one side to the other? With 6 bellows I'd guess about 6"? (closed but not closed super tight).
BTW, here's a duet being played... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoNrTS75bbk
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This site will give the button layout of the Jeffries duet. The chart is exactly as pictured in Mike's OP...same layout, same number of buttons, same positions. (RH anyway...haven't checked the left with his new pic)
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Here's a few links for you to read up on duets--if it is indeed a duet. Duets give the same note pushing or pulling. The lower pitched reeds would be on the LH side, the higher pitched reeds on the RH, like an Anglo. In fact, on one of these links I read that many of these were converted to Anglos.
http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1285
http://www.concertina.net/iv_duetguide.html
http://www.concertina.co.uk/Duet-Concertinas.htm
http://hmi.homewood.net/bnick/duet.htm
I wouldn't sell it, or accept any offers, till you know a lot more about it. Your concertina may be very rare and valuable.
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There's a picture and description of a concertina like this at...
http://www.concertina.net/wes_williams_dating.html
Scroll down to the picture right above Other Manufacturers
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Thanks for that Paul. I didn't even see that at the very end "2013 - $2500 - $3000" I was just listening to the audio. They should do voice-overs for reruns that old!
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http://video.pbs.org/video/2365028417/
Appraiser says, "I use to be able to buy these in London for $15-20" then appraises it for $1500-1700
Owner smiles and says, "that's about $1500 more than I thought it was worth!"
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There are about a dozen main venues (most are outdoors)
That's strange. In the past there have been about 35 different stages with performers/bands changing about every 30 minutes or every hour. The flyer (with map) clearly shows where they all are and who is scheduled to perform at each stage. But I haven't been for a few years, so I suppose things could have changed. Most outdoor stages have an indoor alternative too, in case of rain.
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Did you see the old Jeffries that was here and gone almost immediately on eBay last week? I think it sold for around $5300 USD..
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Gary brought his Jeffries over to my house tonight.
I'm not going to claim to be an expert, but I've played about a dozen Jeffries anglos and this one is the real deal.
It seems to be a Bb/F but the reeds are scattered around so that I couldn't find a scale. On each side, some of the high buttons have low notes and some of the low have high notes. A few buttons don't sound. I was unwilling to open it up.
The bellows are original and they are fantastic. The soft leather pulls and pushes better than any I've ever played - just amazing quality. And the bellows papers are right too, beautiful detail with some even wear and, well, grime on them.
The instrument is quite leaky, but it is probably from multiple places like valves and dried out gaskets.
The tone wasn't the Jeffries "honk" I was expecting, but it does sound like steel reeds and brass shoes.
The metal buttons are small and the action could be very fast. I was disconcerted by not being able to play a tune on it!
The case is smooth dark leather, and seems to be the same age as the instrument.
I'd say this is the real thing, and it was a joy to examine it and play it, to the extent that it let me!
Gary, I enjoyed meeting you and your wife. Congratulations on your good fortune, there are many folks who would consider this their "grail."
Ken
There are pictures of this concertina over on http://theirishconcertina.com/
Ken, looking at the fingering chart for C/G Jeffries concertinas http://www.concertina.info/tina.faq/images/finger3.htm
I see there are several Bb buttons, and F as well. What if someone switched the reeds around trying to make some sense out of it but had no idea how it should be? What if someone tried to play it left handed? What if this Jeffries doesn't have the "honk" you'd expect because some of the reeds are not in the right chambers, or don't fit the slots correctly? Just wondering about some possiblilities...
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I wonder how many of the concertinas listed on craigslist (London) are scams...
http://london.craigslist.co.uk/search/?areaID=24&subAreaID=&query=concertina&catAbb=sss
I know of a couple on there that sold on eBay a while back and are still in the hands of the ones who bought them.
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Even though the reed pan is referred to as a soundboard, it doesn't really function as one. Then, the choice of wood (sycamore vs. mahogany, etc.) is mostly for stability purposes and changing moisture/temperature conditions so it doesn't move or crack. I wonder if kevlar or carbon has been experimented with...metals like aluminum would expand and contract too much thus pinching the reed frames during hot weather. Speaking of that, it must be for some other purpose that the shoe touches the wood along the sides of the slots at the toe and the heel, but is left loose in between. I assume then that the tone and volume is produced in the reed chamber and responds according to material used there and on the end plates...perhaps even the shape of the end plates. And here I thought that raised ends were meant for people with short fingers!
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Here's a link to previous discussion...with more links within
http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9207
Also, another interesting link about materials for making springs...
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So, this begs the question. What is the wire made of that's used for springs? All steel "music wire" is tempered, right? Steel is an alloy, right? Iron and a whole bunch of other metals including aluminum and titanium. But how much? Adding more tin or phosphor, perhaps even a little copper...would this prevent a wire from being tempered for adequate spring strength, or giving it adequate resistance? BTW, if musical instrument wire is used, such as autoharp mentioned at the top of this thread, it's probably best to avoid "used" strings, right? They've been stretched and thinned probably?
Wakker W-A1 For Sale
in Buy & Sell
Posted · Edited by Laurence
Thanks, Daniel.
The concertina is ON HOLD.
Edit Note: SOLD