Notemaker

Thanks for the post. BTW which Suttner is cheaper than what ever you are comparing it to? Last I looked his prices are up 4.5 K USD and over. Thanks.

He is in Dublin Ireland. BTW Bob are you buying up ALL the Anglos for sale on the net?

Thanks Alan. When you say 'gradual', is it over a few minutes? or hours? or days/weeks of playing?

Thanks Dave, very useful reply. When out had a wee look at it, did not detect anything unusual, but I am no expert. Suspect a bit of metal came off the heel end, its new, which flattened it. However that said, I've no idea where, or how, to get a replacement tongue if it does have a crack. Mention of which, how is a crack detected? besides the obvious close magnified image? Do you use a strong light? or xray?

Going out to the first 'session' since the lockdown, it was all Guitars, a couple of Harmonicas, a Bodhrawn, and a Tenor Banjo. The event was mostly songs going around a circle. But here is the catch, there were mics and an amp. Now definitely was not pressing harder on my bellows, yet nevertheless on arriving home and doing a quick inspection, find ( Push )C 1 middle row RHS making a wee buzz, then later falling in pitch a wee bit. Check with Tuner App on my Phone, I have about 5 cent flat and an ugly sound against G 3 RHS. Too against the lower octave, very ugly! So! with what is here about this topic, and some Harmonica tuning tools, took a few licks off the tip of the offending reed. Mind you, had to put it back into the box / try out 3 times, because the tuner ok'd my first go, though the pitch would drift down on a strong bellow ( home made tuning bench )press. On the second it looked right but sounded a wee bit flat, so did another two licks over the tip. Spot on with a soft bellow, slight lowering with a strong bellow but rock solid otherwise. Back in the box this renewed 'C' is spot on with 'g' above, and the octave. It is dead on with draw 'C' LHS inside row. Had I not been following here and reading your posts, would have had a very expensive repair. So to the makers, and tweakers here, thank you each and all :0) Happy festival weekend.

If I did not work in tiny screws in other things I would not have an opinion. Well I do, and so I have. In my experience Phillips 'cross' head screws are infinitely better than slot head. Because a tool head is locked into the center and cannot slip off as would a flat spade head screw driver in a slot head screw. As to the look of it, TBH I do not think it matters as much as quality of sound. But if I were to re-design how the instrument is built, then the button / plunger is where I would make drastic changes. First of all, the button rod needs be far longer, seated in a deeper well, sprung in the well bottom with coil spring, and made of light metal/wire , not wood. Yes re-springing would then be more difficult, yet the benefit of firm travel with zero wobble, and longer lasting spring is more than enough to justify the design.

Absolutely correct! The problem it now appears, is my over sensitive hearing. So accustomed that, over time, one forgets it is there. So, no! not making any adjustments. In particular, as Wally says, a re-centered tongue likely will then foul on the chamber slot sides. Thank you for re-assuring me.

Thanks Wally :0) I am no expert, only learned a bit over the years on Harmonicas. But you are correct, if reversed the problem will be with the draw reed in the push slot. Must say, last time had to adjust a tongue, the problem, an over wide end gap making it a very air greedy reed to sound, solved with a tiny poke on the losed tang. Then used a strong back light to keep the gap tight but not too much so. It is a dreadful thing to undo those two wee screws, because one never knows if there is a low spot on the tang where the tongue wants to go back under the screw tip/s. I was lucky last time. Happily this occasion does not, at this point, warrant any action. Could be better lined up with the shoe but, then again, might be worse sounding afterwards. Old saying applies, 'ain't broke, don't fix'. Thanks for helping.

Have a couple of newish naughty steel reeds still wearing in. One, RHS push E is making an extra sound as well as the fundamental. It's like a metal pot scrape sound. Hopefully can share my MP3 of it here. The second one is the C# push on the RHS outside row. In each case included a sample of the draw E, C# to compare. In fairness to my little MP3 recorder, it doesn't quite get the full effect of the extra sound. Removed the E reed, tested on a bench blower; it does the same thing outside the instrument. Did not do that to other because it appears to be the same thing. On inspection of the E reed and shoe, it looks slightly off to one side, that is, on the long edges, the gap between frame and tongue looks to be off. A few years ago reset a reed tongue in its shoe and I hesitate to do it again. Since the reed developed its naughty habits after some time playing in, I suspect it moved in the frame over time. Any suggestions welcome. 230214_001.mp3 230214_002.mp3

Very nice book. Kindle version, now working the first tune, ' The Banshee'. Noticed on both parts reverse bellows from Push G to draw D, MR LHS 5P 3D ..it first occurs in Bar 2 first part. In other bars the same phrase occurs. I know this may not be accurate for most players, but I am 'used' to getting my low D on the push off the inside row. And it does not feel as if it is wrong - because there are two bellows changes using the book setting. Please correct me if wrong. Thanks

Yes ! both are correct. Thank you for helping.

A Happy New Year to all. Thanks for helping. The last two reels are 'The Humors Of Castlefin', and 'The Wise Maid', AKA 'The Merry Ploughboy' in some parts of Scotland. What are the names of the first two ? Thanks in advance for helping,

Father O'Flynn. Jig. X: 2 T: On The Top Of Cork Road R: jig M: 6/8 L: 1/8 K: Dmaj "D"dAF DFA|"G"Bed "A"cBA|"D"d2d "A"efg|"D"fdf "A"ecA| "D"dAF DFA|"G"Bed "A"cBA|"D"d2d "A"efg|1 "D"fdd d3:|2 fdd d2|| |:g|"D"fdf fga|"A"ecA ABc|"Bm"d2d fed|"A"cAA A2c| "G"BGB Bcd|"D"AFD DFA|"G"dcd "A"efg|1 "D"fdd d2:|2 "D"fdd d3||

Love the tunes, great playing as well. What make of Concertina do you use? Is it an Anglo? I would love to be able to play those tunes but I am no expert, still learning from Alan Day's excellent tutor. Perhaps you might consider a selection of easier tunes for beginners? Thank you again for the wonderful music, I am very impressed. Best regards ..

Well not bending notes on the Concertina, but talking about similarity between the C/G Anglo and a standard C Harmonica, or a G Harmonica. Sorry for the error.