BCarveth

Thanks for the tip. I'm tempted to do some busking (in Cornwall, October 12 to 23). Being a foreigner I can plead ignorance of the local rules, I guess. But I'd also love to attend a session or folk club if anyone has suggestions. Thanks!

Thanks, Jim. Solid advice. It's all in the timing and location, right?

I'm about to make a trip to the UK from Virginia and will be taking my EC (of course). The question is related to playing and practicing when you have no good option to be away from others. I don't need the quiet for practicing, but playing scales and arpeggios in a hotel room, on the street, in a park, etc., could be an imposition on others. I'm not shy about playing in public, but mindful of the imposition in public spaces. I've made a mute covering for both ends of the EC (with extra thick felt to absorb sound) but the muting effect is much too small to make the kind of difference I have in mind. (I have an older George Case with quieter brass reeds, but still the instrument is, I think, too loud for practice in a semi-public place or motel room.) What do others do? Maybe I'm just being too careful?

For some months I have had a reed (an f) that was breathy to the point of almost not sounding. My instrument is a George Case, something like 1855. With a friend I took off the end cap and we inspected the chambers. Ultimately we glued back some chamois And the instrument seemed a little improved. This was some months ago. Problem returned. Much worse this time. I took it apart a few weeks ago and really didn't see anything. Started studying up using the concertina repair book I have (Elliott) and decided it must be a valve. Went back inside yesterday morning and the valves looked just fine, but I noticed that the valve stop pin for this same problem reed was pointing the wrong way. I touched it with a small piece of wood and found that it wasn't really attached at all. So I made a new one out of the end of a low banjo string, sharpened the end a bit and pressed it into place. Finally, the f was brought to life. It now has a bright sound (maybe even a little brighter than some of its neighbors).

I just wanted to say a huge thanks to Concertina.net (especially Heavyweight Boxer and Chatty concertinist) for helping me diagnose a cracked reed. I sent the reed pair to Greg Jowaisas who did a terrific job and got my instrument back in play quickly. This is a George Case English (brass reeds), dating from about 1865 or so. I was afraid that the new reed would be too brash or too bright, but the blend of the new reed with the rest is pretty much perfect. Greg's work was tops. Let's face it. Until you have a lot of experience, keeping a very old instrument in good playing condition often takes a team. Thanks a lot to you guys for helping me out.

Well, it's bad news, but I think the two reeds can be sent for repair of the bad one without too much difficulty. Sincere thanks for the help.

My George Case has been performing well over the last year. But now the low G reed has gone flat on the pull side. Just the one note. And the flattening (about a 1/4 tone) happened quickly -- over a day or two. Reeds are original brass. My little handbook says that might be due to dirt, so I have carefully gapped and cleaned both G reeds. No change in sound. I also had a careful look at the reeds under magnification, fearing a stress crack or something. All looks to be healthy. Gaps look about right for the tongues. The only thing that looks odd is that the valve for the next reed over is sticking 'way up. All other valves seem to lay fairly flat at rest, but not that one. It's curled up and the tip sits about 1/2 inch over the reed pan. Is this the likely explanation? Has anyone seen an adjacent valve affect the sound of a reed? I've sent away for some valves in the hope that a replacement will do the trick. Thanks for any insights or suggestions.

Hey, thanks for the suggestion. I think using something "reversible" is a good idea. Contact cement sounds like the right weight. I'll use it sparingly. Thanks so much for the help!

I have a George Case English. Given its age, the condition is remarkably good. It plays nicely and has a magical, deep sound. But the leather wrapping on both finger rests has worn off the edges and, as a result, is loose in some spots and in danger of tearing or degrading over time. I'm thinking of using glue to fix the leather to the metal. Good idea or bad idea? Epoxy would work nicely and provide pretty good protection. But purists might object to using such a product anywhere on this fine old instrument. Any suggestions out there?

My concertina has been at the spa in Kentucky for a month, getting two reed pan cracks filled, a few bellows hinges replaced, all new pads, a few new valves and a new set of gold-stamped thumb loops. Greg Jowaisas did the work. I sent him an 1860s George Case in pretty good working order and he sent me back an instrument VERY much improved in sound and ease of playing. I started palying last June, borrowing a Staggi-like instrument from a friend, but graduated to this in August. Its maker's cartouch is missing, so placing the instrument with George Case is partly guesswork based on its likeness to C-257 at concertinamuseum.com, and to Jowaisas' knowledge of the mechanism and construction. The museum piece is listed with Keith, Prouse & Co., but notes indicate that Case was a frequent maker of their stuff. My instrument bears the serial number 1374. I would recommend Jowaisas for any work on old or new instruments. He's a straight-shooter and has upgraded my instrument with great care and personal investment and the results are, I think, just terrific. I'll try to get up the nerve to post a tune.