nicx66

I love my Eb box, a Tidder in old (high) pitch that I had tuned up to Eb! The brass reeds make for nice song accompaniment. I must have watched Cormacs and Cliodhna's version of Bold Dohertys>P Joe Hayes twelve dozen times, slowly learning the tune by playing along. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84s5W6Dygfg. I still find myself going back over it again and again, trying to learn that nuanced rhythm. Another nice thing about this version is that it is in the same key as the Niamh Parsons version of the song and yet it is something entirely different.

Slightly off topic, but did you see this "Gibson". Pre-war. A rose by any other name. Makes me wish I played guitar. http://www.ebay.com/itm/KALAMAZOO-034-Oriole-034-KGN-32-archtop-acoustic-guitar-GIBSON-made-Flame-maple-back-/351987392208?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=v2Q1O14DvfWBhhHc%252Fh%252BJOov0TIc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Jock Stewart!

I was curious if the levers were the (flattened on parallel sides) wire type or the type that were made from sheet brass? I do not know if I explained that very well.

It also appears to have some of the other desirable features of the New Models, like the raised ends/ New Model-esque fretwork. Just curious, is the action also similar to a New Model?

I believe a member here purchased a George Jones Ebony English from the Button Box, 48 key treble, that had solid ebony ends. It was evident from the pictures that it was solid ebony as opposed to veneers. I always thought that veneers were employed as a cost saving measure, but as others have pointed out, they have advantages over solid wood, especially when you consider that concertina ends tend to be thin and intricately cut, making them especially prone to splitting along the grain.

WARNING!!!! Ebay SCAMS: a whole bunch of them, same seller http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wheatstone-Lachenal-English-Concertina-/322422736011?hash=item4b11e4848b:g:6PkAAOSw2gxYoijP seller: bmahoney2315 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-C-Jeffries-anglo-concertina-/322422735719?hash=item4b11e48367:g:HXoAAOSwOgdYoijN seller: bmahoney2315 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wheatstone-concertina-Aola-squeeze-box-/322422735457?hash=item4b11e48261:g:TuwAAOSwtfhYoijJ seller: bmahoney2315

A piccolo anglo is pitched in D/A? and semi-miniature?

Greg Jowaisas had one for sale as part of his Holiday offering, a 35 button, I believe. I don't know if it is still available though. It was priced very reasonably.

New to me...is that so? Very interesting. Generally speaking then that in ITM the C/G instruments are most commonly used for playing in D? Just trying to imagine the situation it seems like playing in D major is not particularly handy while D minor might get pretty attractive. Fingering wise...since you get the Tonic D minor and Dominant A Minor chords right away ( while the subdominant G stays major ) Melody fingering likely comfortable too conditionally playing mostly in D minor ...not D major...of course. What about that? Some sense in it or what else is the reason preferring a C/G instrument for tunes in D? or the reverse? Having no familiarity with ITM I can't know....most tunes in minor really? The consequent instrument history related question is....Have Dd/Ab ( not C#/G# ) anglos been rather common in Ireland in fact? For playing in Eb as said? There are many reasons why the C/G is preferred in ITM, over G/D and D/A instruments. I am new to the concertina, having only played now for 2 years, however I am starting to understand some of those reasons. A C/G concertina allows you to mimic certain piping styles, specifically, being able to drone the D and A (power?) chords. By this I mean the two note, lower register chords in A and D. Of course, you have to change fingerings from push to pull. This is just one (rather poorly explained) example.

I have an old (1901) anglo concertina that some refer to as an "Eb". Its actually tuned a semitone sharp of normal (for anglos) C/G, at C#/G#. I guess when playing with other instruments, calling it "Eb" is more informative to people unfamiliar with the way concertinas are tuned.

As a 30 button C/G anglo player, these fascinate me, as F is the only key that can be played across 3 full octaves (diatonic scales). I have a feeling that they would sound lovely together. Then again, the New Models really don't need accompaniment.

Thats very interesting, I have never seen a New Model Anglo

I am not the seller, just a curious party. Are the 35 button models always tenor range instruments? The eBay listing has little useful information, which is not uncommon. The six fold bellows look original. http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-ANTIQUE-LACHENAL-35-KEY-CONCERTINA/201785005053?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D38530%26meid%3D9e5216abc9cf452a8bca73016ffb2c93%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D201785005053

1. parafin, perhaps is the problem?, as beeswax is basically inert in comparison 2. I believe it is called a "rheostat". I had to google the spelling on that one as my teacher/mentor is from Staten Island

So very true. My first instrument is the tin whistle, and being self taught, I took some direction from, and developed some bad habits as a result of, some questionable sources. I took my first proper classes this year and un-learning bad habits can be difficult and a bit mind numbing. Better to never develop them in the first place. Oh, and being self taught is over-rated. I asked the first person who's playing I admired to give me some lessons and she responded by telling me "teach yourself, thats how I learned" I still hold her in high regard as a player, but the advice is a bit suspect.

While rummaging through my parents records over Christmas, I was delighted to stumble upon an old Ewan MacColl/Peggy Seeger record on which she plays concertina called The Manchester Angel. Best of luck on your journey!

Old songs is a fantastic venue/organisation. Every time I see/hear Cormac Begley play, his footwork reminds me of fiddle players in quebecois music, who will sometimes use a flat maple board to tap their feet with, providing a percussive element to the music. I have even seen these boards set up with their own mic. Fantastic! In fact it was a fiddler at old songs who I saw do this. Yves Lambert Trio, I believe. Ah, yes, here is an example, though the fiddler is playing a mandolin on this tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCMb-MSOEC4

sort of birch ply sort of a model

I have had better luck with this forum than with eBay, though anything from eBay seller cocoa111 is a safe bet. Greg Jowaisas has concertinas for sale from entry level thru high end and for very reasonable prices http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19263 Another forum member has this very nice, traditionally constructed concertina for sale http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19295. My one piece of advice with eBay is that what may seem like a bargain could end up costing a fortune (more than the initial investment) to have refurbished and tuned to modern pitch (or even to itself)

When even the phrase "artificial ivory" started to get items flagged, everyone just started calling it "bone". It makes me wonder if people will start referring to concertina ends as "laminate fruit wood" to avoid the potential hassle?

I want to hear some of this Bolivian concertina music!

A 20 button George Jones that has good pictures of the reed-pan, with what are clearly broad brass reeds similar to those in my Tidder. If anyone out there has any further information on these reeds and their manufacture, please feel free to share. http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-JONES-20K-BRASS-REED-ANGLO-CONCERTINA-RENOVATED-TUNED-CG-CONCERT-PITCH-/282292750506?hash=item41b9f588aa:g:5BsAAOSw241YUv0T

If they are brass reeds, I would think they might be, but I am no expert

This poor beautiful instrument! I feel like there have been several "stretched hexagon" instruments that have popped up as of late, all with fretted ends that are in rough shape, this one being the roughest. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Second-Hand-Wheatstone-Concertina-/192048185472?hash=item2cb6f6c080:g:d3kAAOSwA3dYSW~a