Greg Jowaisas

Could be a curled valve that reluctantly seats upon increased pressure. If pressure is quickly applied you may get a "slap".

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Riggy, Email received and response sent. The fioptics address is correct. Greg

Stephen and all, To quote "Spamalot" I'm "not dead yet." In fact have been quite busy with concertina repairs and refurbishment during these Covid times. Family and I are doing our best to stay healthy and here are hopes the concertina community can do the same. Best regards, Greg

A few aids and ideas that might help. The Dave Mallinson books ("100 Enduring Irish Session tunes", 100 Evergreen Irish..." etc) usually have a decent, basic rendition of a tune. You can add the embellishments as you or your instrument dictate. They also can come with a CD so those of us challenged by the printed musical page have an audio reference. The CD format coupled with a computer "slow downer" program would enable you to keep the CD's correct pitch while dialing the music speed to suit your current ability. Individual passages can be looped for practice repetition. When you are confident and comfortable playing along at one speed then the tune can then be sped up by tiny increments to challenge and gradually increase your own playing speed. Playing along at a comfortable speed also reinforces good rhythm and gives you immediate feedback. The best tutorial would be to find someone who plays the same instrument you do in the style you enjoy or admire and get them to give you advice either informally or through lessons. Sean, in your case, it would be english concertina and I'll email a couple of possibilities. Of course listening and adapting the playing of one of the many great Irish Trad practitioners who play a different instrument to your own concertina playing can be an interesting and long term challenge. Listening (and lilting) to their recordings until they become part of your musical memory can shape and inspire your own playing. As far as learning the "correct" version of a tune I'd say listen to the masters and then judge whether your printed version comes close. If your goal is to play the particular versions of your local session then ask if you can tape those musicians and again compare your written resources. Before long you will be able to hear and change your playing from the written page to match the versions played at the session. It is a journey and may take a bit of time. Best, Greg

Alex, Measurement of the thickness of the reed shoe and picture of the reed assembly particularly the clamp screws would be helpful. Thanks. Greg

Hopefully, with kindness...and opportunity!

The contenders

Perhaps mounting;placing the reeds in the interior of the reed pan?

The inked # stamp is consistent with Tidder instruments. I "think" I am seeing the ample gussets in your pics which is also a Tidder trademark. Unfortunately the heads on shot of the action board and mechanism give no further clues. (A 45 degree angle shot and closeup might reveal more.) Not sure if I currently have a Tidder in the herd or project closet. The corner block bracing on the action board may be a distictive clue. My experience with nearly a dozen Tidders is that they are of consistent, comparable quality to the mahogany Lachenals. The only annoying drawback with Tidders is that the outside bellows runs seem to be covered with sheepskin or another softer leather that is not as tough and long wearing as goat.

If the hand rests are not stamped then it could be a Tidder (it will have exaggerated, extravagant gussets) or a Nickolds (often 'G' shaped pivot posts in the action box) A picture of the action box will help identification guesses.

Thicker, softer valves? Eva foam on the chamber wall(s)?

Perhaps humidifying the room or area where you do your most playing would help. My pet theory is that if we play our concertinas in low humidity environments then in effect we are drying them from the inside out as we pump dry(er) air through them. Probably doesn't hurt the concertina player's skin and well being to get a bit of winter humidification as well.? In my personal case I use a small room humidifier in a 12x12 office where I do much of my playing and practicing. (For much of the year it takes concerted effort to keep the basement workshop below 80% relative humidity!?) General consensus seems to be that wood loses humidity faster than it takes it up so it may take awhile for noticeable improvement. My recommendation to clients is to try and keep the relative humidity in the 50-60% range. One caution would be to make sure the concertina and its reeds are in the same temperature range as the room to prevent any condensation inside the instrument.

Robert's instrument is # 2880

I would check to make sure the support blocks for the reed pan are secure and the right height. If the chambered walls chamois is lower than the surrounding bellows pan chamois then air will escape and the reeds in this area will not get the benefit of full bellows pressure. inspect the reed pan height and give each support block a good tug. Sometimes the support block appears secure but is only glued tight to the chamois edge but not the frame. You want all the blocks firmly glued to the frame so the reed pan is held rigid and the pad board can seal against the chamois. You might also check that the reed pan edges are sealing against the bellows pan chamois in the area of the weak notes. (A 20b rosewood Lachenal reed pan usually does not contact the two opposite sides of the bellows pan chamois with it its "long" sides but the chamois on its outermost chamber walls provide the seal in this area.) Good luck, Greg

Hi Bill. I'm right handed, so holding the reed assembly in my left hand I use my LH index finger to hold down, brace, if you will, the tip portion of the reed. With my RH, holding the dowel or setting tool I push up on the tongue from under the bottom of the reed assembly about 1/3 to `/2 way back of the tip. This will give the profile you may find desirable for the longer reeds. Then you may need to adjust the set of the reed in relation to the reed shoe. With the medium sized reeds just getting the tip of the reed to clear the shoe is usually enough. (In that case I pin the tongue in the middle with the LH index and push up on the tongue close to the tip from underneath with the tool) Some of the smaller reeds may require little or no elevation above the reed frame. (See diagram page 41 of Dave Elliott's book) Pretty subtle reshape but you may find it helps the longer reed respond better than simply pushing up on just the tip. I'l

I like to use a thin dowel to set reeds. Perhaps a 1/8 inch in diameter and slimmer toward the tip. Less likely to slip and I think it helps "put me in touch" when setting brass reeds which need a more gentle approach. As per Dave's book the longer, lower reeds may need to be set farther back from the tip so a longer portion from the tip rides just above the reed shoe. To do this I place the setting tool under the tongue about at half way the reed's length. While holding the reed frame in my hand I use the index finger to hold the reed tip down while pressing the tool up with my other hand. This will put a very tiny and gentle bend in the tongue so perhaps the last quarter to a third of the tongue toward the reed's tip rides even or just above the frame. Then you can adjust the set distance of this profile as needed. As a general rule for low reeds a distance of 1&1/2 to 2Xs the thickness of the reed can mean a useful set. Bill, I probably don't have to remind you how easy it is to set brass as opposed to more resilient steel. For anyone who has not worked with brass before please GO SLOW and be GENTLE. If you don't use a light touch it is possible to weaken a brass reed to the point of breaking. Good luck, Greg

Yes, wonderful accompaniment and chordal treatment. At about 35:00 check out the "ergo" sleeves he wears and slips out of. 51:40 he slips out of what looks like fingerless "gloves" with intact glove thumb tucked into the thumb strap and wrist part of the glove continuing past the wrist straps. So perhaps a "skin saver" more than an ergonomic adaption. (?) Just past 51:00 you can get a pretty good look at the LH side of his concertina. Looks to me like a Wheatstone "ring" label. Earlier views of the RH side show what looks like an oval brass Wheatstone(?) badge.

I had a discussion with Noel Hill a few years ago about the pad hole beveling on Jeffries instruments. If memory serves his take was this was primarily a post manufacture modification inspired by treatments done to instruments in the flute community. I remember Noel shaking his head and believing this treatment was unfortunate and unwarranted in most cases as applied to concertinas. It would be interesting to get Geoff Crabb's take. He is our strongest existing link to the Crabb/Jeffries tradition. Greg

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Gary Owen. In the USA associated with the 7th Cavalry (and Custer's last stand...)

Could use replacing or...needs shimming. In the case of a single area that is not sealing carefully lifting the chamois from inside the bellows pan (I use a short, blunt screwdriver with a broad blade to pry up the chamois) and then shimming beneath the chamois with card can stop an area leak. (thickness of index card is a good way to start.) Before gluing everything down with a minimal amount of white or hide glue you can reassemble and test the seal. Before attempting to remove the entire chamois determine what material the manufacturer has used. Most vintage concertinas pre-WWII had the yellowish tallow colored chamois we are familiar with. After WWII Wheatstone often used a thin leather with a finished side. The proper leather can be difficult to find. The yellowish chamois can be found in the automotive department at Target. The trick is to examine and get a piece with relative uniform thickness. If it is thinner than the existing chamois it can be shimmed. If much thicker then that is a bigger problem. If the entire bellows chamois needs replacing work the inside chamois free all the way around and then pull free the narrow top seal (between the bellows and action box. If possible free as one piece to use as a template for cutting the new chamois. Some judicious scraping may be necessary to remove remaining glue and chamois "skin". (I only dampen with water as a last resort. It can result in a sticky mess.) I glue the new chamois to the thin, top edge of the bellows pan first a couple of sides at a time. Again, use the least amount of glue possible and keep your hands and tools clean so the softness of the chamois and its sealing properties are not compromised. Once the chamois is securely glued around the top edge then any necessary trimming or shimming can be done before gluing down the inside of the bellows pan. I like to situate the action box in its proper place and press the end bolts in. This leaves an impression in the chamois and an awl can be used to make a hole so the end bolts can tag into their fastening plates. Good luck, doctor. It is not brain surgery but prep and planning will help your patient to a full recovery. PS. A rotary cutter as sold at a fabric store coupled with a straight edge is the ticket for cutting your replacement chamois strip(s)

I'm getting images of Stan and Ollie (Laurel and Hardy) cavorting on stage as Alan plays!

Yikes! Please stop and get the Dave Elliott book. This is not a good way to file a reed. "Scratching" at right angles to the length of the reed is an invitation for tongue failure. (Although thankfully it appears you were using a light touch.) Best to practice your file technique on some metal material other than a concertina reed you intend to use. Like any tool, using a file efficiently and without "destructive affect" takes practice. Practice getting a smooth, even cut all the way across a piece of material with the flat of the file. Practice with a material that has similar dimensions to the width of a reed. (It is very easy to inadvertently tip file and file more toward one edge rather than flat all the way across. It takes PRACTICE to get a feel for doing this correctly. Keep monitoring and looking at your work as you practice to make sure the file is not tilting. The cut should be at a 45 degree angle to the length of the reed/material. (Hopefully other reeds in the instrument have the proper orientation of file marks.) As advised, use a shim (feeler gauge type thickness) under the reed tongue for support and to protect the reed frame. You can quickly compromise or ruin a reed with poor filing. Only after you can reliably control the file on practice material should you attempt an actual reed. (And even then you are always checking the file marks to make sure of the cut.) If in doubt, stop, and seek professional help.

A 4 inch scraping blade can be very useful. Something like this: https://www.flooranddecor.com/goldblatt-installation-materials/goldblatt-4in.-wall-scraper-blades---5pk.-100380880.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA04XxBRD5ARIsAGFygj_givYqiqW8mbSuFz4wE32cpY5CfsIOI3cJy7T85QQ8P8zH3uQKks4aAi-BEALw_wcB Take your time and make sure you are cutting chamois and not wood. After you've affected the separation the 4 inch blade held perpendicular to the button pan can be useful in scraping off the glue residue and chamois left behind. Do watch your fingers! These blades can be very sharp.? Greg