Greg Jowaisas

Tim, What part of the world do you live in? We may be able to hook you up with someone close by to try a concertina or two before you make a decision. Bob Tedrow has begun carrying Rochelles. Check with him on availability. http://hmi.homewood.net/#Concertinas%20For%20Sale: Welcome to the wonderful world of concertinas. Enjoy your adventure! Greg

I'll add a couple of things to Jim's comments. I prefer to use a "reed setting stick" made of wood as my set tool. I find wood is less likely to slip when placed against the reed. 3 to 4 inches long seems a comfortable length. I've used bamboo, birch and whatever tongue depressors are made out of with good results. Remember: All reed material is not the same!! In my experience Lachenal reed steel is not the same as Wheatstone reed steel. The force necessary to effect a set in one reed may also differ from reed to reed in the same concertina. Brass reeds are in a class of their own and need to be approached with great respect!!! It does not take much pressure to set a brass reed and it only takes a moment of inattention to put a fatal bend in one. Be aware that changing the set on a reed may also change the pitch. In some cases this may be as much as 3 cents. Depending on the sensitivity and tolerence of your ears this can be enough to warrant a "brush up" tuning. In most cases, the average player is looking to get a better response from an individual reed that seems troublesome. Resetting a reed or two slightly shouldn't cause major problems. Go slowly and carefully. If you have more than a few reeds to reset or are concerned about the instrument's overall performance it may be time to seek professional help. Greg

Very interesting, Theo. What kind of wood are the ends made of? Greg

I bought a concertina at a backyard auction. Supposedly it was used by a professional who played the bar and night club circuit. If I closed my eyes during the first few minutes of playing the instrument I'd swear I was playing a "smoked ham". I still remember my younger days as a band member. I never have smoked. At our bar gigs I would go outside during our breaks and try and resuccitate the cilia in my lungs. Bellows are so lung like. Urge your friends not to smoke. Save the reeds!! Greg

How about falling barometric pressure and its affect on the eardrum? Perhaps the "problem" lies within and not without?

Jim, Let us know what part of the world you live in and we can suggest local resources if possible. Cnet has a buyers guide section with lots of useful information. Go to the home page and try clicking some of the links under the heading. The tune a tron link has music in pdf and abc and an electronic audio sample. Some other useful websites are concertina.com and the concertina connection. The Concertina Connection offers what is generally considered the best entry level instruments both in value and trouble free operation. Their anglo is the Rochelle and their english is the Jackie. I agree with John that a 30b instrument (if you decide to play anglo) is where you want to go but if a nice 20b Lachenal or Jones pops up I woulldn't be afraid to try a 20b for a while. Properly reconditioned those can be decent instruments with the traditional "concertina sound". Lots to learn and consider. We are all here to help. Greg

I was examining the tuning of a vintage instrument and found it to be consitent with 442=A on my portable chromatic tuner. Back in the shop the 442 translated into 8 cents sharp of standard. So 441 might put you 4 cents sharp to the violinist, Jim. Depending on her intonation (and independent fingering "temperment") the diffence could have been greater. Which, no doubt began to grate on her sensitive ears. I wonder if it ever "occured" to her to sharpen her own instrument a bit? (Or did she just hand you a file? Concertinas can be tough instruments to tune. Bellows pressure has to be averaged. Setting a reed higher or lower in the shoe can make make a difference of as much as 3 cents. When I tune a concertina I go through the process at least three separate times and often a fourth. I can hear when notes are 2 or 3 cents off but often it takes the electronic tuner to help me make the correct decision of which note and how much to change it. Greg

Wes, I've never thought of paying proper respect as groveling. You have probably forgotten more than I know about concertinas. And you have always shared your knowledge in a clear and patient way. OK, I'll quit this round of groveling and finish by saying you are allowed an occasional mistake, even a whopper. Best, Greg

Wes, With much due respect the instrument appears to have 5 rows and a 3T deignation for "Crane" "Triumph". Or did i miss something? Greg

Switching to english concertina is a possiblity. You won't run out of air because a bellows direction change will not effect the chord. Breaking up chords as arpeggios, similar to the way you might on guitar, will add interest. Runs and bass accompaniment as Jim B has suggested will also add contrast and texture. Chords become even more interesting as you add and subtract notes annd change note octaves. The concertina can be a very useful instrument to "color" chords. Perhaps you can trade in your anglo to the seller and count it toward the purchase of an english. I do not know of any inexpensive duet concertinas on the market at present. Greg

I owned one of these type of Wheatstones and have seen and played two others. Two came through the Button Box. Perhaps Rich Morse can comment. I believe they have handled a number of these 1950s Wheatstone anglos. The reeds on these particular instruments and the one on eBay are crimped to the reed frame rather than clamped. The shoes are aluminum and screwed down rather than dovetailed into the reed pan. I called the Button Box when I received my instrument and asked questions about the crimping and screwed down reeds. Doug assured me that they had not had any trouble with these features. My instrument played well and gave me no trouble in over two years. The instrument had an eight fold bellow and was probably intended for the South African market. The three Wheatstones from this period that I played had plenty of volume and a cutting sound. (Some might term it a tad harsh.) Ebay seller Vic227 has auctioned a number of these instruments. Some of the 40b models and, I think, a few of the 30b he has offered have had traditional dovetailed reed pans and sometimes brass shoes. That has been my experience. I recall that some forum members might have had a few reservations about their encounters with these kind of Wheatstones. As with any used instrument the care, condition and maintenance will influence its performance. Greg

Hello la de da, You need to let us know which accidentals you intend to switch. The most common accidental rearrangement is at the top two buttons of the RH accidental row (30b instrument). Those used to a Wheatstone/Lachenal system are accustomed to having the push C# on the top button. The Jeffries layout has the push C# on the second button and a pull C# on the first button. I remember Chris Ghent telling me that Jeffries only used about 8 different shoe sizes. (Chris marvelled at the reed making ability that was able to get so many notes with so few shoe changes) So if your swap is for notes fairly close together on the chromatic scale the shoe sizes have a chance to be the same. I would recommend getting the Dave Elliott Concertina Repair Manual and reading through it. If it makes sense to you and if you are confident in your mechanical abilities (working with small tools, taking things apart and more importantly, putting them back together again!) then you might have a go at swapping shoes. The real trick is to know when you are in over your head such as having difficulty removing a shoe with anything other than your fingers. Then it might be time to seek professional or more experienced help. Most repairers and restorers want players to be able to do the routine things to maintain their instruments. The problems occur when too little knowledge or experience is combined with too much force or an irreversable procedure. All instruments, and especially Jeffries, need to be treated with respect and reverence. Greg

Larry, If the "flat" tuning was a high old pitch pitch Bb/F then the tuning would only have to come up half a step to reach C/G in today's A=440 standard. Presuming no prior retuning or reed abuse, many Jeffries have the "meat" on the reeds to make the journey in the hands of a competent repairman. Certainly there are none much better than Colin Dipper to assist. I have played a couple of Jeffries that I know were retuned and they were good sounding, strong instruments. I've also played a few Jeffries that were on the quiet and sedate side. And I've heard a few that didn't "sound" right. (I did not inquire or investigate if they had been retuned.) I believe the general consensus is that an instrument tuned up becomes a bit brighter and an instrument whose pitch is lowered loses some of that brightness. I have a Jeffries that was close to actual C#/G# (C/G in old high pitch. It took me several years to gain the expertise and competence before deciding to what pitch I wanted to retune it. (Not a decision to make lightly; There is no return from a retuning!) For a number of reasons I carefully took it down to modern C/G and I think it sounds just fine with a bit more typical "Jeffries"in its chortle and chirping. It certainly had a lot of high cut in old high pitch but I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. Concertinas that have been retuned a number of times or with reeds that have been abused by careless filing can suffer from thin reeds accompanied by strange harmonics. The overtones don't sound "right" on these instruments. I'd descibe the sound as "too thin". Once you supect over filing you can only wonder how they might have sounded in their original pitch. I'm sure Dana Johnson and several others could tell us all from a technical standpoint why this happens. Greg

I suppose they burned the erroneous print run which along with the cigarettes meant even more good money up in smoke! Thanks for that "font" of knowledge, Jim. Greg

Theo, Stephen, Chris Algar thinks the label might be from the Dipper shop. Shall we ask Chris Timson to get a confirmation? Greg

I have a similar label in a nice Wheatstone english. Same time frame if I recall correctly. My understanding is that Chris Algar was the seller some 30 years ago. I'll ask him if it is his label. Greg

Chris, This approach certainly makes sense to me. You might lose some of the english anglo player market who enjoy having those high notes but might win a following of Irish players who would enjoy an extra three. No appreciable weight gain but more usable notes and flexibility. Do you intend to split the difference and shift the button layout "down" a bit, lose the last three, and then reposition them at the top of the rows? In effect imitating the feel and position of a 38b without increasing instrument size or number of buttons? I wonder if difficulties with arm and action might arise in adding the three at the top? I like the idea and I'm glad there are bright, capable craftsman to attempt it. Go for it! And keep us posted. Greg

There will always be people who validate through exclusion. I was playing at an American Civil War reenactment and an anachro actor came by, sized up my hammered dulcimer and said, "When were those around? That isn't old enough to be a period instrument is it? I looked him straight in the eye and replied, "You have a point. It was popular in 1870....B.C.!!!!" Made my day! Greg PS. My best guess for period anglo would be along the row melody with two note chord a la double stopped fiddle.

The tune "Three Scones of Boxty" is very similar to "Monaghan Twig". I'll take the scones over the twig for tea. Greg

How about a piece, a block of dense foam covered or draped with a soft fabric to rest the left end of the concertina? This might rest on your chest or stomach or find support from the bed on your left side. In effect you would be imitating the left thigh where the left end of the concertina traditionally rests when playing upright. The right hand manipulates the bellows. You would need to exercise care to avoid having the bellows folds touching the support but that is no different than the upright position in using good technique to avoid bellows wear when anchoring the stationary end on a thigh. Taking the weight away from your hands, fingers and in this case the elbows (lot's of twitchy nerves run though that joint) seems like a good idea to me. Best of luck, Greg

Steve, You have fortunately been left a top of the line wheatstone Aeola. Could be a really fine concertina. If concert tuned and put into top notch condition $5000.00+ might be a dealer's selling price. Please make sure your children are ready to cherish and use an instrument of this quality before you hand it over to them. In the meantime once it is put back in playing condition wouldn't it be honoring your grandparents to learn a few tunes upon it? Instruments stay in much better condition if used regularly. We are all happy for your good fortune and your grandparents good taste. Greg

Brilliant!!!

Hello Rachel, EBay is one way to go and if the last three Jeffries auctions are any indication the price for sellers is good (4000 GBP or so!) Another way is to list it in concertina.net's Buy and Sell forum. I think that might give it more of a chance to go to a player rather than a dealer. (Nothing wrong with dealers; they help put instruments in players' hands) Key and condition can be a factor in the final price. (Is your concertina in concert pitch? What chord does it play when several buttons in a row are depressed and the bellows pushed in?) Are the bellows leaking or airtight? Etc. Even unrestored Jeffries are bringing strong prices. Yours looks like the real deal to me! Congratulations! Greg PS. I am looking for a Bb/F Jeffries 38 buttons. If yours turns out to be in that key please get in touch with me.

Neil, Here is a picture of the action pan on the Tidder double reeded 20b that I have. I apologize about the quality of the pic but I think it still shows the same pivots as those on your 20b. My 20b and english have the same pivot plate. The serial # for the double reeded 20b is 2687. The serial # for the regular 20b is 4563. The Tidder english is a bit more difficult to access but next time it is out I'll get that # as well. A few things that my Tidders seem to have in common are: Distictive end bolts with a thin "cheesehead" profile. The use of lambskin on the bellows which seems subject to abrasive wear. Hand cut (or at least hand finished) scroll work just like Lachenal's 20b except more finely done. The distictive pivot plates. A thicker reed shoe with unvented, parallel sides. I'm sure Stephen Chambers can add much more and perhaps give us a time frame for manufacture. Regards, Greg

Neil, The Tidder English I have has the "oval" plate for an action pivot that you desribed. I will take a look at my other two 20b Tidders. Let's see who gets their picture up first. (I'm betting on you!) I'll also note their serial #s. Greg