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conband

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Posts posted by conband

  1. HI Mikel.  Goran's contact:  goranrahm@telia.com.   Incidentally he was a founder member of Svenska Concertina:  Phone 46(18) 557103.  Or concertina@telia.com.  Even more of a coincidence is that another founder member was a retired Salvation Army missionary to India.

     

    If you do take up the concertina another useful contact may be Jim Lucas (+45) 22 62 03 99.  He organizes Scandanavia Squeeze-in in Sweden each year.

     

    Visually the instrument looks good, and being of good vintage and model,  having it appraised before sending it off to repair may address any hidden quirks.

     

    Plenty of good restorers in England if  necessary, so ask me if you need.

     

    Les

     

     

    • Like 1
  2. Hi Mikael.   Goran Rahm who lives in Sweden is their authority on all things related to concertinas.  He also has good knowledge of Salvation Army usage in the past.

    I'm not at home at the moment so cannot give you more precise contact details, but if you have no luck finding him come back to me, as he is definitely the man you need to contact.

     

    Les Branchett 

    • Like 1
  3. Jody, don't get too excited as  I am not taking your lessons  because I play one of those alternative English layout models. However I found your advice both encouraging and stimulating.  I'm sure brain muscle stimulated by your repetative system is the main ingredient.  I say this because manual dexterity, provided there is no physical impairment, is not a limiting factor, especially if one accepts that extra high speeds on a keyboard, for instance, do not immediately or necessarily transfer to fast speeds on a concertina - I wish they did!

     

    Thanks for all your god advice, here and at gatherings.

     

    Les Branchett

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

  4. The following company are able to supply cotton velvet in 18 colours - in metre, half metre or fat quarter (50 x 56 cm).  The smallest size would not quite complete a whole box, but I found the Wine colour was identical in every way, colour, feel, appearance,  to the fabric lining the Lachenal box I was renovating, and cost just less than £5 including postage.

     

    See separate concurrent thread on glues to use, especially advice by Adrian Brown.

     

    Ralston Fabrics

    Unit 11

    Hartley Business Park

    Selborne Road

    ALTON

    GU34 3HD

     

    01420 613013

     

    Les Branchett

     

  5. Unusual keys are not necessarily unusual if there is a brass band connection, as with Salvation Army.  Most brass band  instruments are pitched in Bflat, eg. cornets, baritones, euphonium,

    which means they look at a written C, but actually play a Bflat.  A few instruments are. pitched in Eflat,  tenor horns, and some bases.  They look at a written C , and play Eflat.  (Forget trombones, they're a slippery lot!)  

     

    It figures therefore that if playing from written brass band arrangements, which would have been quite common, you need some concertinas sounding Bflat and some in Eflat,  

     

    Les Branchett  

  6. Great playing, Wolf. Enjoyed it very much. Deep mid-winter was particularly appreciated. Gustaf Holst's tune "Cranham" was named after the village where he lived, in Midwinter Cottage. I can see the Cranham woods from my balcony, and often I drive through them, but your fine playing has inspired me to do something different. Next time I will take my concertina, stop in the woods, and play some of his tunes.

     

    Happy Christmas. Les Branchett

  7. Always looking forward to the next issue. I prefer the printed word!

     

    They used to call me old fashioned, but now publishers record that printed books are gaining popularity and E-books are waning.

     

    Three cheers for Caxton!

     

    Les Branchett

  8. Hi. Your concertina is a Lachenal Anglo model. The diagram next to the word English was their trade mark, it is a depiction of the reeds used to sound the notes. As an Anglo with three rows, it is more versatile. The age could be achieved approximately if you could read the number clearly.

     

    Bone buttons were quite usual, guessing a price without visual inspection, inside and out, is not really possible.

     

    Though hopefully some Australian player, there are quite a few, may be able to help you further.

     

    Tutor books for the Anglo are readily available, and Youtube has many postings.

     

    Hope you have a good adventure with it.

     

    Les Branchett

  9. On Ebay at the moment Shiresantiques have a Wheatstone incorrectly stated as No., 20877 (should be 20377), but what intrigues me is the keyboard layout. What was the purpose of this most unusual configuration, there is no reference in Horniman why this is non-standard. It knocks me flat, if you'll excuse the pun.

     

    Les Branchett

  10. Metal ended Lachenal EC No. 52426

     

    In 1958 from a proverbial junk shop in Reading I purchased my first Concertina. I recall the concertina cost me less than the case my Mother promised to purchase if I bought the instrument. It served me well, and eventually deserved the new bellows subsequently provided. Sadly green eyed envy crept in - that mythical ultimate concertina was on the horizon.

     

    52426 was taken to Crawley in the early in 1980's in the hope of an upgrade (!) The shop was unexpectedly closed, but fortunately a prospective buyer, who I think came from the West Country, arrived at the same time. So as prospective seller and prospective buyer met, a deal was done. Sadly, after 25 years loyal service No. 52426 was callously gone for ever.

     

    If you own, or know where No. 52426 might be, please let me know. I may well be interested in a direct purchase or part exchange, adoption, etc.

     

    Les. Personal email: squeezy@easy.com

  11. An odd personal preference, I would say. If it were during manufacture, it would be unusual for an SA instrument to give up an E flat for an A, as the A would exist elsewhere. With their preference for Flat keys for the Brass connection it would have made more sense to sacrifice the top F sharp for an A. Don't think A minor, think F major. Thus F and B flat and E flat key would all be well provided for. D major would be sometimes used but not as often as their beloved flats! A minor rarely used.

     

    With that logic I come out on the side of "odd personal preference" - but aren't they very useful instruments.

     

    Les Branchett

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