Tiposx

Thanks again Dowright!

Hi Dowright I wonder if you could help me by dating another one of mine - a Lachenal ec tutor model? It is numbered 43365 Many Thanks Tiposx

The r/h endplate looks just like a lachenal tutor model. The action clearly is something else.

It is designed for brass clock movements. A lot of brass clock parts have steel axles in them, so I guess there might be some tolerance of steel. It didn't appear to damage the steel screws on my reed plate, but it could have weakened them, I don't know. It is very stong alkaline/ammonia based.

Out of interest - the reed was pitched +18 cents when dirty. It came out of the solution at -10 cents. It is now tuned up, installed and sounds sweet.

I recently restored a Lachenal with brass reeds. A couple of the reeds were in really bad condition including this one. I bought some clock cleaning fluid. It is incredibly expensive and toxic, and I am scared stiff of it. But I followed the instructions and here is the result. I have only washed the reed and plate, not touched it otherwise except to handle it.

I have made buttons from T6 aluminium that polish up nicely and look similar to nickel without a magnifying glass. Not historically accurate but it works well and would get the instrument playing again. Black acetal looks exactly like the original Lachenal tutor accidental buttons. I havent tried any white or red though.

I posted negatively in December about my poor experience of dealing with Concertina Spares. I have also been contacted privately by two other people who have had bad experiences but wish to remain anonymous. I am always usual silent about such things but I just don't think it is an acceptable way to do business. And yet good can grow out of bad - I won't order anything else from this supplier so I have been pushed into making my own parts. I have just completely restored an ec using only parts I have made myself from the basic materials. Not the bellows but everything else - pads, valves, end screws, leather and brass parts, even a button! So it can be done. Tiposx

Ooh that's excellent. Thank you Downright.

Hello I have recently bought Lachenal 44667 for restoration. https://theboxplace.co.uk/product/lachenal-ec-project/ Rosewood ends, bone buttons, brass reeds. A=460hz. Could anyone help me estimate its age please.Many thanks

Interesting choices of music given your question. The first piece lends itself to an ec. The second piece melody could be played on an ec but would sound a bit thin without at least a few chords. I am pretty sure that I would tend to speed it up on the ec (bad habit) to make it sound fuller. Perhaps an anglo or duet would suit the second piece better as a performance piece. Given that your goal is to jam along with the music then an ec would be fine- but I am biased!

Holyprince I had on of those Scholer concertinas. It was in D/A and it was pretty horrible. You will find that a Rochelle, Jackie, Lachenal or any mainstream concertina in fair condition will sound and play so much better than the Scholer.

I play only Itm, as do my two musical friends. We all play English System concertinas. I started out on a melodeon but I couldn't play it fast enough to keep up with them when they were enjoying themselves - they have about 80 years of playing experience between them. So I took up the EC about 18 months ago. The ec allows fast playing but l am having to try hard to give the bounce and expression needed. I am getting there though. I can't comment on Anglos. Regards Tiposx

Bravo! It is very satisfying to make musical instruments. Are you planning a mark ii version, possibly with more accidentals I wonder. It sounds pretty good, miles better than a Scholer I once owned. Regards Tiposx

Fabulous looking instrument. I haven't heard of the seller before, or the firm of piano restorers he directs. I would want a lot of historical evidence about the previous and current ownership of the item, and how it came to be in the UK from Namibia. I would be very cautious about spending that much on an unseen item on eBay. If it all went badly I would consider that I had acted foolishly in buying it. That's just my take.