wunks

Thank you John. I'll guess NP is nickle plated. The entry describes this instrument to a "T". It seems centered on C as is my actual Jeff duet but the lower end favors F and B flat but slights the key of G. The F# is added to the lower top left row rather than being a thumb key and there is more overlap than the Jeffries. There are some blank spaces in the low side reed block and there is room for another set or two of buttons on the end plate as they are crowded to one side. Considering the date, I wonder if this was a custom job set up for playing Big Band or Jazz music and if there are others like it. I'm tempted to have it's range extended but not if it's historically significant. I bought it from Crabb's shop in Islington in the late 60's. Thank you Wolfe, as well

I'm curious as to what the ledger notes say about this concertina and did Wheatstone make any other Jeff duets? It's rather large; 9 1/2" across the flats (Hex) with 53 buttons and varies slightly from the standard Jeffries pattern on the low end.

Not to draw any conclusions but doesn't the label look rather crudely snipped out of a larger piece, say with scissors? Would a maker or dealer be so careless with their Mark?

I find myself switching fingers on the same note often, usually to set up the next series of notes so as not to run out of fingers going up or down the scale or for grace notes. This can create a rapid little stutter that is unique and sometimes pleasing or make the switch before the hole closes if it's not desired. I'm playing Jeff duet but some of this may apply to other systems.

Rio Vista Hoof manicure. Your welcome. Now, how did you solve Gout and Rheumatiz?

I have come across his delightful playing but only recently while searching for other players of this strange beast. Can I send you a PM after I talk to some folks (if I can figure out how; the computer is much more baffling to me than the Jeffries seems to be.)? Erik

Hello Jim. I don't play English myself, I'm 3 or 4 months into Jeffries Duet, But I know some folks That I believe are playing English out and about. We are on the south plateau above the Mohawk-Little Falls area near Cooperstown NY. Lots of music and beautiful scenery here, perhaps if you could stand a mixed session with a fiddle or two? With your permission I'll pass along your info. we're about 20 min. from the canal, and bike trail. Erik

Oh, the first head gent... grab your girl, go down the center with a butterfly whirl!.........

Years ago(many), I remember lots of Johnny Cash.

You could try mixing in some more "passive" ornamentation such as slight variations in timing, volume and beat (as opposed to tempo). Slurring or even lingering on the previous note, using a doublet instead of a triplet and extending a note with a mild tremolo also come to mind.

It's a dark and stormy night, no one home but me (and the pups, the cat, the rabbit, and the horse) so I braved the autopsy of a Lachenal English I got from a luthier friend who was cleaning out. It's stamped #21153 on all parts which I guess would date it around 1878. It looks the same as the one above with box but four fold bellows.

Nicely played. I'd slow down a bit and thin out the infill. The tempo and aggressive ornamentation create a bit of a calliope effect. I think of these as somewhat pensive tunes that should flow more.

For a different session format consider each player featured once 'round the horn. See Jeff and Ilean's session ; "Brilliancy" on Utube. Brings those old favorites back to life! Adds a little nudge to play out as well.

If the lead in were Fanny Power, Da Slocket Light, My Cape Breton Home or Westphalia Waltz, would you object to following with one of the myriad beautiful English traditional tunes?

That makes sense. I was thinking of "other" old pitch references below A 440 but now I read Philharmonic old pitch came in around 1890, probably close to the time of build for this instrument. Testing against my piano however, C sounds to my ear dead on C# or ever so slightly above (C being determined on this by the corresponding button on the Wheatstone). Maybe it's purposely tuned to C#. I seem to remember something about some concertinas being tuned this way. Might make it good for Horn Keys, Jazz etc.!