wunks

I'm curious as to what kind of music folks play on a Bb Jeff duet. Bb is easy on a C core instrument as are the keys of C,F,G and their relative minors. Nice to have that low F! By easy I mean at my level of play...🙂

Great playing. I'm struck by the foot tap rhythm. It's how I learned to accent Swedish waltzes.

It looks pretty tough but it doesn't look kinked. As an alternative you could rig up a small press with a table top, a block (both with felt ) and a C clamp or just use a drill press in this manner if you have one.

Not an expert but I'd expect a roller of some sort would apply a more even pressure and with less chance of damage. Use a thick piece of felt or towel under and apply more pressure mid-bend to counter spring back. Place a thin piece of felt over if you're using a roller with a hard surface.

Blows 'er nose in a coffee can and calls it chicken pie!......😄

Referring to the bellows to bellows frame joint. I assume there's some sort of adhesive involved. Apologies for my lack of experience with the details....😏 No indication of which end was swapped as yet. There are some pencil markings on the reed pan but just random numbers and letters as far as I can tell. Thank you for your post concerning the detached thumb strap by the way. This box exhibits the exact same condition. I was able to spot the tiniest edge of the center hole in the dowel post showing through the screw hole and levered it into position. Comparing some pictures of internals on line as well as my own other Wheatstone, I think the gasketing may be original dark grey material, it's pristine condition making me think it was fresh. Your comments and my ( amateur ) instincts have me thinking this was an original custom modification. I'll pop out the reed pans later today and check for markings. There are a few stuck reeds and a couple loose shoes I'll gingerly try to address but I'm going to leave it as is otherwise until someone with superior skills looks it over. From the comments( thanx all ) it should be easy to orient the reed pans in the normal position.

I've made an exploratory intrusion at each end removing the end piece and action board as a whole. Each end has received new valves ( old ones are in an envelope in the case ) and apparently, chamber gasketing. Peering through the fretwork reveals new pads as well. The quality of the work is remarkable. everything inside appears almost as new, even the wood of the reed pans. I find it hard to believe such a skilled and meticulous craftsman would finish such a job without realizing the error. Perhaps that's a clue to what happened here. The R and the L are indeed a "notch" apart but the chamois gasket ends where they overlap the bellows frame are well squashed and seated with no signs of them ever being elsewhere. Perhaps the rotation occurred at the bellows /frame joint? The bellows have been worked on but the work looks crude compared with the rest. A new thumb strap was fitted but only fastened by the thumb screw at the edge. It looks like two different fettlers of vastly different skills worked on this instrument with the latter ( and lesser ) giving up after realising they'd glued it together wrong.....😗

I've just come in the house with it as the new owner. The action box and reed pan are indeed aligned correctly. Thumb straps, finger slides and wrist straps are all askew as well. It's #31844 showing 1928 in the ledger.

I'm going to examine an EC today that has one end turned a "notch" ( 1/6th rotation ) away from alignment with the other side. I'd assume it was a hasty mistake in assembly but the owner insists all notes sound although he's not a player. The bellows are well worn so I don't expect the whole end assy. to be turned. He says it was his son's instrument from a band In NYC. Would the chambers line up with the pads in this situation ( not in the proper order of course )? It has occurred to me that the reed pan may have been turned as well but for what purpose? Has anyone seen this sort of modification? Perhaps it would be helpful for playing in a standing position or from a stool/guitar chair with one leg up and one down.

A rythm or "pulse" can also be created without a reversal, just a little extra nudge one way or the other. I like it on the back beat or "pah" as a way to avoid a full chord, just another note or maybe two with the melody note.

Perhaps to rouse the sitting marionett? I have a hunch the person in the red shirt is the artist.

Viewing with a hand lens reveals various visual sub plots. Mitch Ryder's "Devil with a Blue Dress On" pops out at me! Is the gentleman flipping the kerchiefs wearing shades?

There are many voicing options on a duet ( mine's a Jeffries ). I'm finding bellows changes have something rather decisive about them and use them sparingly. I bring them in after I can play a tune reasonably well, mostly ad libbed for emphasis and not in a pattern. I have a couple of bi-sonoric buttons and the bellows change to get the note I need is hard to deal with sometimes.

A knife is a wedge as well as a cutter. If Geoff is correct maybe a light tap to the knife back applied just at a corner would do it.

Perhaps a heated blade or hot wire such as used to shape styrofoam if your lucky and it's hide glue?