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As all the musicians appear to be tri-dactylids, with the crested individuals opting for fretless instruments, I suspect the penguoid is playing an EC.

I actually discovered this by speeding up a sarabande to a jig to shorten practice time.

I find it helpful to slow a fast tune way down to the point of accuracy. Play a jig as a waltz. Curiously, this works the other way 'round, a waltz as a jig. It seems to dislodge one's playing from the brains executive function...😊

I assume you're talking about Anglo concertinas?

I switched from years to dogs when I hit 70. Concertinas sound more promising.

And I thought I was doing pretty good with my Jeff duet. Hearing such beautiful playing makes me realize I'm still a beginner!....😃

Judging by your lovely playing that is all that's needed.

Exactly, even to the point of supplying the words to the melodies!

Concertinas are magical objects like a sorting hat. They know who you are and will invite you to play. They are playing you as you play them.

Something duetish is the pair of thumb buttons LH. My Wheatstone JD has something similar, a B, Bb pair for an instrument centered on C.

Well, it's a wish list but thinking it through, I don't see how a master button would work other than on a melody. However, if each button ( landing pad ) had multiple functions, like a little joystick. an 88 keyboard could be reduced to 52........😊

A button or other control to sharpen or flatten any note eliminating those buttons ( different than Luke's bending wheel ).

Playing for that long at a stretch, especially as a beginner, is counterproductive at least for me. Unless you're a cyborg your brain will be overwhelmed and stop processing after about 20 min. or so. Roughly 20 min. every other day is optimum for my particular lump of grey matter. With your sore arm I'd stop as soon as it starts to hurt. Combine that with Alan's suggestion to play quietly to give both your brain and body a chance to recover.

Bob Snope, formerly of the Button Box in Ma. is now in Asheville, NC. He's offering a Morse G/D in Buy and Sell here within your budget.

This is also on facebook concertina for sale about 10 rows (of 3) down. with more information but no named seller.

Reminds me of The Man That Waters The Workers Beer. not quit the same though.

If you need a note chart Nick Robertshaw's layout for a C core box is at at the Concertina Library

For a visual, search Wakker concertinas bellows. Concertina connection also has some info. There was a discussion here a couple years ago but I can't find it at the moment.

I have one duet with Anglo style bellows and one with EC style. The first give a bounce back or nudge upon bellows reversal which I like because it lends momentum to dance tunes and helps with quicker ornamentation. With the other it seems like I must come to a full stop to reverse but that is useful also. I like 'em both. They're just different. Thinking about it.... I play the first in a more closed position and use the push back to start triplets and such and the pull to start new phrases or modulations. With the other I play more stretched out with altogether less bellows changes. sorry I'm posting over you Robin.

Many Anglos, if not most, including the Wren have thumb buttons for air or note pairs. a thumb strap would seem to hinder this feature.

This is a large part of it. Shifting hand position and sliding fingers around is essential to the Jeff duet. The taller buttons on the Wheatstone will tip away from the fingers and then bind to resist the sideways/down vector pressure. Thanx for this insight.

My Jeffries duet has raised ends around the button area. My Wheatstone JD does not. This results in about a 16th of an inch difference in button height above the surface. The Jeffries is easier to play, the Wheatstone stiffer. I recall a discussion here about a builder incorporating nearly flush buttons (Muller?). Perhaps playability has something to do with it.

Yes. probably new pans with trad. reeds/shoes would be best but perhaps the Sherwood although good for the price isn't worthy. I've figured out how to do an excellent JD of 30 buttons or so but I don't want to corrupt a vintage Instrument. I have a beautiful pair of 6" Shakespeare ends (44 buttons) if I could find a donor box to put'em on!

Yah. My interest in this is as an inexpensive box to experiment with converting to a Jeff duet. Your review indicates a robust and pleasing candidate thank you. Erik

After retiring from the railroad I took a local seasonal job at a fish Hatchery. After hauling 20' seine nets through the ponds all day, I happened to open up the closet for some dry clothes and there were those two boxes I'd tucked away years ago. "concertinas!" crashed into "nets@&)%" in my brain. Voila. This anecdote is "very nearly" true....😊