david robertson

I have just acquired the New Model I mentioned in this thread. I've always been a fan of the New Model, so I bought it unseen, and was very happy that it turned out to be a tenor in F - that is, all the Bb's are in the inner rows, so you can play in F with normal treble fingering. At present it's languishing about three months down the restoration queue, but if anyone is interested, I could always move it nearer the front...

I wonder why you don't think this is a permanent solution? If I had a quid for every support block I've seen 'adjusted' with little bits of paper, card, felt and chamois leather, I could probably afford to buy a decent Vernier caliper...

Many thanks, Greg - that looks pretty conclusive! I just hope I don't have similar refinishing problems!

That was my first thought, Paul, but I've never seen those triangular cut-outs above the cartouche and at the bottom, and even the early New Models, with an oval cartouche on the right, never had the cross pattern on the left - unless, of course, this is the one that proves me wrong!

Here's an interesting 35-key English on eBay. Looks like a baritone, and the high serial number would argue for Lachenal, but it doesn't look like any Lachenal I've seen before. Anyone got a suggestion?

Before you start pulling out the old chamois seals, it's worth checking that the reedpan support blocks in the bellows frame are still in place and firmly glued. If you can't feel or see any movement of the reedpan, and it feels like a reasonably tight fit, it is unlikely that the seals are the culprits. But if the reedpan is a little loose, it's far better to lift the bellows end seals and stick some thin card under them than to try to replace them. You'll notice that the leather binding of the bellows frame wraps over the chamois seal by 1mm or so. If you replace the chamois, you will also have to rebind the bellows ends to hide the edges of the new chamois. A ruler across the reedpan, by the way, is not an infallible guide!

In response to a couple of enquiries, the range of this instrument is as follows: RH C3 to C6 LH F2 to C5 I should perhaps add that it will be offered for sale when it reaches the front of the restoration queue, unless someone expresses an interest before that, in which case it can be shoved nearer the front.

Be assured that the crossed levers in the Wheatstone Duet under discussion are not the result of a mistake by the people who made it or anything to do with the pivot positions etc. I would impress on anyone coming across such arrangements not to try any changes in an attempt to ‘uncross’ them as the response of the associated reeds will be adversely affected. Be assured, Geoff, that nothing is further from my mind than uncrossing the levers. As I said, I'm pretty sure that Sir Charles' people knew what they were doing - the enquiry was nothing more than idle curiosity on my part!

I have just acquired a big (69k) Maccann Aeola, and looking at the action, I am slightly puzzled. Two pairs of levers on the right hand cross over, and I'm damned if I can see why. The adjacent reed chambers concerned are of a more or less similar size, so it looks like the reeds could easily be swapped over (given a slight re-positioning of the chamber reducers), thus making the crossovers unnecessary. Now I'm pretty sure Mr Wheatstone knew what he was doing, so what am I missing?

The best and simplest method I have found is to fill with Loctite 4105. It's a black, viscous liquid, activated by an aerosol spray. It hardens in seconds, has excellent adhesion, can be easily sanded to a fine finish, and accepts French polish. The downside is the cost - around £1 per ml.

Nice photos indeed, and an interesting page (though full of questionable 'facts'). Unfortunately, the instruments shown all have the usual smaller 4-sided plate for the serial number - but thanks for trying!

I wonder if anyone has seen an Aeola with plaques like these - identical in shape and size on both ends of the instrument? Actually, when I acquired it, the serial number plaque was conspicuous by its absence, but the hole where it used to be provides a valuable clue, so I cut a new one from nickel-silver sheet. Of course, since I've never seen one like it, I'm not at all sure whether it should have any form of decoration apart from the number, so any info would be gratefully received.

On the contrary, "kerning" is still used to denote the horizontal spacing between characters, as is "leading", which refers to the spacing between lines. Both derive from the days of cast metal typesetting. The trouble is that fewer and fewer people now understand the craft of making type look beautiful.

Is it just my old eyes, or does anyone else think that the upper left quarter of the fretwork looks a bit random? Compare it with the flowing pattern on the right. Looks to me like a not very good repair. But if wood, why no edge mouldings? Here's my guess: the original ends got broken,and perhaps the pieces of that quarter were lost. Someone then made new ends, but without a complete pattern to work from, resorted to imagination. Sorry, more questions than answers. But one thing is pretty sure: without more information, it would be a brave buyer who would be prepared to pay the asking price, which is rather more than one would expect to pay for an Aeola without all these questions attached.

I imagine Geoff may have amended a chart from a "normal" 65k layout, and perhaps forgotten to amend that dimension. It is, in fact, 7.5" across the flats, presumably because the reeds are smaller than they would be in the conventional tuning.

I have now added details of the range and a few pictures of the innards to my eBay listing, but for the sake of complete clarity, the layout is precisely as Geoff's diagram above - thank you, Geoff!

I have now added details of the range and a few pictures of the innards to my eBay listing, but for complete clarity,the layout is precisely as Geoff's diagram above - than you Geoff!

Sorry, Robert - as a matter of fact, this one did find a new home in the USA a couple of months ago. I just haven't got round to the housekeeping on the website. Your point, however, is well made. In fact, Sallyann and I have already had some correspondence along similar lines, before she listed the instrument on c.net. I did suggest a more realistic asking price, but I guess optimism is an admirable quality...

Several years ago I restored a single-action Wheatstone extended treble, which was in almost as-new condition, apart from the hideous home-made ends. My theory is that the original owner played it twice, then hurled it out of the window.

My tubes are suspended in a cradle just like yours. I glue a square bit of MDF with the corners rounded off into each end of the tube, drill a hole at the centre of each end, and stick a length of dowel through.

Having built something similar a few years ago, it dawned on me that, because of geometry, it is completely unnecessary to have a hexagonal shape - and something of a disadvantage if you're building bellows for an Aeola or Edeophone! All you really need is a cylinder of the correct diameter. (I now have a fine collection of aluminium tubes, plastic drainage pipes and even cardboard postal tubes!)

The only Aeolian Restorations I can find on the net seems to be a restorer and tuner of grand pianos. Can't guarantee it's the same outfit, but it is in Galashiels, next door to Earlston where the concertina lives. As for the description (and I speak as an ex advertising copywriter) it does seem to have the reek of adman's sweat about it...

Just in case anyone should be tempted, there's what is described as a tenor/treble Aeola currently being offered on Gumtree at £1800. It's actually a baritone/treble, and was sold on eBay a couple of weeks back for £2550. I have reported the scam.

Good to hear the Wheatstone in action, Dick - and what a lovely combination with the pipes!

Now gone to a new home in the USA. The usual donation has been made to C.net.