Anglogeezer

Check out this recent thread:- "Three Old C/g 20 Keys For Sale--need Repair" regards Jake Oh - dear me. I see they've all gone!!! Better luck jake

Erinoid was a plastic made in the first half of the last century. See here for example - ERINOID regards Jake

Kletzmer isn't my particular interest but -- Do the links on this site lead you anywhere useful?? Kleztmer regards Jake

Helen, welcome to the concertina community. There is the "West Country Concertina Players" at WCCP about which I know nothing!! but it may prove useful to you. Otherwise, ask away. regards Jake

Congratulations to Concertina.net and those that work soo hard to keep it running smoothly. I notice that we are now up to 2,002 registered members and growing.!! Shall we have a party?? Happy squeezing from an Anglo Geezer. Jake

Also in the UK for bellows there is MARCUS Music.. As for something to treat leather with, I don't think you can find anything better than MINK Oil ( First trap your mink .. then borrow your granny's mangle !!) Seriously, available in the UK from Leprovo. Absorbs well, leaving no residue or discolouration especially the paste which is white. Jake

Surfing the web, as I do from time to time, I came across this recently published concertina patent. One Way Airflow I dare say it's been tried before, is this likely to find favour with the world's squeezers?? Forgive me if this has already been discussed, a quick search showed nothing. Jake

I am on the mailing list of the Music Room, Clekheaton, West Yorks. England. To celebrate the opening of their new shop they are holding 9 days of musical events from 23rd September to 01st October. Amongst the usual guitar, fiddle and bodhran workshops there are some concertina related happenings. 26th & 28th Sept. 10 till 2. Gill Noppen-Spacie will advise on all aspects of concertina playing. 29th Sept. 6 pm. A beginers session for English concertina with Chantal Noppen. (Bring your own!!) 30th Sept. 11 till 3. Concertina surgery with Dave Elliot. - restoration & repair 30th Sept. 10.30. English concertina workshop with Chantal Noppen. - use of harmonies to enhance a tune. 30th Sept. Marcus Concertinas to demonstrate. The Music Room is here - Music Room sadly their link onward to the days events is not working at the moment. regards Jake

I have in mind some changes to the way a concertina is constructed and would like to produce some decent scale drawings. My Engineering Drawing skills would be equal to the task IF I had all that old fashioned equipment!! So, what advice can anyone offer about a suitable (Freeware?) program that is easy/intuitive for a beginner to Computer Aided Design to use? "What changes?" I hear you clamour, as you hug your darling concertinas ever closer! Well, like every other mad scientist the world has known, my ideas must for the moment remain a closely guarded secret! If I can get some proper drawings done and it looks as if my ideas will work, you'll be the first to hear about it, I promise. regards Jake

Still keeping my ears open for suitable tunes, how about "Boulavogue" regards Jake

Alan, Two more tunes come to mind, the Irish song "The Parting Glass" and the carol "See, Amid the Winter's Snow". Regarding my previous suggestions, you are obviously familiar with "Planxty Irwin". The dots to "Now Westlin' Winds" (which is trad' Irish) can be found here :- Matt Seattle and the song can be heard here :- "Tradition Bearers" I think your poem makes a grand song and for the moment my favoured tune is Westlin Winds, belonging as it does to a Burns love song which reflects somewhat the theme of your poem and is familiar to audiences. Planxty Irwin runs a close second this being used for another song I sing, "The Wild Geese" by Mal Waite. Alan wrote :- Did you accompany it by Concertina or Guitar or sing unaccompanied ? I sang it unaccompanied, I'm a singer first, musician second. There's enough to do remembering tune and words without worrying about fingers as well!! Keep writing. regards Jake

If you say what part of the world you're living in it always helps!!. You might find you're close to someone who can give some tuition or there may be sessions with concertina players. Jake

******************* For the "Pugwash" theme look for the "Trumpet Hornpipe" on this site or here JC's tunefinder regards Jake

I've sent a private message to Alan on this but to others of you interested in this song I did sing it last night at our weekly session and it went down very well. I explained how I came by the song and used the tune "Westlin Winds", everyone (12) said what a good song they thought it was. I then sang one verse using "Planxty Irwin" and the general view was that "WW" was the better choice with only 2 prefering "PI". There may well of course be other better tunes so I shan't stop looking. For those intereste in the truth of the song I have so far discovered the following:- "Odin Bay A wide bay on the east coast of the island of Stronsay in the Orkney Islands, Odin Bay extends from Burgh Head at its southern extreme to the headland of Odness. Within the bay lies the Vat of Kirbuster, a dramatic opening or gloup spanned by the finest natural arch in Orkney." A wild and raggedly rugged part of the world especially in the depths of a stormy winter. regards Jake

The poem by Burns starts: "Now westlin winds and slaughtering guns Bring autumn's pleasant weather The moorcock springs on whirring wings Among the blooming heather" I believe I have heard it sung by Dick Gaughan, amongst others regards Jake

Grand poem Alan. The first tune I thought of was Carolan's "Planxty Irwin" and the second was "Westlin' Winds" the tune associated with Robbie Burns poem. I'm out at a session tonight (1 st Aug) if I feel confident I might try Westlin' Winds! regards Jake

In the beginning I suggest the straps should be firm/snug - to give support - without being so tight as to result in discomfort. You may find that additional holes are necessary in between existing holes. Don't try to practice for too long at the present, allow the muscles of your hands and arms to become accustomed to what is at present unfamiliar exercise!! You've only been going 4 days!! My thumbs are firm-ish over the top of the straps without being clamp like, as I have progressed I have made the straps looser. I dislike narrow straps as sometimes found on entry level 'tinas and favour those that are wider over the back of the hand. I sit on a firm chair with the anglo on my knee and my music where I can see it without craning or twisting my kneck. Thats all that occurs to me of the top of my head!! regards Jake

Sorry! I've been going over old ground here. This collection has already been signposted by "Aquarussell" on Dec 23 2005 and "Groeswenphil on Mar 21 2006" It's not that I don't pay attention, I've been busy!! Jake

I see from an article in yesterdays Daily Telegraph (a British newspaper) that the UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA has an extensive collection of wax cylinders which thay have digitised and made available online. The collection is wide ranging and includes 9 of Alexander Prince from 1900/1913 see :- UCSB Cylinder Digitization Project this is a search page, just pop "concertina " in and Hey Presto!! Jake

******************************* For your interest go here - "Internet Archive, Concertina Record" Scroll down a bit until you come to the message that contains links to seven classical downloads, including the 1st, 2nd & 3rd movements to the 4th Brandenburg Concerto. On concertinas!! Sorry, don't know of any dots. regards Jake

************** Written and recorded in 1928? by Jimmy Rogers. If you join a Country Music news group and ask there they may be in a better position to help. Also, it so happens that that very track was played by Bob Harris on his Radio 2 Country show, last Thursday 6 th April. If you go to the BBC website you can listen to the programme again. try here : Bob Harris Country regards Jake

I don't recognise this delightful tune. So far as the "Butchers of Bristol" goes "The Fiddlers Companion" site at www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/BUT_BYR.htm indicates the following equivalent titles - "BUTCHERS OF BRISTOL [1], THE. AKA and see “Bliven’s Favorite,” "Bobbing for Eels," "The Bottle of Punch," "By your leave, Larry Grogan," "Coppers and Brass [2]," “The County Limerick Buckhunt," "Finerty's Frolic," "Fishing for Eels," “Green Sleeves [3],” "Groom," "Hartigan's Fancy," “The Humors of Ennistymon [1],” "The Humours of Miltown [2],” "Ioc an Reicneail,” "Jackson's Bottle/Jug of Punch/Brandy," “The Jug of Punch [5],” "Larry Grogan('s) [1]," "The Lasses of Melrose," “Lasses of Melross,” "Little Fanny's Fancy," "Lynn's Favourite," "Lynny's Favourite," "The Old Man's Jig," "Pay the Reckoning," "Pingneacha Rua agus Pras," “Queen of the Rushes,” "The Waves of Tramore," “Willie Clancy’s.” BUTCHERS OF BRISTOL [2], THE. AKA and see “Bealltaine,” “Five Miles from Town [2],” “Geary’s Hornpipe,” “Mullingar Races [2],” “Raven Through the Bog,” “Rover through the Bogs,” “Taylor's (Hornpipe).” Irish, Hornpipe. That gives you rather a lot to check out!!! Jake

I notice there is a 30b, C/G, metal ended Marcus anglo advertised in the newsgroup "uk.music.folk". Nothing to do with me, I just keep my eyes open and my ears to the ground! Might be just what someones looking for. Jake

Hi, Lyndall. Yes I see the problem clearly now. A picture shows more than a thousand words!! All your buttons seem to be set further to the front of the concertina which seems to be the way Stagi make that model, see http://www.hobgoblin.com/itempics/gr4708.jpg - for example. Other concertinas seem to have the first row of buttons closer to a line drawn between the two fixing screws. So - how to move the support? Most concertinas I have looked inside have had metal ends and the wooden support is fitted thru the end plate by two square posts that are fixed to the reed pan by screws. This then takes the strain of the pushing and pulling. If this is the case with yours then, you could make new holes for the posts as required but the problem may be - is there space on the reed pan for them to locate?? I assume from the position of the buttons that the valve levers reach back towards the centre? Have you got enough room where the valves operate to re-locate the posts and then screw them thru from the opposite side?? - without interfering with the valves?? If there are NO posts and the support is screwed directly thru the end plate then that is simpler. Just relocate where you need to. However because you say it would be over the existing fretwork that will result a reduction of strength with regard to the pushing and pulling that goes on andI would install a batten behind the support and screw thru that. You may of course be left with marks in the lacquer after moving the support. How about making completely new end plates?? The answer to all these imponderables will only be found if you follow Henk's advice and have a look inside. His link to opening a concertina is very useful. Jake R

Have a look here http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/tmp/Tune084816.pdf regards Jake