Mike Pierceall

Thanks everyone for the comments. Best wishes for the New Year.

My video with a new arrangement and why I love the tenor-treble. It's here:

Mart, your rendition of this popular tune inspired me to try one of my own, mind you I only had a day to put it together and I shot and recorded it on a Canon Elph! I wrote a different arrangement for reed organ a few years back, but I think jazz is well suited to the concertina. Thanks for the inspiration. It is here: Edited to add a second link.

Wonderful story and "arrangement." Happy Holidays, Greg. Mike

The $930 bid was never really in play because an earlier bid was higher, followed by a bid of $1200 about 5 1/2 hours before the auction ended. Last minute jump of $25 cinched it for the successful buyer. I don't really know much about the late model Wheatstones. Do they still have chambered reed pans?

Personally, I'd mount those ends in a picture frame, and make new ones. If it were a top-end model or had some particular historical connection, I might think differently. So much of the original material is lost.

Close-up photos are available if you click on Lyn's member page and then click on "Topics."

I use fish glue, which has nearly, but not completely, replaced my use of hot hide glue. I have just started using fish glue (Lee Valley High Tack fish glue) based on your above recommendation and it really is easy to use and sticks very well. What applications do you still find a use for hide glue? I have been using 'Old Brown Glue', which is a relatively easy to use hide glue, for glueing wood parts together but I would rather use fish glue for everything else. I use hot hide glue for wood-to-wood applications because there is a long history and tradition of using it for musical instruments, and for good reason. I use fish glue for cloth or leather to wood applications.

I used a wool/polyester blend, but I don't recall the ratio. I was looking for a dense weave so it was more by feel.

Brilliant!

It is Here:

As far as I know these Boyd Lachenal's are New Models with personalised Fretwork. The stories of Harry Boyd being such a good customer he could demand that his ordered instruments be made by the best workers are probably true. I have worked on several Boyd Lachenals and they all had good reeds and a very bright tone. Worth more than a ordinary metal ended New Model ?? Geoff, years ago I read that Boyd Lachenals had shallow reed pans, which, produced a very loud instrument. I've never played or worked on one. I can't attest to this. Was there anything different about the internal construction of the Boyds that you worked on?

£1500 would seem like a bargain between friends, but not so much after premiums, taxes, surcharges, shipping, and restoration. Mike

Rod, possibly, but the minimal fretwork design of the ends is far more significant in attenuating the sound than anything the cloth could affect. The red cloth makes the fretwork stand out like the grill cloth on reed organs.

The red grill cloth is cosmetic. It is glued to stand-offs so I don't think it would be of much use in filtering the air or keeping out insects. I've seen it on other Lachenals installed in the same manner. It was on the instrument when I got it so I left it in place.

Greg, thank you for the comment on my video. My 2 New Models cost less together than 1 Aeola TT at the going rate. The TT I am playing in the video is one of those Lachenals. I expected that they would require time and effort to sort out, but I thought the potential was there. I'd feel the same about a Wheatstone Aeola if the price was right.

This is one of a pair of transcriptions I wrote from the Viol da Gamba tablature and arranged, in this case, for my Lachenal New Model Tenor-treble instrument. This instrument after repairs has proven to be fast and responsive with a mellow, yet sweet tone, and a quiet action. The video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19iBbEl5bqw

Greg, thanks for the reminder. An ounce of prevention, as they say...

I wasn't aware the price difference was so vast US vs UK. A new Geordie is currently available at the Button Box for $2950, about £1940.

Practice is not only mentally challenging; it is also physically challenging. I divided my practice time into a morning and an evening session and gave myself a light day to give myself a break.

It is by no means a proven fact, but I think it can be assumed that an extra effort was placed in the manufacture of the instrument in question. In looking at the reeds, I only noticed some surface rust. The gamble for me is always concern over how much the reeds have been tinkered with. Everything else is serviceable including restoring the ends.

Wrist straps were used on my Tenor-treble and my Baritone-treble but I often did not use them because they were restricting when I played chords in the lower range. Just to clarify, I used the straps when the music permitted, but there were some chord configurations that were not possible when constrained by the straps. They did offer additional leverage when drawing open the bellows. I never used them for supporting the weight of the instrument. I eventually removed them from the TT because they were in the way in my opinion. I might have a different opinion if I were playing while standing, but that's never happened.

Wrist straps were used on my Tenor-treble and my Baritone-treble but I often did not use them because they were restricting when I played chords in the lower range.

I've never heard of a PVA-free requirement for metal-ended concertinas, but then again I've never owned one of those. PVA is used in case construction, various aspects of bellows construction and various repairs. I've used it mainly for case construction and thumbstraps, but I use fish glue for attaching valves.

Starch-based paste is my choice over PVA for linings but it may not work with all materials. I prefer using organic adhesives although I do use wood glue (PVA) for the case construction.