d.elliott

Please don't smear anything onto the valves, you risk contamination of the reedpan, and preventing any new valves from glueing properly. New valves are cheap and simple to replace and this would be my recommendation. However, and if the old valves are newish and are only slightly curled a TEMPORARY fix is to stretch the valve by using a sawing needle to stab the tip of the offending valve and, holding it parallel to the reed pan, stretch it along its length. Some times this works for a while. The problem you have is usually associated with storing the instrument on its end, often in a nice but impractical hexagonal box. Always store the instrument with is axis horizontal. Dave

Sara, Don't mess with it, its a newly made instrument, it should be of merchantable quality and fit for purpose, clearly a ratttling reed is not fit for purpose. Contact the supplier and ask them to arrange replacement, repair or whatever you feel is appropriate. As stated above, watch your warrenty, talk to them first. Dave

Brave Man! Dave

What make or type of concertina, is it an old one or a modern reproduction?

yes its as much a restraint as spring, and the root end is simply spiked into the reed pan as are the action's springs. Tweaking the wire form in situe is not at all easy, its best to form the wire first, and I put a sneaky blob of glue on the spring where it enters the wood, and sometimes where/ if the wire touches the valve back at the very root of the valve Dave

Bass notes are big reeds, big reeds need big vents (slots) to clear the reed tongue, and to permit air flow. Big vents need big valves, its a matter of simple gometry. Big valves are made from thicker leather and are usually cut by the repairer on an as needed basis, some repairers stick two valves together to stiffen them up, but I don't like that approach. I use valve springs as we have already discussed. Part of the spring just about kisses the back of the valve about 1/3 from the root end of the vent. This causes what I can only describe as a 'spine' effect on the valve increasing effective stiffness. The free end of the spring wire limits the degree of opening and the curvature of the valve. You can judge the opening height of the valve by looking at the valve pin positions in the relevent chambers. I have seen these simple devices fitted to big reeded anglos, and duets as well as English baritones and the vary rare double acting English basses. Single acting instruments don't use valves (at least not in that way!) Dave

If you are fitting your valve springs to the non-chamber side of the reed pan then they are indeed valve springs as often fitted to baritones of the English system. If you have the dreaded book (Concertina Maintenance manual) they are illustrated on page 16, if you don't I will try & post the picture for you Dave

Stephen, Bill the conk was a Norman, so that's what he played! Presumably with typically French accordion reeds, just as Normans do today. As to roses, no not Pink PLEASE!!!!, White for our purity of thought. We were prepared to accept the Lancastrians living under our white rose badge, but they had to spoil it and go red, just showy I suppose. Dave E

talk to a piano repairer

No, Cromwell came much later. In the real and still un-resolved Civil War, I thought that our 'old Ironsides' was a Yorkist, or was it a Lancastrian? It was so long ago, I was only a lad .... I do remeber that Henry Tudor was a Taffy, so he played a 'Jones' Whilst Dick III played a Duet with A horse, a horse....... Dave E

I am shocked and saddened at this news, Barry visited Di and I several times for little concertina jobs, and he made me, an indiffernt player by ear, always very welcome at sessions. There is nothing else to say, the passing of a talented and gentle gentleman. Dave E

So, and to bring this all together: 1. riveted reeds were introduced by Edward Chidley say circa 1865. 2. internal serialisation ceases around 1865/66 these two snippets set the lower datal bound 3. Chidley shuffled off this mortal coil in 1899 4. 'recently invented spherical ended keys' occured circa 1885. so the upper bound is likely to be around 1900. Unless there is a known cut off for the riveted reed, which would drop the upper bound then the concertina in question was made somewhere between: 1865 and 1900. can anyone advise when riveted reeds were phased out by Wheatstones? Dave

I have a steel reeded flat indian rosewood ended English Treble to repair, This is evidently a Wheatstone, but with no stamped or penciled serial number inside and its leather baffles have long gone, so there is no number externally either. Another 'twin' instrument is also on its way to me, this has a serial mid 18,000's. Both of these 'twins' have the same fretting but the second concertina has all its labels etc intact. Both have riveted steel reeds, typical of the 18,000 's and the one I am currently dealing with has wooden keys, nickel capped with square or flat tops. This promps the question: when did Wheatsone start to introduce rounded key tops? and will this help me home in on an approximate date or period of manufacture? I can look up the approximate date for the introduction of the riveted reed, circa 1860 from memory. I am hoping that this other feature may narrow things down for me. thanks yet again, Dave E

befote jumping into too much drastic action, the button travel of 1/8", or 3.2 mm is important. Dave P is right about pad thickneses etc., but you need to provide us with one more bit of information. Under each key is a little felt or leather disc called a damper, often there are two or even three dampers fitted per key to ensure that the key height is above the action box cover. How many dampers are fitted per key on your instrument? If there is more than one , then you can drop the action height as Dave P suggests, and keep the key travel by removing some of the dampers to compensate. Dave E

point taken, Dave

contact Mark Davis (on this forum) there are regular concertina meetings in the north area of Sheffield, which is in turn an hour's drive from York Dave E

Good stuff Wes, I wondered if the fretted metal end plates were made for Shakespeare by Mozart Co, if they were organ makers this might be true, but if Shakespeare came from a fret cutting background?? maybe not. Dave

Paul, That would be my first thought too, Mark, is the button for the G/A, or one in that area, standing up higher than the others? Or perhaps the is the pad twisting or sliding on the arm? Dave

Thanks Stephen & Wes, between you I now have a better view of the chronology of the Shakespeare branf, but where does the 'Mozart Co' stamping come in to it? Dave

Hi Steve, There are a few South Yorkists on C Net, and a couple who are bi-concerligual, or ambi-tinerist!. I am not sure if you are the Steve that I am thinking of, but welcome anyway. Dave Elliott

Hi Wes, yes I did get my initial information from your article, and what I have seen on this instrument tends to support the assembler theory rather than that of a full OEM. The metal ends cary the small stamping: 'Mozart Co'; and 'Maker TS' on the rim of the RH end adjacent to where the maker's seal would usually be displayed. The 'T Shakespeare' is ink-stamped inside, on the action side of the pad board. I would be interested to know when TS started manufacture and roughly for how long. Dave

Other than this manufacturer seems to have been active around the turn of the relevant century, in London, and possibly operating as an assembler of bought out parts, rather than a total package manufacturer, I know nothing about this man or his company. Does anyone have any detail to share. Th instrument concerned caries a single number on each main sub assembly of '21' this may be a jig or a serial number. cheers Dave E

Frank, the leather lever arm end: nuts, beads, grommets or whatever they are called cost next to nothing and can beak up anyway on cleaning up. On riveted actions sometimes its just quicker to replace them as a matter of principle. Its probably the easiest of all the tasks in thee box. Dave

acetone is excellent for burning holes in polished surfaces as well Dave E

do you perhaps think that we can substitute wrought, forged, or stamped for cast? Dave E