Daniel Hersh
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Posts posted by Daniel Hersh
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I believe that all or most Hohner-branded concertinas have been manufactured outside of Germany. I think the older ones were made in Italy by Bastari/Stagi/Brunner and are typical of concertinas by that manufacturer: potentially decent low-end instruments, but with some quality control problems. I believe that more recent ones (D-40 model) were made in China to a lower standard than that.
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Greg Jowaisas (a very good concertina repairer who lives in the US) might have a 48 button vintage English that meets your criteria. He's a member here at c.net, so you can try to contact him via private message here. If that doesn't work I may be able to find his current email address for you.
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Item listing is at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334259532552 . I have no association with the sale!
Here's what it looks like:
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2 hours ago, John Wild said:
Will viewing of the video concert be restricted to the day?
It will be viewable after that day too.
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The International Concertina Association's World Concertina Day (February 6, 2022 - less than two months away) is looking good!
We'll have an all-star video concert available for viewing starting on that day, including new performances from Rob Harbron, Jody Kruskal, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, Caitlin nic Gabhann, Paul McCann and many others. Local events on or near that day have been confirmed for Berkeley in California and for Hampshire, Sussex and Bedford in England, as well as a museum display in Somerset, England. Players in the eastern half of the US and Canada are putting together a compilation of video performances. Two US players (Randy Stein on English and Janet Dows on Anglo) are planning concert performances. You can get more information about any of these by contacting us at wcd@concertina.org.
More events are being discussed but have not yet been confirmed. If you're not involved in any of these, consider putting on one of your own! There's a list of possibilities on our World Concertina Day web page.
And World Concertina Day merchandise (T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and more!) is now available for purchase from sites for the UK/EU and the USA and Canada. Check it out!
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Since this is a modern instrument from an active manufacturer, I would suggest that you check in with Concertina Connection if you haven't already done that.
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1 hour ago, Takayuki YAGI said:
Just found on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/255249942276
8 inches across the flats is very large. So at the first look I think this is a baritone but I do not know the typical size of baritone instrument.
Is there any possibility that this is a bass or twin-reeded ?
I was wondering about that too.
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There is a system, developed by Paddy Murphy and refined and popularized by Noel Hill, that is popular among at least some players of Irish tunes on the C/G Anglo. There's a description of it at https://concertutor.wordpress.com/simple-and-more-advanced-cross-rowing/playing-across-the-rows-a-la-noel-hill/ and another description at https://thesession.org/discussions/16611 .
There's also a good discussion of the pros and cons of that approach here:
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On 11/14/2021 at 4:16 PM, Takayuki YAGI said:
I noticed that Flying Duck Concertinas now introduce new "Dabbler" concertinas.
Thanks! I have added it to the Student/Basic section.
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And now another one of these has turned up on US eBay (at a ridiculously high price) at https://www.ebay.com/itm/265370735719 . This one is grey rather than green and has a brand and country name: "Brevettata" and "Made In Italy". I looked up Brevettata and the name seems mainly associated with starter pistols (they don't fire real bullets). That's all I know...
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5 hours ago, Ethan Ham said:
This seems to be the maker’s concertina-focused site: http://www.concertinagk.com
7 hours ago, Takayuki YAGI said:Thanks, Ethan and Taka - I hadn't known about this one. Looks like the maker's name may be Kevin Garnier. I will add him to the list.
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41 minutes ago, melas0nos said:
Hmm. I do like the look of that Lachenal. However, my end goal is to be able to play classical like Bach. You guys ...damnit now I'm considering it again. I might try to go to a music shop in Northern CA and try one before commiting. I just live in the middle of no where so it would be a trek.
I do have a cheap Bayan on it's way. Maybe I'll have an idea if I like the squeezy squeezy stuff after I give it a go at least
If you want to play classical music, you might consider an English or possibly a duet concertina rather than an Anglo. You can get a much better vintage concertina for the price if you stay away from Anglos.
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Recently added: Maccann player Herbert Green (aka Bert Greene) at the end of the Vintage section, and three great recordings by Crane player and c.net member Geoff Lakeman at the end of the Contemporary Recordings: Crane Duet section. Check them out at http://www.concertinas.org.uk/DuetAudio.htm .
Daniel
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10 hours ago, JackJ said:
Hello!
I'm seeking a copy of the "Anglo International" CD that was produced by several members here some years back. I'm guessing that new copies are long gone, but hoping someone might have an older copy that they'd be willing to part with. Please PM me if you've got one you could sell to me. Thanks!
Jack
It's available for purchase on Amazon UK at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anglo-International-Concertina-playing-around/dp/B000FILMN6/ .
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10 hours ago, LazyNetter said:
And nowadays, depends on my research, the number of manufacturers are no more than that. What I've found are: Blazefine(also Trinity College/Scarlatti) in East China, Yuewei(seems they use to made concertinas for Hohner) in North China, and Firston in South China. All of these factories are located in traditional chromatic accordion producing area.
The Music China Expo, an international musical instrument fair will hold in Shanghai in Oct as usual. I'll go and see if I can find something else about concertinas this year.
By the way, it's maybe not well-know in the west, there is a accordion maker in Beijing invented his own-styled concertina called "WF System," which is depends on the 20 keys CG instrument with a original C-row generally and rearranged the G-row to the sharp and flat notes to the C-row notes. I'd like to call it a "Sino Concertina." In the attached image, chart on the top represents the right hand side, and below is the left hand side.
Is that a similar set-up to a B/C button accordion, as played in Ireland? Irish-style button accordions have two rows tuned a half-tone apart (I think the two rows are most often in B and C, or C# and D) There has occasionally been discussion here about setting up a concertina that way but I don't know if any manufacturer has previously done it.
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10 hours ago, LazyNetter said:
And nowadays, depends on my research, the number of manufacturers are no more than that. What I've found are: Blazefine(also Trinity College/Scarlatti) in East China, Yuewei(seems they use to made concertinas for Hohner) in North China, and Firston in South China. All of these factories are located in traditional chromatic accordion producing area.
The Music China Expo, an international musical instrument fair will hold in Shanghai in Oct as usual. I'll go and see if I can find something else about concertinas this year.
I think it's possible that the Concertina Connection Jack/Jackie/Rochelle/Elise concertinas are made in a fourth factory in China, but I don't know for sure. Please post a report here if you learn anything more at the Music China Expo.
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9 hours ago, gtotani said:
I really want to believe that China-made McNeela instruments are adjusted in Ireland before being shipped worldwide.
But let me tell you what's happened last year.A batch of instrument which a shop imported last year from McNeela had some reeds beewaxed otherway round. The shop claimed, and all McNeela sent back an email with instruction how to fix it, without any apology.
Could it happen if they were adjusted in Ireland?
This is one reason I cannot trust and recommend McNeela brand concertina.
Well, I would say it is not a bad experience to remove the beeswas, turn over the reedblock and rewax it again airtight. There is no doubt that it is good to know how to maitain and take care of your own instrument.
TotaniThanks - it's good to know about that, though I'm sorry that it happened.
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1 hour ago, seanc said:
Maybe not ALL are made in the same factory.. but looking a at the jack and sparrow. Sure leads one to speculate..
there may be hundreds of factories in China pumping out concertinas.. doubtful but, possible.
but either way, if they are made in China, it may be possible for someone in China to contact the factory, or maybe source locally.
I was told by a reliable source in 2009 that there were four factories in China making concertinas at that time.
If someone wants to buy a Chinese-made concertina from a Chinese source, this web page in China might be helpful: https://www.alibaba.com/products/concertina/CID100005383.html?spm=a2700.7724838.galleryFilter.3.60124047DRBrrJ&IndexArea=product_en . Most of the instruments listed there can only be purchased in quantities of 5 to 100, but there are a couple that seem to be available for purchase one at a time. However, I wouldn't vouch for the quality of any of these and I would not assume that they would be as good as a Concertina Connection or McNeela instrument, even if they appear similar from the outside.
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On 8/28/2021 at 2:22 PM, gcoover said:
With all the recent posts about bass concertina, I just now remembered this recording from mumble-something years ago featuring the wonderfully unlikely combination of double-action bass concertina and concert harp:
https://soundcloud.com/user-906796422-441231868/king-of-the-fairies
Gary--
I like it! Is that a bass English? If so, I didn't know (or had forgotten) that you played English in addition to Anglo and Jeffries Duet.
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6 hours ago, seanc said:
As the concertina connection jack/ Rochelle/ Elise, and I suspect the mcneela models, all come from the same factory in China, maybe you could track one down that way?
I don't think the McNeela models come from the same factory as the Concertina Connection Jack/ Rochelle/ Elise models. I also think that the McNeela Chinese-made ones may be adjusted in Ireland after they arrive from China.
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It's at https://www.ebay.ca/itm/313653023128?hash=item49072d5198 . Here are the bellows:
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On 8/17/2021 at 11:09 PM, Stephen Chambers said:
Actually, over the years, there were other models/variations made that aren't in any Price List, either for sale by dealers or as special orders, and even some of the catalogue models could do with some explanation:
- Mahogany ends, simple spindle-cut frets, steel end-bolts, brass reeds.
- Mahogany ends, simple spindle-cut frets, steel end-bolts, steel reeds.
- Mahogany ends, full spindle-cut frets, brass end-bolts, steel reeds, usually made for dealers.
- Rosewood veneered ends, simple spindle-cut frets, steel bolts, steel reeds.
- Same as #2 but with to-the-edge metal ends.
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Same as #3 but with to-the-edge metal ends.
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Newly Improved, rosewood veneered ends, hand-cut full fretwork, brass end-bolts, steel reeds. (Also available in 5 1/8" "miniature" format.)
- Same as #7 but with to-the-edge metal ends.
- Same as #7 but with ebonised ends, nickel bolts.
- Same as #9 but with metal buttons.
- Same as #9 but with inset metal ends.
- Same as #11 but with metal buttons.
- Special Anglo Model, Lachenal's Jeffries/Crabb style model, with parallel reed chambers.
- New Model, same as #12 but with raised ends and long-scale reeds.
- Edeophone.
Stephen--
This is very informative! A question: I have heard people say that #11 (Newly Improved with inset metal ends) are better concertinas than your #8 (Newly Improved with to-the-edge metal ends). Have you found that to be the case? I realize that Lachenal reed quality can vary quite a bit even within each model.
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7 hours ago, Don Taylor said:
I think that we are all concerned that someone unknown to the community who claims to be an expert repairman for concertinas and who hails from Wisconsin is actually an expert repairman for Chemnitzer concertinas which are quite different from English manufactured vintage concertinas .
Chemnitzer reeds are accordion reeds and are tuned with a scratcher or a dremel tool type grinder whereas vintage concertinas are tuned using a fine file.
Chemnitzer concertinas (like our smaller concertinas) are sometimes made with accordion-type reeds. But many Chemnitzers use long-plate German-style reeds which are another type of reed. I don't know what the standard technique is for tuning long-plate reeds.
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Edited to add the Duckling in the Student/Basic category.
When did the production of Anglo Concertinas start in Italy?
in Concertina History
Posted
Well...an article about Marcello Bastari by Oliver Heatwole in the Aug.-Sept. 1983 issue of Mugwumps magazine said, "Some wholesalers wanted large quantities of concertinas, but there was no Italian firm able to make them, there then being in Italy one company (now long out of business) that made concertinas, but only in small numbers. Dr. Bastari started his own company, in 1949, with an initial order of 100 concertinas. Success was immediate and growth followed. This was the beginning of Italian predominance in manufacturing German type concertinas."
If that is accurate, then I think one can assume that they were in made in Italy before 1949 by that mysterious "one company (now long out of business)". I have wondered if that company might have been Frontalini, but I doubt we will ever know for sure, and I also doubt that we'll know when that company started making concertinas, or whether there was another Italian maker before 1949..