SteveS

I usually finish ends by French polishing.

A friend of mine (based in Stockholm) has expressed an interest in playing ITM on concertina. I guess she's looking for a C/G instrument. Does anyone have a reasonable quality beginners instrument for sale? In playing condition without too much work required, or even light servicing required. Just wondering what's out there before I present her with some options. Thanks. (Although my friend is based in Stockholm, I'm looking to source a 'tina from anywhere in EU).

Alex - I've had a similar experience - and it takes forever to skive all the leather for a set of bellows. More recently I use the Schärfix 2000 to reduce the edges somewhat, then use a round blade scalpel to get the edges nice and thin.

Thanks all for replies. A friend of mine also suggested Jack Hayward. I'll request quotes. Allianz is proving far too expensive.

Does anyone know who offers musical instrument insurance in UK? I'd like to move away from Allianz.

Thanks Bill I'm tempted to get a set and make myself a couple of reed pans and give them a try in an EC.

I'm intrigued by these reeds. Bill, or anyone else here, do you have any practical experience with these reeds? How do they sound, especially compared to traditional concertina reeds? Do they have a more accordion sound to them perhaps?

Many years ago, before I started playing mostly Nordic music, I played in bands for English folk and then Scottish ceilidh dance. As I recall we'd worked out in advance the sets of tunes to be played with popular dances - we had sufficient sets and variations of tunes to make up a sufficient number of sets to ensure we didn't repeat a set during the course of an evening. I recall we had something like 30 sets, and a maximum of around 90-100 tunes to be played during the course of an evening. We could then select a set to play according to the dance being called (or in the case of Scottish ceilidh dance a caller wasn't usually present so the band announced the dances, the dancers usually being required to know the dances). We worked with callers that would indicate the structure of the tunes to be played for a specific dance, eg 3 tunes of AABB, or 32 bar jigs, in which case the band leader would suggest to the band the set to be played. This selection was always the responsibility of the band leader. Having a knowledge of the figure structure of the dances is useful for the band in helping the selection of the set to be played for the dance - that is, some jigs/reels may not be suitable for some dances. [Recently I've been enjoying the English music sessions I've been going to, and am starting to think about playing the English repertoire again - I must dig out my old tune books since I can remember only a small number of the tunes I used to play having played mostly Nordic music for the last 25+ years!!]

Never use a Dremel - there is little control over the cutting - one slip and the reed may be irreparably damaged - and replacing a reed will cost $$$ Personally I use Swiss-made Vallorbe half-round files of various cuts, depending on the degree of tuning required. I use the round part of the file to tune the reed closest to the clamp, and the flat part of the file to tune the tip. I will always finish tuning a reed using the finest cut file. Vallorbe files are expensive, but are of high quality and will last a lifetime.

This is a good point you make, Alex. I tend to do servicing in this this order: renew pads (and any springs), renew valves, adjust action set, tune reeds

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!!

Here's another polska - Säbb Johns Polska from Vikarbyn, Rättvik, Dalarna. I heard this tune played by a super fiddler for a dance near Rättvik this summer past and knew immediately that I wanted to learn it.

I think we may see it again soon on a dealer's website.

Plus buyers premium at 18% plus VAT. Sold to a telephone bidder.

Thanks Theo - great idea.