Hooves

Well I'm sure it will lead to the discovery of many more rare concertinas, including the Enotstaehw, the Lanehcal, and those rare birds by the famous Senoj. But I'll keep my eye out for a Wordet or a Reppid.

sounds like you found your workable solution, thats always good. I think those microvox mics are bit over priced and have considered wiring up my own electret mics (the capsules range from 50 cents to about 10 dollars each, depending on specs, manufacturer, etc). I also have an untested idea for an extreme conditions concertina miking system: Imagine a curved plexiglas semi-circle, big enough to reach around both sides of your hands, probably about 2' diameter (or imagine a trapezoidal, octagonal shape that approximates a semi circle \__/ ). The heigth would need to be about 1-2' and it would be atatched to a mic or music stand so that you and your concertina are enclosed from the front. I suppose you could run it all the way to the floor too, but thats kind of bulky and alot to carry. On either the front or mounted on each side facing your tina would be a PZM (pressure zone microphone) - these are designed to lie flat on a surface which acts as part of the microphone. The area normally has to be a square meter or more, but at 1.5 x 2' you would be very close to 1 meter surface area. The idea is that the sound from the concertina would reflect within the circular plexiglass area and be picked up by the PZM (either a central one in front, or 1 on each side). Think of it as a "Concertina Sneeze Guard" - it would help isolate from other on stage noise and wind, and allow an even pick up of both sides of the box. a side benefit is it would also help protect your concertina from rotten tomatoes and other produce hurled at the stage (maybe thats just my problem?). Though I have often thought just placing a single PZM on the floor under neath the concertina in front of your chair would work in a solo situation, I have not tried it.

Did early tinas actaully use the parallel arrangement? I thought that was somethign Jeffries came up with and used later in concertina construction, seems like they are just guessing at the age (they claim its over 125 years old). If the fretwork was a bit different I might have guessed Jones.

looks good. It will be nice to see it with the papers on.

Like anything in manufacturing, the first "one off" is the most expensive , in terms of research. With examples of the product already around, I don't see it costing more - equal to the price of a 48K English, that I can see. Yes, you will have to do some re-thinkign and make new templates, design and bend your action to fit the new shape, but is that really such a big deal? If you know how to make action for an English, making it for a Duet should be no more challanging. and once you have the blueprint, its just another box. Lachenal, with less technology than we have, was able to do it... and BTW, if you send the Chinese blueprints they can make anything: theres no reason why Chinese manufacturers couldn't make concertinas the way Western builders make them, they would just have to charge more than for thier regular stock. I believe the Rochelles were contracted out, could happen for Duets as well, if ever there were enough people interested.

Thanks for the information, I have never actaully thought how many Wheatstone Cranes were made, I suppose this means findign one and being able to afford to buy it will be difficult, witha total count less than 400.

Stephen, Ah, well! So much for buying strategy! If I (or someone else) had bid the higher starting price last time round, when there were no other bidders, I (he/she) would have got it cheaper ... I'd better get around to selling my Bandoneon, wife, soul, what have you, to have the ready cash for the next one that comes around! Cheers, John and there WILL be more - especially when the builders start to see there really is an active market for Crane style duets.

Yes, it is. As an enthusiastic amateur taking a stab at 4 sysems (over a period of about 3 years) Crane comes out on top, no question. But I still like my MacCaan, if ever I get hold of a Hayden, I may like it more, but till then hand me that Crane!

Airlines everywhere are upping total fees by charging for just about everything: apparently even the tiny bag of peanuts will cost you extra, I wonder how much using the bathroom will cost in the future? Fresh air anybody? Not to be doom and gloom, but its the end of an era. Which is a good thing, because you need an ending for a new begining. When SUVs first started rolling out I said "They're building dinosaurs", and like so many things so easly explained by evolution, my little Honda civic is like a small furry critter at the dawn of the ice age.

Thats about as much as I paid for my Crane Lachenal, fully restored, but mine doesn't have metal buttons. Fortunately I got my box from the UK before the gas hike. I say if you want a restored Crane/Trimuph duet that's probably not that bad a price, 5 years from now that will probably sound like a steal. A few months ago a woman on these threads was seeking out a 48K Crane, she found one at what I considered a great price from another Cnet member.

nice, I used to live in Santa Cruz many years ago, great area to be in. I lived right at the border of Capitola and Santa Cruz, 41st avenue was just down Portola ave where I lived. I think my concern about sitting on the wharf would be accidently dropping it into the water, I lost a pair of shoes that way, leaning over the railing with them in my hands. Seems like mixed responses on the rust, it would be nice to have a definitive answer with some examples to back it up. The concertina on the ship: do we know how often it was played, it may have had many voyages snug in its box. I'm going to guess it really depends on where you are, and how much exposure the tina gets. Would a humid apartment or pub also be conductive to corrosion?

Hooves, It's precisely this kind of remark that sends me surfing through Crane duet websites, used-dealers' homepages, button layouts and even the Salvation Army internert presence. And makes me realise that the Anglo is too tied to a few keys, and I need more. And that, with only an Anglo and a Bandoneon to call my own, I'm missing out on polyphonic capability. (And apart from that, what are two free-reed instruments? I've got 4 banjos of 2 different types, and 5 different autoharps. Got to redress the balance somehow ... ) In short, remarks like this exacerbate all the familiar symptoms of the addiction ... Cheers, John Mine cost a small fortune, but its wonderful, honestly I don't see why they don't make more. I did not mean to de-rail this thread! ranting about my beutifully restored, charming and endearing, flexible, playable, remarkable and utterly marvelous Crane duet. Note: I only have a Lachenal - perchance to dream - oh ye concertina gods, to ponder the Flight of the Valkyries, my hooves bedecked in winged sandals, Icarus with forlorn and frantic digits plumetting below, Freja, naked angel of the north, your enchantment draws me nearer.

If you have been playing anglo you may find it difficult (at first) to get out of the push-pull habit for each note, but there are many players who play more than one system quite well. The english has some interesting and logical symmetry, I myself couldn't get the swing of alternating scales back and forth from side to side, others thrive on it and make some great music. as for me I am continuing my learning of "Chariots of Fire" on my Crane (which I recommend for anglo refugees), hoping to play it with my friend a conga player at an upcoming company BBQ, though we lost our fiddler so now I have to come up with a third player.

So you have decided on a system? Sounds like you'r going for the anglo, I suggest you give Mr. Tedrow a call and put in an order one of his Zephyr boxes. Of course I'm still waiting for that Tedrow-Crane duet, a fine box it will be.

I have seen/heard some great 12" bodhrans with deep bodies, I'm guessing 6", these drums have a great tone, and are tuneable. I tried to find some tuneable 12" bodhrans like the ones I had seen, and I did find some, they were a bit pricey ( but cheap compared to a tina...), unfortunately i don't have that link handy. Recently I saw a local Irish band using one of these smaller deep bodhrans. One of the players in Lunasa also had one of these smaller bodhrans last I saw them play.

Hm! that's just over 500 Euros! If my overdraught had been that much smaller than it is, I think I'd have gone for it. Ever since I discovered that the Salvation Army concertina that I heard as a child must have been a Crane, I've been on the lookout for one. The small size and range wouldn't have bothered me that much - I'm only a folkie, and probably too old to ever learn to exploit a duet in all keys. Cheers, John I was looking over the photos, you can clearly see where an additional note could have been added to the bass side, I would have added a C# to allow for a full octave of D on the low end. I have a 48K, but if I didn't, I'm sure I would have bid on it.

[/indent]Can any of our UK friends involved in traditional dancing give me any information on this issue and also pictures of sword and/or stick dancing for the article? [/indent] I have no UK friends, but I have seen Morris dancers at celtic festivals: I agree, the "sword" ain't much of a sword... Imagine when they finally outlaw carpenters and mechanics with thier screwdrivers, chisels, and awls. (lets get those nerds too, with the pocket protector full of potentialy lethal projectiles).

I found on Concertina.net a discussion I believe of this very box: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php...9&hl=harley However at first glance it reminded me of the early duet pictured on concertina.com: http://www.concertina.com/duett/index.htm The other article does not state that its unisonoric or bisonoric, just "diatonic", but it looks more anglo than duet.

Yes, I improvise - given my limited repertoire its what i ahve to do to get some music out of the box. Both my Crane and MaCaan duets are great for sound track music - in fact the other day I started to figure out the main melody in "Chariots of Fire". Usually while noodeling around on any instruement, I find that I stumble upon songs I recognize, so i see it as a very important musicians tool.

I was about to start into a poncey-bit about hell freezing over, but soemtimes even I refrain from stating the obvious... perhaps another solution for the 46 would be to lose the low C instead, just tune it or replace it with a D, you would lose C, but if missing D is causing so much turmoil, why not sacrifce it for a good solid D? But wait - have your cake and eat it to - make a foot bass that has only one note D, then when you are hankering for that low D you could just step on the pedal and voila! Viva la difference!

they are quite inticing, much like a drunken pink elephant trampeling about. Good stuff! I want to build a similiar device but without concertina type reeds, instead with bagpipe chanters and drones, then again there is the less enchanting techno-solution. Still would bea great bit of fun and could not be all that difficult to make.

to be good. to stand out. to play incredible music. to sit among the elite and smile knowingly. when you realize you only have one life, you also conclude you only have so much time, better to spend it being the best you can, even if your not aiming at virtuosity. With the modern digital age and mass information, the bar has risen beyond most players' vision: to make an impact in the musical world today you must be very good, or else you are passed up in a few mouse clicks. ah that double edged sword of technology: the joy of drinking in the wisdom of the ages, the sadness of downloading a lifetime of work in seconds. all you really have is the moment in your in.

Absolutely.

perhaps the estimator worked on the "Antiques Road Show ", though they always seemed to overestimate (not underestimate) when it came to musical instruments. Its been a long while since I have seen that show (lost interest after an estimate on an arch top guitar I thought sounded like baloney, and the bloated estimate for one of the Traveling Willbury promo guitars).

I have a german 20 button looks almost identical. It needs new valves and I haven't gotten around to it being the playboy tycoon that I am, bunnies to chase and all that. I will say though its considerably lighter, and sounds far better than the chinese junko anglo I just commented about on another thread (that wasn't my particuliar junko though, thats in the garage)