Alex West

In my understanding and experience, if the item in question is over 100 years old and can be certified as such - as is likely the case with the instrument - import VAT is 5% for antiques coming into the UK Alex West

Jake and Dave have summarised the thought process rather well. My own thoughts as a repairer/restorer are a touch medical - first do no harm. End plates are not (unlike pads, springs, valves, bushings and even bellows) consumables so unless they're so badly damaged as to need extensive repair or replacement, I tend to leave them alone apart from a gentle polish (and typically reinforcement behind the bolt holes). With Lachenal wooden ends, I sometimes take a more aggressive approach since the original laquer was IMHO rather ugly and is often chipped, so I will strip it right back to the original attractive rosewood or mahogany and French Polish from scratch - with all the caveats that Dave has over matching local repairs, losing detail etc Alex West

Des If you can't source an original latch, it's not too difficult to make a new one out of thin brass sheet using small brass rivets to attach the latch to some matching leather and copper rivets to attach the whole assembly to the case lid. The photo I've attached isn't one I made myself, but I've made a few like it in the past

Here's a couple of charts I have Alex West

I came across the issue with a 45 key Jeffries GD Anglo on the right hand side. There was just no room to slide the reed backwards at all. There's usually plenty of space on a 39 key Jeffries and on those which have screwed down reeds rather than slotted reeds Alex West

If you really have to get it out, bust the chamber walls at the glued joint, then glue them back in after and make sure the chamois gasket seals Alex West

True - I missed that crucial clue. That would indicate communication between the air button chamber and the (presumably adjacent?) chamber where the ghost note is? Alex West

It sounds as though it could be a weak spring or other incomplete sealing of the pad into that particular chamber as Ted has suggested. Alex West

Anyone see the auction? What did it go for? Alex West

I'm not sure what you mean by a Richter row. I've a 50 key Ab/Eb Anglo and the 4th row has a mixture of notes additional to those you might find on a 30 (or 38key) and some notes which are the same as on a smaller instrument but in opposite directions. This would give options for playing more easily in different keys to the "home" keys, more chording possibilities and the ability to play in a more legato style Always assuming you had the skill of course I think all auction houses charge a sellers fee as well as a buyers premium. That's why Barleycorn reckon that you might be better off selling to them than going through the auction house or ebay process Alex West

I've seen a simple man's tie used as a strap before - no need to fix it to the instrument surely... Alex West

Easier to shape as well. Good call Theo Alex West

Stephen Sure. The purple is a cotton brushed velvet. Any soft fabric like a crushed velvet will do. The plain panels are card with a double sided adhesive sheet on and the velvet covering them, then mitred and Copydexed on the reverse side. It's also possible to put a thin layer of some kind of foam in there to cushion the panels a little but that's not essential (and may well not be possible due to the tight dimensions). For the 4 vertical posts, I used some spare cheap timber of an appropriate dimension. The key dimension is the closed length of concertina. Deduct this length from the internal width of the case at about half the depth of the case and then divide the result by 2. That gives you the required width of the timber. Take off a little bit for cloth and any squidgy material you might use. You don't need the fit to be so tight that it's a struggle to get the concertina in when compressed. Snug is perfectly OK. Because the Nanuk (or Peli or WHY) case is slightly tapered, you need to saw the timber so that a sloping face is against the side of the case and you have a vertical face against the concertina end. The width of the timber only needs to be sufficient to "bind" against the peaks of the concertina end without clashing with any of the buttons or hand rails. I round over the top of the timber to give a nice look and a "lead-in" to feed the concertina in, then only cover two sides of the timber with velvet. Glue the velvet to the timber with Copydex and the timber to the case with a good contact adhesive. Is that sufficient? I can send you some photos of an intermediate stage if that helps (send me your email address in a Private Message if you like Alex West

Like this...? Alex West

And I took a look at the pictures. Yes, they need some work, but I've seen worse and they look recoverable Alex West

Highlander It's a "standard" Jeffries layout. I can send you a fuller description if you're interested if you send me your email address Alex West

Judy I don't have a Morse. In CG, I just have the 2 Lachenal concertinas and the Jeffries 39 key Alex West

Noel If you're still looking, can you get in contact with me please? Alex West

PM Sent

Noel I do have a D/A but I hadn't thought to sell it yet. It's a very nice one but it doesn't get played as much as it should so I could be persuaded. It's a 30 key, stamped as a Jeffries but actually a Crabb (and no worse for that), with Dipper bellows. I'm away sailing at the moment so can't send any information but send me a PM of what you're looking for and your email address and I'll have a think about it and let you have some more details Regards Alex West

All opinions are valid, but I'm curious why you think this Alex West

Mike Have you thought of using BA machine screws? I've successfully used BA 10 or BA 9 when I've cleared out an old bolt Alex West

I have a 28 key John Crabb in Bb/F if you're interested? Lovely wooden ends, dated by Geoff Crabb as circa 1876. I can send you more details if you let me know your email address Alex West

I always take a concertina on the boat with me. I made the mistake of taking a "cheap" one once and it was so awful to play compared to my domestic instruments that I rarely touched it and didn't enjoy it when I did. Nowadays, I have a dedicated "boat" instrument which is not so precious but plays well. By the way, I've never seen a problem with salt air affecting the reeds in any way The instruments I play in sessions are also my domestic players. If an instrument is so good, why not play it with friends? Sure, look after it, but they deserve to be played Alex West

You might consider a Dabbler (https://www.flyingduckconcertinas.co.uk/dabblers.html), or a Marcus (https://www.marcusmusic.wales/new-concertinas) as new concertinas to add to your research, or Andrew Norman both makes new instruments and has vintage ones as well (http://www.acnorman.co.uk/). Depending on where you are in Scotland, Celtic Chords in Stonehaven markets AP James concertinas and the owner may have pre-loved instruments available as well. I have a vintage 30 key Lachenal which is available and which you'd be welcome to try but it's down south at the moment Alex West