Dieppe

This might be old, but has anyone else heard Jeff Warner play "The Southern Girl's Reply" on NPR a while back? Is he a regular here? Patrick

How I got into concertina? Well, I've always been able to play music by ear, since I was 5 or so, but never really had the spirit or the drive for it. Forced to learn piano when I was 6---until I got bored with it. Took piano accordion lessons when I was 10---until I got bored with it. Just over 2 years ago my wife and I joined a certain medieval recreation group where a lot of people were doing musical things. There were bards, and instrument players of all types. A lot of guitar players, a cello player, and other random and also older instrument types. My friend had decided he wanted to learn how to play guitar, and since I'd tried miserably to play guitar in the past I decided that I should pull out my big red 120-bass "Made in Italy" Video piano accordion. How I wore that as a 10-year old I'll never know, but even as an adult a big red PA is still just as heavy, bulky, and barely portable. It's like carrying a suitcase filled with books---or bricks. A suitcase filled with clothes would be lighter! So I looked about for something with buttons, reeds, bellows, and smaller than a PA. I was led to a cheap Chinese Anglo concertina from eBay. It had a button or two that would stick (*growl*) but once I got that fixed to my liking I tried learning. I found I could do some songs, but my "mind-to-finger-music-connection" that I enjoy so much as a "playing by ear musician" just wasn't there. I was used to the bellows action of my PA. As in, just press/pull the bellows, it doesn't determine the note... so in frustration I decided to try again. This time I picked up a 30-button Chinese English concertina from eBay. (Yeah, sensing a trend here.) It wasn't bad. But for me, the buttons and music made sense in my mind, and if I wanted them the accidentals were right THERE. So from there to a Stagi, and then now that I've tasted what a decent instrument was like (figure comparing a Stagi to the Chinese one!), my next concertina is my current: A ~1898 48-button Wheatstone. Rosewood, bone buttons, almost perfect bellows, and needing tuning. So I've been playing English for about a year and a half now. I haven't a teacher, so I guess I'm self-taught. I'm getting better every month, though my "getting better all the time" curve has slowed down. I'm playing on a Yule CD for a local folk group, which is so nice hearing the brass 'tina mournfully playing at the beginning of, and during some pieces.. That's where I'm at. My name is Patrick, and I play an English concertina.

Is that the case that originally came with that concertina? Or better question might be, where could one get a case like that? Patrick

Late night never stopped me! Patrick

Well, I have email back to Tina asking if she knows of where he got his inspiration for the trapper playing a concertina. I'm not sure I'll get a response from the source, being as I'm not in the market for a *gulp* $10k painting of a trapper playing the concertina. I might not mind a much less expensive print, but alas not. I do like the other painting that I didn't actually see with the fire and such. If I had $10k to spare though... I'd spend it on concertinas! Patrick

I've more information. Email from Tina Goodwin (<tina@williammatthewsgallery.com>). --------------------------- Dear Patrick: There isn’t a print available of the painting of The Trapper, that you saw at the Convention Center. However, there were several studies in preparation for the commissioned painting. I am attaching jpeg files of the watercolors and pasting them as well into the body of this email with the details for each painting. A Limited Edition reproduction of another painting entitled, The Trapper, is available. Here is the link to the page on our website where it appears, http://store.estreet.com/willmatt/Detail.bok?no=818 and below is the image that I have pasted into the email. The Trapper Edition of Fifty $580 Evening Light 19 1/4 x 28 image 32 x 38 approximate framed size Watercolor on Paper $10500.00 Evening Tunes 28 x 16 image 40 x 26 approximate framed size Watercolor on Paper $9600 If I can answer any additional questions please feel free to contact me at the gallery. Were you aware of the artwork of William Matthews before seeing the paintings at the Colorado Convention Center? Many thanks for your interest! Kind regards, Tina Tina Scatuorchio Goodwin Director William Matthews Gallery 1617 Wazee Street Denver CO 80202 T: 303.534.1300 F: 303.534.2853 tina@williammatthewsgallery.com www.williammatthewsgallery.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Anyway, I haven't that kind of money for paintings. If I did, I'd be buying concertinas. Still... interesting to see a concertina just randomly like that. Patrick

Mind you though, the painting wasn't titled anything, didn't have a year, and was part of maybe 5-6 other paintings hanging in a hallway. I didn't take pictures of those though since they didn't have concertinas. "Colorado Pioneers" or whatever was on the plaque is all I've got. Patrick

I was at the Colorado Convention Center this past week and saw a painting on the wall. It looks like a trapper sitting around a fire playing a concertina. Zoomed Out Zoomed in Artist Plaque The gift shop didn't seem to sell prints of their paintings, so I couldn't get one. It... almost looks like my Wheatstone. But wouldn't he be more likely playing an Anglo of some sort? Any ideas? OH yeah, it's this guy.

Could someone just post "Flight of the Bumblebee" on Concertina and have this question solved once and for all? Patrick

What about Juliette Daum? Yeah, she's young, but she plays a darn fine concertina, if you ask me. Maybe I'm just baised? It is a fine instrument she's playing though.. Patrick

Well, if you think about it, maybe the airlines should do something like that. The flight profit is the initial "price" but then once they break it down into what the real costs are for fuel, pilot, insurance, maintenance, ground crew, water, toilet, etc... you get to what the true cost is to the consumer. Not that I'm defending them, just consider if you were to take a mate carpooling to some concertina event 100 miles away. You're driving in your car, but you agree to split the gas 50/50. But technically you have to pay insurance, registration, oil changes, maintenance, tax.. and if you were a jerk you could itemize it all and ask for the extra for his share... Any more that's where the airlines are going. They don't want to raise the prices $2 per person to fly to pay for that $0.50 can of soda, so why not just charge only those who want to drink said can of soda? It's ridiculous I know, but it's bottom line as they try to avoid going out of business.. and that's really a good thing, because think of how horrible it might be if there were only one airline left. Patrick

Very nice! You're just bragging that you're so good huh? I can't speak as to the rushed or otherwise, but to my ear is sounds very good. Loud bits? Running out of air? You must be on an Anglo? Patrick

For anyone who may be going to the Fiddle Festival, I'll definitely be in Idaho that weekend. I'm not sure when I'm going to the Festival, but I'll try and look up either of the two Johns that might be there! Patrick

I'm selling the Stagi tenor-treble I bought about 9 months ago for my intermediate instrument. I've moved onto a Wheatstone, and just don't wanna play this anymore.. so I'm selling it to any one interested. It'd be a good beginner's instrument, although because it is a tenor-treble, you are basically shifted up one row and get an extra row of bass keys. (For having 48 buttons, instead of the bottom note being the G below middle C, and the top C being 3 octaves up, the bottom note is the C below middle C, and the top note is G (or so)). So here's what I know, 6 folds, 48-buttons, tenor-treble, the leather is a little worn in spots but only cosmetically. (Worn on the bottom wherever someone used it against their pants.) To me it has a mellowish sound, having low notes, it is steel reeded. It does play pretty loud, and if you're used to playing a crappy Chinese model the button action will seem a LOT easier. (Though I will admit I prefer the button action on my Wheatstone *cough*.) Here are some Pictures of the Stagi. (To the astute eyed these are the same pictures from the guy who sold it to me. It looks the same, though I can take updated pictures if someone really wants me too.) Sadly it's been sitting in the box for the past 4 months. Not collecting dust, per se, because it's in the box... but I'd really like for another beginner who's pondering playing the English Concertina to have something to start with! Ideally I'd like about $350 for it, as that's about what I paid. Shipping will run about $25 or so. If you're in Southern California, and would like to take a physical, hands on, look at it... that'd be cool too! (Save me boxing it up and shipping it.) It'll end up on eBay (sigh) if there's no interest or offers. Respond here or in Private Message. Patrick PS: Yes, if it sells I'll remember to send a donation to concertina.net.

That is a very pretty instrument! Alas, I'm not in the buying mode right now.. ack. Patrick

I asked Mike about this unusual single action metal ended contrabass concertina, and he told me that the metal ends were made from metal kick-plates from a door! My Wheatstone is called Charlie, or Sir Charles if I have had a particularly good practice session. Hm.. yeah my Wheatstone is "Sir Charles" as well! Patrick

Cripes! $40-$120 for said book from Amazon!

Wow! Does it sound as good as it looks!? Hm, I hope that doesn't count as a query? Crap, that's 2 questions now... o.O

Oh heck! That's a great idea! I've an autoharp lying around... I could do the same! Patrick

There is a 56 button Stagi on eBay that I've been watching (Item #260209865200). Of course The Button Box, and a few other reputable dealers could sell you one as well. Look for the banner ads on concertina.net up at the top.

Awesome! Thanks! That'll be huge print job though...

That's a bit of knowledge that's useful. I wouldn't want to original poster to get ideas of dollar signs in his eyes imaging all the money he'll be selling it for. But yeah, in truth, it's hard to put a guess at value without seeing the instrument... it could cost more to fix it up than someone would be willing to buy it for.

Well, that depends on a lot of things. What condition is it in? Has is ever been tuned in the past 50 years? It looks like it's a 1938 instrument, which could mean it doesn't have concert pitch. How are the bellows? Air tight? Are all the buttons there? Is the finish worn? If it's in perfect condition it could be $1000-$2000, depending on the style. It's more likely to be more valuable to a concertina player (you've come to the right place to ask) than to someone who's going to buy it and display it on a shelf... however. Someone else here can probably give a better answer. If it's in poor condition you might be lucky to get $300 for it. Often people put them on the eBay lottery and let the market decide. (Believe me, when any concertina gets listed on eBay at least 20 people from here are taking a look.) If you do go that route, take pictures. Take pictures of each end, of the serial number, of the bellows extended, of any case that it might come with. If you really want to get detailed take a picture of each of the 6 (or 8) sides of the bellows extended. Sometimes people take photos of the guts (reeds). That could be a controversial. Some people like to see what the layout is inside, whether the reeds are steel or brass, how the valves (leather flaps) are, the condition of the reeds (are they rusty or corroded? (If they are---do NOT try to "clean" them if you don't know what you're doing.)) The more pictures the better. Also, you're likely to get a very low ball price if you take it to a local pawn shop. If you happen to live in MA, or near where a concertina player might live, you could get a player to take a look. In all honesty though your best bet is to dust it off, take a ton of pictures, post them here.. If you do get an offer that you can live with, save yourself the eBay fees and send Concertina.Net a donation of the money you've saved. If not, well---eBay is probably your best place to get the most (and fair) price that you could sell it at. Just my 2 cents. Good luck! Patrick

Aha! That's why this concertina seemed familiar on eBay. No luck selling it so far? You mentioned it has a serial # of 849? For Wheatstone Mayfair, what does that date it as? Ya know, for people who ask about beginning instruments, would this be a good choice? Patrick

Hey, is that the one in Northern CA? Or is there one in SoCal? I see that you're from SoCal too.. is it me, or does it sometimes seem as if SoCal is devoid of our kind of music with concertinas and such? I do medieval reenactment myself, less with the concertina, but it can provide an outlet for playing music with other musicians. I haven't found much else here though to play at. (Though I can handle listening to Mariachi... I'm sure a concertina wouldn't be appreciated. ) Patrick