richard

Hello I have some reeds that are a little slow on my old Lachenal. I would like to try to adjust the gap myself, but I don't want to do any damage either. Would people suggest the best technique and process for adjusting the gap on a reed. I know the reed should be bent up or down. But do you push up on the tip of the reed, the base of the reed or along the entire length of the reed? What is a good tool to use for this? How do I know if I have made any changes while doing the bending , as opposed to not changing the gap, or making to much change or ruining the reed? Thanks Richard

Hello I have just bought a lovely sounding 20 button Lachenal Anglo with rosewood ends. It is #39166. The label that is on the baffle paper and showed through the oval hole on the right side says: J. WALLIS patent Concertinas 135 Euston Road NW LONDON I would like to find out anything about this dealer. I am also curious if there is any document on the various dealers who sold Lachenals under their names. Thanks, Richard

Hi Lisa I have been taking chances with buying a few Scholer (East German) 20 buttton concertinas on e bay. Some can be very playable and portable and not to precious as long as you don't pay too much. It is also the kind of instrument that many begin on and realize they want more, then move up to a better instrument. I think something like that would be perfect for a boat ride. I also like how some of the marbalized plastic veneered models look. One could imagine oneself blasting off into outer space inside one of them! VERY MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY! I would have the e bay seller call you up and play all the notes over the phone, then if they sound ok and not to weezy don't pay more than $50-$100 US dollars for it. Richard

Hello Does anyone have any knowledge and/or information on Scholer concertinas. I'm curious about their history and how anyone feels they compare to other concetinas of that type. Thanks, Richard

Hello One button on my Linota gets stuck or locked when it is tipped at too much of an angle. What is happening is the button is sticking out too high so the bottom of the button gets caught at the top edge of the hole in the board. Someone suggested I bend the arm which holds the button a little. That sounds too drastic. Could the felt inside the button slot be to thick? Does any one have any suggestions why this happens and what the best way to fix it is ? Thanks, Richard

Hello folks I have been investigating 20 button German Anglo concertinas for fun,portability, and for a differerent sound than a London made Anglo(of course). I am wondering is there a consensus of which of the German or Italian brands were/are superior in sound, durablility and playablility? Are older ones better? Is there a type or brand that anyone has a sentimental attachment to for their distinctive sound? Which brand was most used in Ireland? I had a Harmona which was a bit shrill. What about the other brands. old and new? I observe John Williams playing a Scholer on his tutorial. That would have some crediblity with me. Thanks Richard

Hello I just ordered new Anglo wrist straps. They are 1" wide at the widest part (the part covering the back of my hand). The straps I have now and like are 1 1/4 " wide at the widest. I think I would like to stick to the wider shape. There is more surface area making contact with my hand and the pressure more distributed. Maybe a smaller surface is better? Does it make any difference. Sorry about my concern over what might seem like frivilous minutia. Thanks, Richard

Hello Folks My main instrument is a 30 button Wheatstone Anglo. I have just acquired 2 inexpensive 20 button, double reeded German Anglos for fun and to have a different sound. It is a strange feeling when switching back and forth. I am wondering what other's experience is: whether playing on the 20 button Germans is helpful or detrimental to my 30 button Anglo playing. Perhaps it is good for my brain and reinforces the muscle memory of my fingers and hands? OR Perhaps not. Perhaps it is harmless? I'd rather not confuse my hands and brain if it means not enhancing or impairing my 30 button playing. How about folks who play English and Anglo, and/or other sorts of concertinas? Thanks, Richard

Hello folks I'm off to Hawaii for a week in June on my Honeymoon. I don't want to leave home without one so I am planning on bringing my wood ended Geuns/Wakker Anglo. I live in San Francisco where there is some humidity already. Should I be worried about the humidity in Hawaii having detrimental effects on my instrument, the concertina? Thanks, Richard

Hello My Linota's hand straps has the hooks on a pivot that one pushes down into a hole in the straps, inorder to adjust them. As opposed to the buttons that you screw in with your fingers. Does that make sense? I have alot of trouble with these. I keep having to bend the point of the hook into the strap hole with a pliers and eventually it will probably break. My question is would it be awful to replace these with screw device?I guess I would screw it in to the bottom end of the handle? Would that be sacreligeous? Does anyone have that same problem? What was your solution? Thanks Richard

Hello Folks A photo that always inspired me way before I took up the Anglo was a photo of the great french painter George Braque playing his concertina in his studio. This version isn't so clear but it's the best I can do. The photo is in the Picasso retrospective catalog (ca. 1980) at the NYMoma.

Thanks, stephen for the elucidation. I wasn't sure if I should call it a melodion or button accordion. I acquired it before I found myself intoxicated by the concertina, and at this point I can't do both. For anyone interested I will try to put a photo. Thanks Richard

Hello If anyone would like to know of recordings of John Kelly that I believe are still in print there are 4 tracks on OSSIAN PUBLICATIONS "Folk Music and Dances of Ireland" (which is supposed to accompany the book). Three tracks are fiddle and one is the concertina. Richard

HELLO I HAVE A PAOLO SOPRANI BUTTON ACCORDION IN THE KEY OF B FOR SALE. IT HAS ONE ROW OF 9 BUTTONS PLUS A ROW OF 3 BUTTONS THAT HAVE NOTES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO BE ABLE TO PLAY WITH LESS BELLOWS CHANGE. THERE ARE TWO BASS BUTTONS ON THE OTHER SIDE. IT HAS ONE STOP THAT ADDS A THIRD, LOWER REED TO THE TWO ALREADY THAT SOUND WHEN PLAYING. IT HAS A LIGHT COLORED WOOD EXTERIOR.IT LOOKS AND PLAYS GREAT! I CAN SEND PHOTOS. AS OF 5-3-04 IT IS STILL AVALAILABLE I WOULD LIKE TO GET $400.00 FOR IT. I AM LOCATED IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. THANKS RICHARD

Hey Someone told me of over hearing a couple of tourists referring to him playing his concertina in a park and saying "Look, Martha, he's playing the push fiddle." Richard

Hello Anyone have a used copy of John William's Anglo concertina video? Thanks Richard richardgldbrg@aol.com

Hello If you would be interested in a REALLY exciting and lovely recording of music for set dancing try the recently released Tipsy House recording (featuring wonderful Anglo concertina player Jack Gilder). It is called "SETS IN THE CITY"It was created with the San Francisco set dancing group in mind and with their support. Here is a link. http://www.tipsyhouse.com/t_recordings.html Richard

Hello This is Richard the lad who initiated this thread. I have the basic information concerning the other Linota which I was comparing mine to. It is: #30439 1925 Linota model #88 36 button, NP, C/G Thanks

Hello This is from Richard. The number of my Linota ( from between 1930 and 1933) is #32695. I don't have the number of my teacher's instrument presently. I tried the photo again but it is too big to fit Thanks Richard

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Hello I just acquired a Wheatstone Linota made between 1930 and 1933. I compared it to my teacher's Linota which was made in 1925.They were different in many outward details and also had a different sound. I am wondering what the significance might be of these differences. I wonder if any of the differences are related to the dates, and/or the standard of quality (for example one is a standard model, the other a "deluxe") They both are metal ended. On mine the end plates cover the entire end surfaces. On the other (1925 Linota) the end plates cover the end surface but have about a 1/3 inch ebony molding going around the perimeter. The metal on my end plate seems to be slightly less substancial with a more "steel like"look (as opposed to the earlier Linota which had a warmer "silver" look. The "carved" design on the older model is more ornate. The end plates on the later linota are the same and interchangable. By this I mean each had two holes for the air button (or a drone) on the other side. So it seemed the same end plate was manufactured so it could be used for both sides. The end plates on the older Linota where different and unique for each side of the concertina. The older model's tone is a bit denser, not as bright. The proud owner feels it's tone has more overtones. If anyone is familiar with these differing details and their significance I would be curious to know. I was wondering what effect the depression had on the features and quality of the instruments. Perhaps some external detailing were sacrificed to keep the prices down? What do you know, and think? Thanks a lot, Richard

Hello folks My Wheatstone (early 1930's) has a very nice clear and sweet tone consistently on almost all the notes but not all. A few notes have a high frequency metallic aspect to their tone. It is subtle but I can hear it and notice it. I can compare the two Bs (G row #4 on the push..and the C row #6 on the pull). The B on the pull has a metallic edge to it that is very distressing. Also that note is noticebly lower in volume. the response is good though. The same is true for my G row (#5 D on the push). Since the same notes on the other side have a nice tone could I assume both reeds should sound the same, symmetrical, and could this be a problem that is fixable? Another problem is that two other notes are noticeably louder. their tone is nice but they stand out too much. The notes are the G row G and B on the push (#3 & #4). Can this be adjusted? How adjustable are the reeds and the sound they make? Does one have to accept the less than perfect notes on a good instrument? Is it inevitable that every concertina will have its ideosynchrises, strengths and weak spots? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks a lot, Richard

Hi My thumb isn't abnormally short but I had the same problem with my stagi. I sawed off about a quarter of an inch of the thickness of the piece of wood under the thumb and revarnished it and that made it just right. I was careful not to take too much off which would have weakened the wood. Richard

Hello I just received a wonderful early 1930's Wheatstone Linota. I really love it so far and it is a great pleasure and a real step up for me. The action and reed response are very good. But a few of the reeds are a bit slower than ones adjacent to them. I would appreciate those with more experience putting in their 2 cents whether there still might be room for improvement in these reeds that relative to others don't seem as quick. Maybe I shouldn't expect "perfection" especially when this instrument has such great qualities. Someone once told me "just get a good concertina and learn how to play it". I think that is good advice. I can and will adjust to playing this instrument and learn how to work with it, conciously and unconciously. But.... I still would like to know, could I expect the response to be able to be improved "a bit more" for these few particular reeds? Thanks, Richard