Clive Thorne

Yes, I agree, which is what I thought I said in my first post. The "obviously wrong" should have had smileys by it - my intent was to tease the Americans a bit., but it obviously got lost in the blunt instrument of text. I can see the logical for YYYYMMDD as, as others have said, case a simple text sort will but it in chronolgical order. Still doesn't make it right though (lots of smileys here again). Next thing you'll have me saying thing like "November Seven" (as heard in adverts for films) instead of "Seventh of November".

I've had a quick look at the link you gave and can't see an example of the MMDDYYY format that UPS seem to be using. There are examples of the YYYYMMDD format, which I have no logical problem with........ But obviously the UK typical DDMMYYY is still the 'correct' one (Multiple smileys here)!! I guess it's a Little Endian/Big Endian sort of thing. As I say it was a quick look, so may have missed it.

Ah - but does being a standard necessarily mean it makes sense ? Especially when the standards include multiple (and contradictory) options?🙂

Well, that's the american way, which is obviously wrong 😀, but I can see the logic in it. Obviously the UK way (DD/MM/YYYY) is the correct way😀😀😀. The UPS way just seems a crazy hybrid of the two!

I would have thought that if the two reeds are in phase then the affect of any coupling would be cancelled out, any spring coupling between the two would effectively not be compressed. Yes you have twice the restoring force, but also twice the mass, effectively behaving like one large reed. However this is intuition, which can be very misleading (unless it's a woman's of course). Obviously this assumes that the two have the same identical natural frequency in the first place. If the two frequencies are different enough for a phase lock not to occur (which I guess depends on the strength of the coupling), then the whole thing becomes more complicated and beyond my understanding (and to be honest, beyond my level of interest!!).

Depends on how you fixture it for the laser cutting doesn't it?

Having refreshed myself on the net, as far as I can see, when they are in phase then the Eigen mode corresponds to resononance frequency of the two independent systems. If they are in antiphase then the eigen mode is at a higher frequency determined by the stiffness of the 'coupling' mechanics relative to the stiffness of the two indivudual oscillators. I.e. the higher the stiffness of the coupling then the higher the anti-phase frequency (which makes intuitive sense as well as mathematical). On the other hand the stiffer the coupling between the two is then the more likely the two will go in phase rather than out of phase. E.g. imagine a solid coupling between the two - the two reeds can (for practical purposes) only move in phase. and the higher frequency eigen frequency will be at an very high frequency but at a very low amplitude. However whatever the combination of Eigen modes that establishes, both reeds will be doing the same thing. Unfortunately I have no idea how rigid the coupling between two reeds in a single chamber is relative to the spring of the reeds themselves (but I'd imagine quite weak). All this before we even start to take the chamber resonace into account. Please feel free to disagree/discuss further, my physics degree was over 40 years ago and I've not used it since!

I'm obviusly teaching grandmother to suck eggs for most people here, so apologies to them, but, as I understand it: If you have two closely coupled resonant systems, that are only slightly apart then then will tend to both resonant at a common frequency, half way between the two, and in sync with each other (i.e. no tremelo). It becomes a forced resonance system where they both resonate slightly off their 'free' resonant frequency Systems less closely coupled will each go at their own frequency, to generate a tone the numerical mid frequency of the two with a beat at the numeric difference of the two. Two reeds in the same chamber will be closely couple via the air in the chamber and so "phase lock" as Geoff correctly describes it. Two reeds in separate chambers would , I imagine, be less closely coupled so allowing a finer tremelo affect, if that's what you wanted. In Stephen's example of the chord blocks the reeds would tend synchonise at the natural harmonic resonances, so I guess that they would tend to produce a sweeter chord, without the harshness of some equal temperament chords. Please feel free to disagree.

I'm booked into the JK weekend in October, so my mission before that (if it goes ahead), is to know, instantly, the notes on all my (36) buttons. Also to learn a few non C/G Scales (though I realise that there is a big difference between knowing a scale and being able to play a tune in that scale!), starting with D so I can jam along with the D/G melodeons.

Would keeping it out of the case help? If so would some veltelation holes in the case help, so that any moisture (Sweat?) could escape?

I've never dated a concertina, but I imagine buying it a drink would be a good start.?

Dave, Of course, Iunderstand that and I bow to your experience. I've never used any chemicals on reeds, only on car parts (where they can do a superb job, but is a different thing altogether) As per my first post in this thread, just thinking out loud really, not recommending anything - cos I've never tried it!

Someone got a bargain there, I suspect.

I bow to your knowledge Dave. However, I also understand that molasses will also remove rust by "Chellating" it, what ever that means. Also on the kitchen cleaners, which I've not used, or even thought about for this: would the slight copper coating be advantageous in preventing further rusting?

I the right hand rows were B/C/C# wouldn't it be a "British Chromatic Button Accordion", as expounded by Jimmy Shand, John Kirkpatick etc? But I must say that the cecoration looks distinctly continental.