gcoover

Perhaps try using alternate fingers on the same note (pushing or pulling in the same direction)? Phil Cunningham (of Silly Wizard) often uses four different fingers on one note of his accordion but that's a little harder to do on concertina. Otherwise, a very light quick touch is what you need, as if the button is too hot to touch. Gary

Sharing a couple of photos of Dave. Happy to announce his book Ditty Box is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. Glad to have helped this happen before his passing. Gary

This must be one of the ones Jim Harvey referred to, mentioned in a previous cnet post, talking about some folks converting from Anglo to JD back in the day. But you're absolutely right about what it did to the resale value! Gary

Hi David, Excellent news! There weren't that many Jeffries Duets made (maybe 200-300 max) and some have been re-reeded to try to be Anglos, so it's good if this one gets to stay as original as possible. Attached are a couple of charts for 50 and 60+ buttons in the key of C. Lots of variation in the larger sizes. Would love to see a photo once you get it in or when all fixed up. In related news, I'm getting really close to finishing a Jeffries Duet tutor with over 60 tunes, from super easy to really difficult, including several tunes from "The Rampin' Cat". Can Jeffries Duet World Domination be far behind?!? Gary JEFFRIES DUET-C-50.pdf JEFFRIES DUET-C-61-62.pdf

And what a lovely time was had by all - thanks so much to Daniel and Dave for organizing and hosting the gathering! Well worth the trip from Honolulu to see and hear so much great playing in so many different styles - ragtime, Caribbean, Spanish, classical, Irish, you-name-it. An amazingly high level of musicianship, and a treat to meet so many excellent players, including Alan Lochhead (author of the Mel Bay "All-America Concertina Album"), Peter Persoff, Janet Dows, Riggy Rackin, Luke Hillman, and the hosts (of course). Famed cartoonist Carol Lay was there too - I had met her previously at the Old Palestine Concertina Weekend in East Texas several years ago where she surprised everyone with an amazing new logo just for the event (yep, went to Zazzle.com and still have the t-shirt and the coffee cup). There were a couple of 40-button Wheatstone Anglos, some Jeffries Anglos, two Wolverton Anglos, Anglos by Wally Carroll and Wm Wakker, a Jedcertina, Crane Duet, Jeffries Duet, custom Dipper English, and an amazing 22-button mini-Anglo only 3.75" across. Oh, almost forgot Daniel's concertina-shaped biscuit tin with real reeds! And what a great weekend to be in the SF Bay Area - the day before was the monthly Shanty Sing onboard ship led by Peter Kasin at the San Francisco Maritime Museum. I also went to Smythe's Accordion Center in Oakland to check out their stock of Stagi and Concertina Connection instruments plus several Lachenal and George Case EC's he recently acquired. Monday night was one of the best house concerts ever - John Doyle (guitar) and Mick McAuley (button accordion and low whistle). Fantastic musicians and performers with great energy and humor, playing to about 75 people in a lovely old house up in the hills above Berkeley. And then I rounded the trip off with a visit to Berkeley Morris who are doing some really innovative new dances - the one I saw with twelve dancers and cross heys was a sight to behold. Good to see the tradition thriving! Whew, after all that, I need a vacation from my vacation... Gary

... and I'll bring a genuine 2-color Wheatstone brochure from their last pre-Dickinson location at Sonorous Works, Deansbrook Road, Edgware, Middlesex that includes photos of the manufacturing process plus photos and descriptions of English, Anglo and Miniature English concertinas - as a giveaway! (Contest details to be worked out later) Gary

Hi Carola, welcome to cnet! A place that is always informative and entertaining. Have you checked to see if the lever arm (after it comes through the button) is hitting the wooden end when you let go of the button and the pad comes to rest? Sometimes new pads are thinner and that makes the button rise up a little taller. If that's the case, you can find the offending spot and perhaps remove a bit of wood underneath. I had to do this with one of my instruments several years ago since I didn't want to re-do all the pads. Or, the little felt bushing in the hole in the button where the lever arm goes through might have rotated (or come loose, or fallen out) allowing the lever and button to "click". Gary

Thanks, Geoffrey! I read somewhere that Crabb had made at least one Jeffries Duet - do you have recall as to what size or when that might have been? Gary

Amen, Brother Greg!

I stand corrected about the large Anglos - looks like Steve Gardham's W28930 (1921) at 61 buttons might be the largest we know of, although there are two other ledger entries: W31282 (1926) at 72 buttons and W31693 (1927) at 74 buttons that are listed as "A.G" but no mention of "duet". Mighty beasts either way. It looks like there are eight instruments in the Wheatstone ledgers listed as "A.G. Duet or Anglo Duet" from 1924-1930, and there are two others that are definitely Jeffries Duets - W29112 (1922, listed as "Duet NP Octo Special) and W32045 (1928, listed as "Duet Hex NP flat"). I've personally played W29112, and it is likely the first Wheatstone-made Jeffries Duet. W32045 is owned by Wunks and looks like it might have started out life intending to be a different duet but was actually made into a Jeffries system duet. So of the ten by Wheatstone, we now know the whereabouts of five of them (including Gavin Davenport's that was later converted to Anglo). Not too bad considering they were built a hundred years ago. Perhaps some of the others are still in the Harvey family? Maybe even in that 1950's photo? Greg Jowaisas told me he has never heard of a Lachenal Jeffries Duet - anybody ever seen one? Gary

I doubt it was ever an Anglo, since the ledgers call it an "Anglo Duet". An Anglo that size would be the most unwieldly one ever! I've been in contact with the auction house folks and have sent them a 61-button Wheatstone layout in hopes they can fill in that mysterious 5th row on the bottom of the right side. I'll keep you posted. Gary

And a well-played instrument at that - look at the wear around the buttons. Recordings, anyone? Mark, would it be ok to include this photo of Jim Harvey in the upcoming Jeffries Duet Tutor I'm working on? Great stuff, and very timely! Gary PS - In March 1928 Wheatstone #31850 "Anglo Duet" had 70 buttons, perhaps the largest Jeffries Duet ever made. Maybe this beast will also turn up some day...

Very sad indeed - I had just finished working with him to get his book "Ditty Box" available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. At least this will now be part of his legacy. Great guy, with a great sense of music and humor. It was an honor and pleasure to have briefly known him! Gary

Who said rehearsals can't be fun?!?

All, Slight thread drift here, since it's not just about English session tunes... but the good news is a most excellent C/G and G/D "how-to" by Jody Kruskal is in the works and coming along quite nicely - with luck it should be out in the next month or two. A really unique feature will be how to take each tune and play it with a variety of accompaniments so you can mix and match when you play. Gary