PaddyLosty
-
Posts
199 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by PaddyLosty
-
-
Is it 30 buttons or 31? What is the extra button?
-
What the heck is going on here. Seems very fishy!
-
Beautiful instruments, Ben! Nice to see Colin and Rosalie with one of their instruments. Is it amboyna? How does it compare to the Wifra?
-
All really great advice. Like Bill, I'd emphasize that Kensingtons are a bracket above the others, having real concertina reeds but fairly close in price to the higher end hybrids.
-
Since 2007 a few new makers have popped up offering mid range instruments, so you may have better selection now. Wolverton and Clare Concertina are two that spring to mind, but there are others.
-
Bought the CD and gave it a few listens already. Really nice playing, excellent relaxed pace. That old Wheatstone sounds great!
-
Hey Bill, its at the Fort William Historical Park here in Thunder Bay. Really cool place. I was there playing a wedding, and I only had my fiddle with me, otherwise I would have got a photo with him. I'll do that next time!
-
Yea but I wouldn't say anything to him about it, the bugger's about 15" tall.
-
Bit of a wooden personality though.
-
Have you checked with Chris Algar? He always has some nice Jeffries in stock. There's a 38 button on his website currently.
-
I have played a Jeffries wooden ended 20 key in Bf/F and also a 26 key one which had been Bf/F but then a nice job had been done of bringing it up to C/G. Both were gorgeous but the 20 key in particular had stunning reeds.
So one at least did exist.
-
In my time playing, I've come across two different 26 button wooden ended Jeffries in C/G. In both cases, the owners loved them, and I was very impressed with the sound. I'm well set for my C/G concertina, but I've been lusting after a Bb/F and an A/E (or Ab/Eb) for quite some time.
Has anyone ever come across one of those older 26 button wooden Jeffries boxes in Bb/F? I've never seen one myself, maybe they don't exist. But if they are out there, I will be on the hunt! I've heard of one in Ab/Eb (Greg Jowaisas had one) but wasn't looking at the time.
Thanks!
-
Ceemonster,
Thank you for taking the time to put some of these memories down to share with us that will never have the privilege to play music with the likes of Dumpna. It brings so much more to her music. Such a glimpse into her personality and openness as a musician is what really puts more meaning in every note. Dympna, along with Mary MacNamara, were really the two players that made me think "ok, time to buy a concertina" when I first heard them. Her playing just had grace. I'll keep doing whatever I can to learn from her playing.
She had wonderful taste, as well. Loved the old-school, relaxed Clare style, and the more relaxed-style Mayo players. My first few years of going over she often anchored with a lovely Mayo box player named Seamus Henegan. My last few times she was often anchoring with c#/d player Joe Carey of Mayo, whose playing was a revelation. People talk now and then about who today has the Joe Cooley feel and sound, well, Joe Carey would be way up there. I understand that Dympna started on box, sorry that we never dished about accordion. I attended what turned out to be the last year of the Mrs. Crotty Festival in Kilrush (as such, anyway--I understand they still have events around that time). And the plan was to worm my way using wiles and strategems of some kind into Dympna's class because I had my heart set on spending some time with her as a teacher and had heard she usually taught kids. So in the grading, Ernestine Healy was about to put me in to a different advanced class and I piped up that if possible, could I have a technique class rather than a "tunes" class. And I was just drawing breath to ask straight out to go in with Dympna when Ernestine said, "Well, hmmmm, I think I'll put you in Dympna O'Sullivan's class," and said it was the advanced class for kids, and she would tell Dympna I hoped for some technique. So I got to spend several days with her and her music.
And it was delightful. She was a very gifted teacher with exquisite taste in tune repertoire, and it was wonderful to spend several days up close with her music and see how she approached where to put ornaments, and what ornaments she used, etc. She also had a great sense of humor and fun. There was this laugh we all had about the sense in Clare of the term "character." I think she called one boy a character. And then I said I'd been plaintively asking one of the local trad and set-dancing stalwarts if I was one of the characters yet and had gotten a verdict of, definitely a character. And another kid piped up and said, " But I want to be a character!" And others chimed in that they wanted to be characters. Dympna laughed her head off at that, and said, "All right then, you're ALL characters!!" She drove me one night to a session in a pub with sort of nautical or whaling-ish décor, near the water, kind of "behind" the town. It was one of the skedded festival sessions, but would have been a very long hike indeed. I think the Cotters were the anchors, can't remember who with.
There was this thing she said that I keep forgetting to find out more about. It was a propos of one of the boys in the class, she was encouraging him or praising him or having him play or something. And she said to me in conversation that in Ireland (or maybe she meant, in the West? don't know), the boys are often given short shrift, or given a tough time, or not praised enough, or something like that. What does this mean? It's a kernel of cultural insight that I haven't yet cracked . . .
-
Just by way of endorsement, the Marcus Bb/F being sold on this forum may be worth considering (if you haven't already). You may not have come across Keith Kendrick on your side of the ocean, but he is a fine player (and singer) with many cd's in the English tradition and a fine musical pedigree etc to his name - I'm sure he would be totally open with you about the instrument and happy to discuss it if you were prepared to buy from abroad. I have no connection with the seller other than having some of his cd's and having seen him in concert, but friends who have played and recorded alongside him hold him in high esteem.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'm only looking for a concertina-reeded concertina, which really limits the feasible options. Maybe I'm overly picky, but I owned a top notch accordion-reeded concertina once, and it always sounded wrong to me, maybe because my wife is a melodeon player and the tonal similarities were really apparent to me. I fully endorse them to those that the tone doesn't bother.
Still hoping to find a 26 button rosewood Bb/F or Ab/Eb! I've been offered some lovely instruments, but nothing that falls within the ideal price to quality ratio yet.
-
I had a great 20 button lachenal and there was plenty of music inside that box, and it had "the sound" which I loved. I moved to a 30 button to explore more keys but if you're willing to live with the limitations of 20 keys, they're great value.
I'd love to one day find a really nice old 20 button made by Jeffries or their ilk, for those old tunes that just fall perfectly on the main rows.
-
PM's sent to those of you with offers and leads.
-
Good perspective, thank you. I guess I'm in the "get lucky or wait" camp, as its not an urgent need. I thought I'd put this post up, in case someone has something that is languishing. I missed out on Sean O'Fearghail's Bb/F, which I'm still kicking myself about - that would have been ideal for my current wants.
I guess an ideal instrument for my range would be a 30 button Crabb, or by some rare luck, a 26 button Jeffries. I've had good luck with rosewood ended Lachenals also. I learned to play on a 20 button rosewood that I sold on this site, and it was a beautiful sounding and playing concertina. Learning Irish music on a 20 button also shaped my playing in a way that I appreciate, which makes me comfortable with 26 buttons. Not to discount the 60's Wheatstones - I'm sure there are good examples. The few that I've played didn't impress me as anything that suited my playing, but they are entirely a great value for some folks. I've also played some really, really high end concertinas that I also just didn't "click" with, but that others loved. I guess its like that with any musical instrument.
-
Good eye, that is indeed a Bb/F. Unfortunately, I'm not particularly fond of that era of Wheatstones. There are some good examples out there however, but for now I'm looking for something slightly better.
-
Greetings,
I'm somewhat in the market for an anglo - 26-30 buttons, preference to a vintage instrument, but open to some current makers.
I play Irish music, and find myself playing in sessions more often these days. Kind of hoping to stick to that elusive middle-of-the-road price range above hybrids, but below the top tier makers.
Let me know what you have
-
Sale pending
-
Excellent condition, two years old. Includes hard case and tool set. Nicely played in.
I was wrong about Jeffries layout, its Dana's own layout which is close to Jeffries but slightly modified.
$3000 USD SOLD
-
I had Gregg Myers make me a dual-mic pickup system using his "feather" mics. It works extremely well and is quite elegant, I just haven't had as much need for it as I thought I would.
The two mics attach either via suction cups or small clips to both sides of the concertina, and have a single output to a 1/4" jack.
I'd be willing to sell it for $140 USD, shipped anywhere. Otherwise, I'll keep it as I'll need it eventually.
Thanks,
Patrick
-
I'd be happy to put up a sound file and a review, although I don't have experience with other pickups to compare to. Paul will likely be able to offer more in that regard. I'm going from using two SM57's.
As for price, it was under $200 CDN after shipping and exchange rate, so to me it seemed like a bargain.
-
Well I couldn't take the suspense, so I went and ordered myself the same setup that Paul has. For the price, even if it isn't perfect, it will serve its purpose. The two mics are attached by a suction cup to the instrument, and they are linked to a belt pack.
I'll report back when it arrives!
Colin Dipper Instrument #47 C/g Anglo
in Buy & Sell
Posted
No, when there was a picture of the other side of the instrument there is an additional button on the inside of the left hand C row.