PwH

Hi Keith, I’ve just moved into New Brighton and have been learning the English concertina for a while. I’d be interested in getting together with other players. Have you got a group running now? Cheers, Peter.

Interestingly it was taken off sale not long after I sent this mail and got this reply . Note he offers to have it brought to me - Phishing for an address? I don't think I'll be following this up! (QUOTE) Hi and thanks for the email.The concertina is like new. The buy it now price including shipping is £2,000 (delivered anywhere in UK). I will get somebody to bring it to you if you decide to buy it but we have to close the deal through eBay, inspection period prior buying it along with a refund policy will be included in the sale terms. Let me know if you want details on how to complete the sale.It's located in Aberdeen From: peterwhennessey@hotmail.com To: MichaelAtkins1966@hotmail.com Subject: Concertina Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 09:55:02 +0100 Hi Michael, As requested I am contacting you regarding this concertina. Can you give me more details about the instrument please? What is your view on it's value? You must be aware that £9.99 is a ridiculously low starting price for this item, even if it needs some work doing on it, which the photo suggests it won't need much. How long have you had it , and what is it's history? Do you know how old it is? Thanks, Peter H. (UNQUOTE)

Auction ended early-- In my ignorance I thought eight sided Wheatstones were all Aeolas- is this not the case? Peter H

Oops- sorry for the double posting- too impatient with my button clicking!

Sorry for the double posting- too impatient with my button clicking!

An Aeola for £9.99? Is it a scam? http://www.ebay.co.u...=item33764c0320 I mailed him for details ----

An Aeola for £9.99? Is it a scam? http://www.ebay.co.u...=item33764c0320 I mailed him for details ----

Hi All, I rather fancy this 64 key Aeola 29692 I've seen for sale and wondered if anyone knows anything about it? It looks like it has been heavily used, and the left end is rather badly cracked with at least one key wonky. Asking price is £3295. It's in the ledgers here http://www.horniman....ES/D1P1880S.HTM on May 11th 1923. Very sparse entry, would it be a tenor/treble or something else? Hopefully will get to see and handle it soon. Would this be a fair price in this condition? I suspect a refurb would cost getting on for a Grand? Regards, Peter H.

Yes, it was. And very nice they look too. Haven't had a repolish on the ends or anything, still the original 'patina' - or is that years of abuse and neglect? Haven't quite decided yet !!

Well, just a bit of an update, my box is now working well and sounds grand. Have to confess I bottled out of doing it myself and gave it to a man I met in a pub to sort out. (One Pete Grassby from Coventry). He has done a really nice job, had the bellows done by a chap in Wales and sorted the rest himself including swapping one of the reed pans for a spare from a scrap machine. Gave me a years guarantee on the work including any settling in and tuning issues. I am very happy with his work and would happily recommend him. Now all I have to do is learn to play.! I am about half way through Frank Butlers 'The Concertina' as I write and boning up on a few carols as well. Might even play in public sometime next year :-) Merry Christmas everybody !

Hi All, Having had a look round some of the forums here I've been encouraged to try and fettle this one myself. I've managed to get the actions going pretty well by resetting a few lever posts and reglueing some pads. I even managed to refelt one of the button/lever joints- However I can't get the reed pans to seal properly and on inspection they are both shrunken in size by up to 1mm and warped across the grain by some 5 mm or so . Is there anything I can do about this, or is it a terminal condition? I've thought about resetting the bellows blocks and building up the ribs to fit , or trying to straighten the pans with moisture and a press but am afraid to try such radical measures without some expert advice. All help gratefully received . Thanks, PwH.

By the sound of things I must have just beaten you to it, by about 5 yrs! lucky me!

And a couple more, strangely some of the reeds are mounted in brass and the rest in steel. Why is this?

Chris Think you are right - did she used to be on the corner of King st and Sage Cross st or somewhere around there? Peter

Hi Guys, and thanks for the replies, I now know an awful lot more about my box than I did before (which was pretty much nothing I must admit). Isn't the internet a marvelous thing! Stephen, thanks for the info about JE dallas, I've had a look at it again and it is badged "Dallas 'ALL STAR TESTED' band instruments". So we know who had it made and sold it. Geoff, you're right, the number is 389360, every part is numbered and some are more distinct than others but it's definitely a 38 at the beginning. So I suppose it was made in 1938 then? On the inside of each reedplate? is the stamp "CRABB & SON MAKERS LONDON" and inside one end mechanism is the oval rubber stamp in red ink "R WHITTEN FOR CONCERTINAS 79 Upland Rd, Barry Rd, E. Dulwich" (last word very indistinct, I think it's Dulwich). The endplates are totally flat, with no felt bushings on the keys (price engineering?) I think the keys may be aluminium but can't be sure. It certainly resembles the picture you posted. Will try to post some photo's later Chris, the junkshop was in a part of town that suffered heavily when they built the inner "bypass" or thruway, i think it might be gone now. Haven't been back much for years so cant be sure. I remember they had a lovely banjo as well but I couldnt afford both. Seem to remember paying a fiver for the concertina which was about half a weeks wages at the time- crazy world we live in, kids get more pocket money now!! All the Best, Peter H

Dallas would make sense, as Harry Crabb was building concertinas for them in the 1930s. Stephen, Thanks , I'm 99% sure you're right, but that begs the question - Dallas All Stars as in basketball team? If so what was one of their instruments doing in a junk shop in Melton Mowbray in the early seventies? Or is there no connection at all with the USA? Very puzzling! Cheers, Peter H

Hi All (and especially Mr Crabb) I have owned an English 48 button concertina for about 33yrs now but never really learned to play. It's now time to do so and I've put it in for refurbishment. On opening it up Terry Birtles of Coventry Accordians found the name of Crabb and the number 889360 inside. There is a dealer stamp in there too but I can't remember the details. Metal keys and badged as Texas All Star Band instruments (or maybe Dallas- haven't got it in front of me and the memory ain't what it used to be!). Any info would be gratefully received. Thanks , Peter H