Pete Dunk

No Jim, you're not on your own - but I've learned from other Invision Board forum upgrades that the best you can do is grin and bare it. After a few days the bugs are fixed and it seems like it's always been that way. In the mean time, doesn't it make your teeth itch? Before too long the other forum I frequent (also 'powered by Invision Board') will do the same thing but I'll be ready for it then.

Hey, when did we get those cool little people icons by our names, I presume when they are not greyed out it means we're logged in? Now that I look there are a bunch of little changes. Maybe that is why I couldn't use the forums link to get here a few minutes ago. So it would seem Dana; the little icons are now 'hot' showing when we are on line and allowing shortcuts to member profiles, PMs and so on. The wonders of modern technology! It would seem that posting options have been upgraded too. I guess we old folk will just have to feel our way around for a while.

It took me a while to find it, then I lost it again but here's a link to the Concertina.net Museum

Nigel, you should definitely get in touch with Wim. You'll find him most helpful, I'm sure he'll talk you through things. Good luck!

As you live in Austria you might be better off buying Rochelle and Jackie concertinas direct from Concertina Connection. Remember that the prices on this website are less tax so you have to add 19% to the amount shown. Wim Wakker, who designed these instruments, provides excellent support if you have any problems. I have a Jack and a Jackie and I'm very pleased with them. It's a long time since I played a Stagi but I do remember it being pretty awful. I might have an 'as new' Jackie for sale in a few weeks time but postage to Europe could be quite expensive. You say your son has 'high function' autism, does he have Asbergers or another form of ASD? I ask because I work at a specialist school and we have a number of pupils with Asbergers. I will happily have a word with the music teacher regarding instruments best suited to ASD sufferers if you wish but I won't be back at work for another two weeks. Pete.

If you are in the UK, Hobgoblin have what they describe as a large concertina case - model GR4873 @ £14.99. I bought two for my Jack and Jackie and if anything they are slightly too large but that leaves room to fit blocks for a snug fit. These cases have been reduced to clear and there are only 8 left.

Sounds like a valve problem. I would speak to the vendor (Button Box?), depending on the construction the valves for the push reeds may not be easily accessible. If you've bought this instrument recently you may invalidate the warranty by opening it up before speaking to the people you bought it from.

Hello Dan, you should read this article on concertina reeds. Blowing through the frame will not result in any sound at all, the reed needs to be drawn down into the frame slot in order for a note to be played. The reed tongue itself makes no sound, it is the air passing through the small gap around the tongue, between it and frame, that makes the note we hear. Blowing air through the frame would only push the reed away from the slot resulting in no sound at all.

Many thanks for all of the input, I'm just sorry I missed the original thread and went back over old ground. It turned up a few more interesting comments and ideas though. I've got my eye on a second hand gauge but the shop was closed for a half day today. If that doesn't work out I'll be making something to set the first key accurately and then trying out Dana's idea (while double checking my accuracy with the gizmo).

Some players of PA have ideas above their station! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hmTG9wTfrzk&...ted&search=

Hello Dave, the type of (bellows) foot pump mentioned also deflates air-beds etc, so it can blow or suck depending which port you attach the hose to. I'm still tempted to try it out because it is the work of minutes to put it together, parts costs are negligible and it will either work or not. If nothing else it's an interesting experiment!

I need to replace all of the springs in a 48 key Wheatstone concertina because they have become weak and some even have trouble exerting sufficient force to seal the pads properly. I've bought the springs and I'm ready to go but I have no idea how to go about setting the springs to give a fairly uniform tension of around 60g force throughout the instrument. Obviously the longer levers will overcome the spring pressure much more easily than the shorter ones so I assume that some kind of force meter is required in order to ensure that the keys have a uniform response. I googled around a bit and was alarmed by the cost of proper test instuments. So is there a simple method of setting spring tension? Is there some simple device I can cobble together myself that will give me a near enough indication without resorting to laboratory test kit?

Try reading this article, it may explain a few things.

That's interesting Wes, I posted pictures in another thread of a box I made to support a concertina while working on it. It occurred to me at the time to make a bolt on top with a reed slot in it and drill a small hole in the side so that I could use the kind of camping foot pump you describe. I wondered if such a contraption might not work properly as it wouldn't really be anything like a set of bellows. I'm encourage to try this out now as you are obviously pleased with the results you are getting and it's slightly less involved than making a full blown jig from an old set of bellows with no end frames. Foot pumping seems a bit better than knee operating too. edited because of the usual typos.

Leonor, I'm with Ken here; if you want to try English concertina I can thoroughly recommend the Jack/Jackie concertinas because I have one of each. I'm looking to upgrade shortly but I'll probably keep the Jack because vintage baritones are that much harder to come by and therefore significantly more expensive. You'll have a playable instrument that will retain a good portion of its' value if it doesn't work out or you want to upgrade at a later stage. It's a lot cheaper than the 56 key Stagi too!

Oo er! I'm sorry to have to tell you that you are showing early signs of CAD (concertina acquisition disorder) which is the slippery slope to bankruptcy! Once you have one of each type you will want all of the variations and all of the makers.. you'll hunt down a Louis Lachenal as well as a Lachenal and Co. You'll drive yourself frantic trying to find a Wheatstone label which reads 'By His Majesty's Letters and Patents.. etc' as well as 'By Her Majesty's Letters and Patents.. etc' You'll lust after Aeolas, pine for an Edeophone, dribble over pictures of a Jeffries. You're doomed I tell you, doomed!

As you are already a musician you'll know what I mean when I say that a really poor instrument is the worst thing you can give a beginner, cheap and cheerful is ok but almost unplayable certainly isn't. I can't see how any concertina at that price can be anything other than awful. I would advise you to look at other concertinas like the Rochelle. It's a good starter instrument that holds it's value quite well and there is a trade up policy at Concertina Connection which means you get your money back when you buy a much better instrument. (Edited cos I can't type!)

The A-56-N is a 56 key tenor/treble. Retails in the UK at £495. One company in the UK discounts squeezeboxes massively, don't ask me how they do it, they just do. I keep being tempted by the Stagi 18 key miniature at only £168.75 (including tax) when most others sell it at around £250 As long as it's the right model and that's what you want, snap it up.

Actually no, all this proves it that you cannot understand the British psyche. Getting up in public and making a complete fool of yourself is a way of life here. It's not about being the best or even being good, it's about doing something you believe in and want to do, and, dare I say it, having fun in the process, if others want to stand by and jeer that's their problem. I'm the first in line to ridicule Morris dancers but I have to say that if I go along as a spectator I always have a really good time.

Hello Wim, good to hear you are heading for the mid priced market in a big way; how many keys will the new English model have, and will it be available as a baritone too (I love my Jack! )?

Thanks for clearing that up Woody, I'd looked at the Stephanelli boxes on the net several times and wondered if the Chinese had ripped off the Rochelle and were selling it cheaper elsewhere with a different badge. If only Wim Wakker would settle down and create an intermediate design costing around £450-£500. That would knock Staggi for six and create a really playable instrument that would serve new players well through the first two or three years of real progress before they needed to think about upgrading. This is probably more of an issue with the English models which have such a limited range, it took me just three months to run out of notes at the top end. The r/h top G# is available as a l/h Ab but learning alternative (and distinctly odd) fingerings doesn't seem to be the way to go..... I suppose he only has a limited amount of time to spend on design, coupled with the fact that there comes a point where the next level of improvement becomes disproportionately expensive. But we can dream, eh?

The left thumb over the top is a pretty common thing amongst fingerstyle guitarists David. Never encouraged as a thing for beginners to do because it's classed as poor technique. I felt guilty for years using this trick until I saw a film of Segovia doing the self same thing in the middle of a classical piece with great aplomb, now I feel I'm in good company!

Hello Christian, I've done a fair bit of audio cleanup work over the years using both SoundForge and WaveLab, feel free to post or PM any queries and I'll do my best to answer them. It might help if I know which software/plugins etc., you are using; and what, if any, outboard hardware. Pete.

You've got mail!

Hello Iain, You say the action has been rebuilt, do you know who did the work? What general area do you live in and would it be possible to take a look at it in person? Pete.