bellowbelle

Self-semi-quarantined, but enjoying the Viral Tune Swap.

Hello, me again after a long time of not visiting. Like everyone else for the most part i am forced to deal with a shut-down world.... will watch DVDs of The Twilight Zone and all that, but some concertina playing is good, too. I'd started posting some audio on my website again recently. So I sent my 'join group' request at Jim's Facebook site. Good idea.

Good idea (bottle tube). What I have is the A18 - 18 buttons, so not exactly "mini" compared to true minis. The inset in the pic below shows the Stagi compared to a regular sized EC, the Morse Albion.

Richard, nice work! I think it's a great "art form" making these bags/ containers because it's something you need but you can also do whatever you want. Dave, the bellows just rest slightly open, as I've let them do, but it seems to work alright at least for this mini Stagi. I guess I wouldn't do that with my regular sized concertinas, a Morse Geordie baritone and Morse Albion treble, and a Bastari.

If you go to my Twitter link, the previous tweet is a short video of the tote. This tote was impromptu and kind of tossed together... but I like it. Had a case for the mini Stagi at one time but it always seemed small and then it got wrecked, anyway. So anyway, just thought I'd share this, for fun... Not trying to sell any, really, but I guess that's a possibility sometime.

If I missed you there.... Sorry. I was having a big problem with my left ear being blocked (finally got better) and conversations were a challenge. Then, my friend and I left early because, all totalled, we had way too many challenges. Hope the attendees had a great time. I did get in a little bit of playing on Friday night. I don't expect to bother attending any more NESIs, though we enjoyed our long drive anyway and made some other stops here and there. One big challenge was that, though I chose the 'lodge' accommodation over 'cabin,' the only real difference I think may be that the lodge has electricity. But this difference meant little to us because the lodge rooms have two sets of bunk beds and unless you are extremely short (I'm short, but not enough) it's not possible to really sit on the bed upright. There's no chair in the room, there was a lounge with chairs upstairs (didn't see one downstairs) but my friend can't climb stairs like that. I sat upstairs for a while but the whole building kind of put me off so I slept sitting up in my van in the parking lot (about 1/4 mile or less up the road...too far for my friend to walk.....was not able to park where we stayed all the time). I didn't dare to stay on Saturday after only a little sleep, had to do the drive on what steam I had left. So I'll keep playing but I guess I ain't a NESI girl.

Hi, Alex, didn't mean to be so slow to reply. Yes, the Bastari has rounded buttons (white buttons in the pic). The Geordie buttons are not extremely smaller but they seem solid and more.... pithy is the word that comes to mind.

Hmm, I'll find out about that, whether or not I'd decide to do it. My Albion treble EC is an oldie, I think it was 2002 when I got it (number 108 I think?). The Geordie baritone is much newer... time flies and memory fails, don't have the papers in front of me but I guess it's about....5 years old (?). Number 1039. At this point, I never play for a long period of time anyway, so if my fingers are in pain I can always practice with the Bastari and then switch to the other buttons. I have some thin, natural silk glove liners and they help ease the impact on the fingers and aren't too bulky. It's a little annoying to wear them but it works!

I like everything about my Morse concertinas, the English Albion treble 37-button (which I haven't played for a long time because I have to get a repair done) and the Geordie English 45 button, the baritone (the one I play, needs no repair). BUT....those Delrin buttons...hmm... I know they are probably the best choice for getting the best action, but I also have a Bastari 48 button English and an 18 button Stagi. I really like those cheaper plastic buttons because they are (apparently) hollow. They absorb the vibrations of hitting the notes more than the Delrin (solid?) ones do. I am one who has problems with very sore fingers at times, so maybe I notice this difference more. Of course, The Bastari is a much cheaper concertina, but I choose to play it sometimes because the buttons will take the vibrations and not my fingers. I guess if you want the very best action you'd go with the solid buttons but....glad I have both to choose from.

I don't know if it's the best option, but I like to use Mod Podge decoupage as a glue. I like the Dishwasher Safe formula, and I think I once used it as a glue (instead of a surface coating) but diluted it with some water first. The other Mod Podge formulas are good, especially a dilution of the one intended for use on fabric (but on paper). Best applied with a small foam brush.

I don't like much social media involvement. But I have a flickr photo site, and I joined 2 "groups" there: Concertina, Melodeon, and Accordion -- and The Art Of The Concertina. Of course, they are for photo sharing, though I see there is a link for discussions, too.

Thinking of you all, kind of wish I were there too! Haven't been to NESI in a few years at least. Maybe the next one... Nice weather I think, this time. I am near Worcester MA but I think it's about the same weather today.

Ha ha, I like that one! Steam punk Cheeseburger... Ha ha

Caterpillar a.k.a. woolly bear. I have a photo I call 'Similarities in Nature' that is composed of my EC and a caterpillar. I don't think I can upload it right now, though I do have it at my website and here and there.

Nice! Got it