Ken_Coles

Another experienced tech in the US is Bob Snope at the Button Box in Mass. (which is still doing repairs, just no retail or manufacturing). Last week he gave me a place in the repair queue which he said he'd probably get to "in December." I'm guessing someone here who has been in touch with Greg lately will chime in. Ken

We normally leave old topics up. If you have sold the instrument, just edit the topic title and add "SOLD". Ken

Not only does Clare have a style, but east Clare and west Clare differ, is my general impression. The experts here will likely chime in. And didn't Gearoid O'H. write a dissertation on Irish concertina playing and styles? (same disclaimer - my recollection is hazy here). Ken

There are half a dozen nice Englishes on offer this weekend at the Northeast Squeeze-In in Connecticut, so there are quite a few of them out there. You'll hear from potential sellers before long, I expect. Ken

And another coincidence: Today my wife showed me a video she just found online, and it is David Coffin leading a song at the Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival in 2010. Great job there too. Ken

My impression is that this was Rich Morse's approach. He once pointed out to me that some of the other makers in North American had other means/income, while he had to pay all his employees every month, sales or not. So (at that time) his concertinas were all the same color. Ken

There is an old thread here with lots of info (I recall a discussion of glues, etc.) - someone may be able to find it for you. Ken

Yes, someone in Columbus was looking for a concertina player to help them learn and I thought of you. Hope that was OK. Ken

I'll invite you to add your query to the thread here Lachenal dating thread Which usefully archives all the answers to similar questions for ease of future searching. Just go there and add this question and the experts will chime in shortly. Thanks, and welcome aboard. Ken

Alan Dormire is out that way somewhere. Don't recall his handle here; he may attend the NE squeeze in this month. If I remember I'll ask him. Ken

Wim Wakker makes his hybrid anglos in C/G only, so far as I know. Another North American source is Frank Edgley in Ontario, Canada. Ken

One consideration we don't see (without opening the instrument) is that the design needs to route all the levers among the buttons and that may account for slight irregularities one sees on some old instruments. Agreed that the modern builders can shed light on this; we'll see if they chime in here. Ken

Like switching between Lach/Wheatstone and Jeffries fingering, I find I can switch rake after some muscular reset and do OK. I'm not a lightning or virtuoso player so others may be able to tell you more. And the Kensington was made by a good friend (I knew Dana before he was making them) and I love the sound. That said I play the Morse a lot (Rich Morse was another friend, such a community this is). Everyone has their ideal setup and it is individual. Keep the tunes going, Ken

Exactly! Thank you.

As the owner of a Kensington and a Morse (I'm looking at them both right now), I might suggest there could be another factor: button rake, as I've heard it referred to. A Morse has the rake of a Lachenal: as you go from, say the first button in row 1 to the one in row 2 and then row 3, that third button is still to the left of the 2nd button down in the first row. On instruments that follow a Jeffries rake, that 3rd row 1st button lines up with the 2nd button in the first row. I paid little heed to this until I played the "traveling" instrument Wim Walker sent around about a decade ago. During my few days with it, I marveled at how well it fit my hands. I realized it had the button rake of the Lachenal and Morse, and not the Jeffries rake found on many new instruments, including the Kensington. This certainly could feel like "half a button off" in row 3 until you adjust to it. I don't avoid Jeffries rake, but it is a consideration in trying (or commissioning) an instrument. Maybe I can find some pictures to illustrate the contrast. Look at the options for anglos on www.wakker-concertinas.com and you'll see this ordering option: Keyboard rake: Wheatstone or Jeffries Few makers give you a choice; many seem to always use one or the other. Maybe it doesn't matter for others (just like my no-bent-wrist-or-I-get-carpal-inflammation doesn't seem to be a concern for many), but I discovered it is noticeable for me. Ken Edited to add: this topic may require its own thread....

No, not typical. I'd be tempted to call it an F/Ab/Bb/C concertina! Ken

One home remedy is to warm a table knife is an alcohol flame and just run it through the wax to reset it. My impression is that it is not high-tech, but we'd better wait for the experts to chime in here. Where are you in Indiana? Ken

Some of the makers I've gotten to know would be unlikely to reveal where they get reeds, or whether they outsource them at all. Others would be all too happy to tell you. In the end, my impression is that many makers want you to believe in the overall quality of their product so you will buy it. Reeds, while admittedly important, are only part of that. Just my tuppence. Ken

I think it is somewhat individual (as these opinions demonstrate). Another consideration is that some (but not all) folks who move both ends may wear the bellows over their leg faster. Some repairers I've talked to say they can tell when this happened. Others say the concertina is a tool, so use it. Have fun, Ken

My first concertina looked exactly like that. Tuned C/G, double set of reeds tuned in octaves. Taught me to find partial chords (mostly open fifths) in several keys. Most common repair needed is to replace the rubber sleeves on the buttons levers - not hard to do. It was serviceable and I used it for four years of learning before getting....a better Stagi! (Many others since of course). Welcome to the madness. Ken

Good luck with your decision/choice. However, I've not heard anything about Wim and Co. suspending operations from anyone/where else and would want to know this from sources near him before giving this credence beyond a rumor. Ken

This is an endless topic. While I encourage thoughtful discussion and anecdotes, please do not get contentious over the physical theory so we don't have to shut down a vociferous debate as in the past. Thanks. Ken

I agree with Jim on the first point: technically the makers of the Morse are still in business; they just aren't making new instruments. I have been hammering on my Morse Ceili since I bought it in 2001 and it has held up very well. I will confess can't separate my opinion of its thoughtful design from my memories of its thoughtful designer, Rich Morse, whom I considered a friend. I built one of the early Clover kits for my wife and it is a fine instrument/design also. Ken

My concertina-playing friend Fr. Tom Mescall studied anglo with John in Chicago and told me it was very useful and enjoyable. NESI folks - note that the Piper's Gathering have pioneered (for some years now) use of the same venue we have this year, Wisdom House in Litchfield CT. They keep going back, so they must like it. Ken

Please, let's stick to music and concertinas. Thanks. Ken