Ed Stander

Azalin: I'll be heading up to Montreal next week.....

Yes - the name Shantyman was the fellow oft times hired by the captain to keep the crew entertained while they struggle along in menial labor. I've had a number of E-mails asking about price. I didn't mean to keep anyone in suspense - I just had no idea what it might be worth in the present financial melee. I'm sure it is a good investment - certainly better than money in the bank (or the stock market) these days, and a lot more fun to play with, but actual worth is defined on the basis of a combination of factors - most of which I've little knowledge of. Hence the reticence to quote price. On the other hand - my wife - knowing little of concertinas and less of the stock market, has suggested a going price of 9500$. This, I believe, is cheaper than a divorce, and so I'll let it stand for the moment, though I'm still open to offers. Remember, while money is fleeting, a concertina is forever. Best - Ed

Actually, I'm in Albany, or at least close enough to smell the politicians... E.

And the layout as requested: Left Hand: F/E A#/A d#/c# g/a a#/g# G/C B/G d/c f/e a/g c#/f# A/B f#/d a/g c'/b e'/d' c#'/f#' g/g Right Hand: c#/c# g/a a#/g# d#'/c#' f'/a' a/g b/c' d'/e' f'/g' a'/c" b"/e" d#/f f#/g a/b c'/d' e'/g' f'/b' Air Best - Ed

Photos as requested, but please don't blame me if it gives you concertina envy. I'm envious, even though I presently own it! The color of the Ambonya is most like the side photo. I don't know why the other photos are a bit washed out.... I will post the button layout shortly. I'm located in New York. Best - Ed

Dear All: I am selling my beloved 35 note Dipper Shantyman concertina. Ambonya ends, 7 fold green bellows with papers, s/n 182. This has been my pride and joy since receiving it some 5 years ago, but college calls and one must obey. It is in perfect condition, plays like a Dipper (fast and loud when you want to be, mellow when you don't), and comes with a magnificent leather case. For those who have not heard of the Shantyman, it is a concertina designed by Colin to accompany singing. It is tuned in standard C/G tuning, but has longer reeds which, when combined with the wood ends, provides a somewhat mellower edge to the sound. Please E-mail me if interested, quote me your best price, and I'll take it from there. I'll also be happy to provide specific photos on request. This hurts more than I care to say, but my wife is the final arbiter; and while this will probably keep me up for nights on end, I am happy to report that she has not yet found the Dipper restored Jeffries hidden away in the closet...... The one concession I have received from her is this listing. I'd much rather this go to a CNET player than a collector. Please E-mail with questions, and I'll try to post photos this evening. Best - Ed.

6000$ seems like a lot of money for a Jeffries Duet in such unkempt condition. Perhaps I should start making them.... Best - Ed Jeffries.

Wait... If it gets canceled, do I still win? Ed.

Paul: So wherein lies the problem? I just put a bid on your concertina for 10,000$ If I win, would you be so kind as to send it my way ASAP? I want to relist it. Best - Ed Stander

There are still a lot of treasures out there, most assuredly. My entry into the world of concertinadom came 10 years ago at the old songs festival in Altamont NY. I just happened to walk in on a discussion re. a concertina about to be put up for adoption at the used instrument table. I asked how much he was hoping for, and he quoted me a price of 300$. I gave him 350$ on the spot, and have been enjoying my good fortune ever since. It turned out to be a beautiful Jeffries Duet in the key of F. Life can be sweet at times.... E.

Folks: Just offering a heads up on a 46 button Jeffries Anglo I've listed on the bay. The concertina is in excellent shape (apart from the absence of a bird whistle....) and was reconditioned by the Button Box in 2002 or thereabouts. It plays beautifully, but has to go to help finance a new home. Besides, I have another in the closet that is crying out to be played more often (chuckle). Hopefully this will stop the specter of scams before they rise up and call for attention. Best - Ed. The URL is as follows: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=120157253598

Yes, Paul: I bid 3500$ or therabouts for your concertina. When do you plan to send it? I'm still waiting! Best - Ed

Daniel: They sent me an E-mail stating that they had closed the auction, and suggested some ways I might (might being the operative word) recoup my losses. Nice. Ed.

Hi folks: I placed the winning bid for Paul's concertina. Paul - since, by rights i won the auction, please wrap your Wheatstone up and send it along when you have time. It sure looks like a beauty...... I didn't want anyone to get stuck with it so I topped the bids, knowing that sooner or later EBAY would catch up and kill the thing. By the way - the seller not only changed the name on the account, but also changed the user information available to the buyer, so everything matched. The only mistake he made lay in offering Paypal, but not having the same account name or E-mail address. Best - Ed

Squeezora: I just want to mention that I never answer message from web sites that come across as E-mail. I ALWAYS go to the web site itself and read the messages there. If the message is not waiting for me, it was never sent by that particular authority. I think this is the only way to truly avoid the scammers. Best of luck with the auction! Ed.

I have Two: a 50 Key Jeffrey Bros (23 Praed) in F, and a 58 key Jeffrey Bros (23 Praed) in C. Best - Ed

Alan: Probably too late for this, but if you have a jew's harp, bring it along. It's a fine way to show what goes on inside a concertina without opening the thing. Harmonicas are nice too - particularly if you segway from the jew's harp. I do this all the time here in Frigid New York. E.

Hello! Check the harmonized tariff schedule, and make sure the proper number is given to the shipper, so he can list it on the export forms. If the instrument is 100 years old or older, copy over any web information to that effect, and include it with the instrument. It can then be sent as an antique, and as such is free of customs duty! By the way - for all concerned - it is worthwhile downloading the hamonized tariff schedules and having them ready whenever something is shipped from overseas. I've caught Fed-ex and UPS several times making up numbers for expediency, and charging me much higher tariffs than necessary. In one recent case - they listed a camera lens as a fiber optics bundle, and charged me over 6% on an item that should have passed for under 3%. Best - Ed

Folks: Just to let you know that the Jeffries Duet presently on EBAY is presently (and happily) sitting in my music room, far from the hands of the scammer listing it on that famous auction site. It is a nice concertina, but probably not worth bidding on, since it isn't for sale. Best - Ed Stander

Folks: Just a note to the squeamish. The Jeffries Duet presently on EBAY is real. The name has not been changed, as no-one is particularly innocent. I'm selling as I simply have too many Jeffries Duets. If anyone has an interest, I'll be glad to end the auction early and sell it to a real person. The starting bid was my actual cost with repairs. I will not be sending out second chance bids at a later time.... I'll leave that to the scammers (sigh). Best - Ed Stander.

C'mon people, don't you remember the '60's? You take a hammond organ, and place a fan in front of the speaker and you get a Leslie Organ and sell millions of copies of your acid rock music. I think psychodelic concertina may be the wave of the future. Enough folk music already!

Jim: I'm impressed. Either you have too much time on your hands (ie. no wife and/or children) or you have found a professional calling. It took me hours to plow through the first leger, and I never even made it to the third. Have you run a complete analysis on the legers? I've thought about it, but haven't had the time due to other commitments (ie. the aforementioned wife and children). Cheers - Ed

Bill: Before you sign off, there are a couple of things you can do to appease the wife. While diamonds and such come to mind right off the bat, their cost might be prohibitive. A more logical thing to consider is installing felt baffles in the concertina ends. These soften the tone enormously, and sweeten it as well. I well remember my first days with banjo - the only thing that saved me was the baby diapers shoved in behind the head. Baffles do the same thing. Secondly - there is a difference between instruments. Old Wheatsones are a lot quieter than the newer varieties. Some are definitely not parlor instruments, while some are.... And finally - if all else fails, turn the wife's hearing aid down. That always works. BEst - Ed

Jim: It is a 3 1/8 miniature aeola - the one that is not pictured in the brochure. I'll try to get some pictures up this afternoon. As for what constitutes a miniature - I left it to Wheatstone in my scan of the legers. If they called it a mini, that was enough for me. My guess is the break-off point comes when there is enough room for finger straps. BEst - Ed

Greg: I've a feeling that 18 button Aeolas as rarer than hen's teeth. I went through the entire (published) Wheatstone Leger and found only one (# 32150). I'd love to know if others exist. The Scale runs frim G' to C''' with the associated chromatics. 8 Fold Bellows and english spacing without the thumb or finger holds. A really neat instrument and cute - only 3 inches across the flats. The School Shows are presently an avocation for me, as I'm really a geology prof. However, I hope to delve deeper into childrens theatre over the next little while, so who's to say..... Best - Ed.