Guernsey Pete

Playing music ; guitars, bass, bouzouki, english concertina, banjo, mandolin, bodrhan; in barn-dance band, irishy sessions, acoustic sessions, folk clubs. Sometimes acommp by Mother-of-my-children on flute, whistle, dulcimer,jews harp, washboard. Building/craftwork; instruments (very slowly - last was teenage daughters electric guitar two years ago ), model boats ( very slowly - big project got banished to the cellar by Mother-of-my-children and is now languishing unfinished -sailing model of New England whaling barque - ne'er got over Moby Dick ). D-I-Y just as slowly, much to disgust of M-o-m-c, bathroom still not re-tiled. Internet ( you'll go blind ), do you realise the more forums you are on the less you can contribute to each ? Sorry, Patrick O'Brian, haven't been there for a bit. Books ( will be your ruin said my mother ). Flat/apartment now full to brim with non-matching shop-soiled Ikea bookshelves laden with volumes. North London slowly sinking into subsoils as a result. Tv/film - now amalgamated with job. as part-time extra/background artist/walk-on. NOT working full-time - this can take up a lot of time in itself. GP

Put me down as an English player ( player being an optimistic term ) in North London. Does that skew the perceived/believed English/english/British statistic ? GP

Well, I think it's a good thing Stephen doesn't have any children too...sorry, Steve, how're you doing in Dublin ? Don't think I've seen you since the Fleadh at Buncrana....we've all passed a lot of water since then.... Elder child is sometimes referred to as Number One Son... I only have one of each...did you know Charlie Chan sounded like that because he was a drunk ? First car was called Emma ( it was an old Avenger ) A later car was called Slightly, by the children, as it was slightly better than the one before. OLY whatever numbers was " Ollie ". The only instrument I ever thought of naming was my home-made electric bass, which a friend suggested be the Dadga - some sort of Celtic God-father figure I believe ? Sounds like a guitar-tuning to me. GP

Lots of good suggestions already. Here's mine; Sixteen men on a ...strictly RL Stevenson, I'm afraid, not authentic, no original tune...but what's wrong with that, to 8 - 10 yo's ? Bernard Miles "Treasure Island" production at the Mermaid Theatre used some authentic songs, including the melody from "A boy to me was bound apprentice, Because his parents they were poor, I took him from St. James's workhouse, All for to sail on a foreign shore" ( what IS the name of that song ? ) as the theme tune, a lovely mournful minor melody. These productions were 35+ years ago.... I believe that the "Popeye" sets were left intact on Malta, at least for some time after the end of the production, for people to visit. Stan Hugills various books on shanties might be a profitable source too, as one extra help. I always think of pirates as very much pre the shanty era, more the Elizabethan to Stuart period, big wigs, heavy coats, romantic shirts....think Captain Hook/Johnny Depp. And not at all cute if you had to endure them, but well..... GP

Anything the SAILORS might have performed would be anything popular on shore - you're a bit before the traditional sea-shanty era, which means the clipper-ship era a generation or two later, plus the Navy didn't allow sea-shanty-singing ( ie as work songs ) anyway. Try looking up english folk-dance tunes of the early 19thc - that's what they would have played. Possibly some irish as well, although irish "dance"music has become rather ubiquitous on the trad music scene ( and I love it, but not probably authentic for the time ). And on fiddle, whistle, fife perhaps. But no mandoline or concertina. GP

I presume you're writing from the States ? I am jealous, I am a great fan of Peter Sellers, and in fact I live now only about a quarter of a mile from where he used to live with his mother......the temptation to name my children Eccles and Bluebottle (little East Finchley scout !) was almost more than I could bear....my New Yorker partner commented that she knew she was becoming assimilated when she started liking the Goon Show and Christmas pudding ! Muppets, of course, have very divided musical talents - have you noticed how all the guitarists, and Kermit on the banjo, play left-handed ? But Rolf and Animal are geniuses ( ?genii ?). Peter Sellers, of course, was not without musical talent, and can be heard playing the ukele on a Steeleye Span album track. GP

Morgana - to come back to your original comment, do you really mean you only own FOUR tin whistles ? I mean, even if you only own one of each pitch there's Bb, C, D, Eb, F, and G...that's without getting into different metals, those mellow-toned wide-bore Irish-made ones, and the low whistles, not to mention ones with funny mouthpieces, and Clarkes. I think you've been stinting yourself. In our house we have a mugful sitting on the shelf. GP

Have you not tried some googling already ? I seem to remember finding, I think, both plans and someones photos of his stages in building one only a few weeks ago. Personally I cheated and went on Ebay and picked one up for half-price, but this is not a recommended way of working - the mother of my children is not happy, and I shall have to sell my second concertina to fund this ! I had previously only managed to get more instruments in the house by building them, but I was a little doubtful about coping with some of the mechanical problems of building a bouzouki - long narrow neck, lots of strings, sturdy soundboard required for all that string tension. But - that's my insecurities - good luck ! GP

Just a footnote - whilst most english players I know DO use the fingerplate, the noted young musician Simon Toumire does not - he also holds his forearms up at about 45 degrees if playing standing up - and he does play very quickly and fluently. GP

Well, the Wheatsone cost me £4.50 back in1969 ! So any money would be profit . Also I had it checked out by Crabb's at the time , who said it did need a bit of work but "the wood's good." The Lachenal is without leaks and re-tuned, but heavier in its action - after playing it a bit I'm not sure I can tell much in tonal difference. As I said before the concertina is not my first instrument, although I am enjoying playing one again, took it out to an informal session yesterday. I would have thought a 150-y-o Wheatstone would be worth codsiderably more than an 80-y-o Lachenal, all other things being equal. The other thing that occurs to me is -How much difference in value does a different model from the same company make ? Is it elsewhere on this site where there is an early price list, and there is an almost 10 X difference in cost between a basic instrument and the top-of-the-range model? How much is this variety reflected in current prices ? - all other things being equal, including finding a buyer who wanys your particular instrument. GP

I think the answers so far clearly indicate that concertina can blend with most instruments -having a different tonality it can play, but be distinguished from, bowed and plucked strings, woodwind, brass, etc. The only criterion is being in tune and having the musical nos, so you do need a concert-pitch instrument, and the rest is up to you. GP

I don't think I have too many instruments for 40 years of playing. However the mother of my children disagrees, after my buying a second concertina, an underpriced Lachenal english, intending to sell it to finance an irish bouzouki, then buying the bouzouki before selling the Lachenal ! So now I have TWO bouzoukis, TWO concertinas, ( & guitars, bass, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, mountain dulcimers, a PA system for the band....) and I still haven't re-tiled the bathroom........ I will admit that when I was in full-time work I had little energy to spare and would fall asleep in front of tv more often than I would pick up an instrument. It needed a favourite artist or an offer of money to get me out of the house to a performance. Now I only work part-time the M-O-M-C complains I am always out to sessions, but it is stimulating her to dust off her rusty flute-playing and accompany me. GP

It all depends what she would want it for - I agree with the comment about accordion/button accordion if she does want to play French music, and the number of buttons on a concertina makes no great difference to the size. However I would argue for the English rather than the Anglo, for the benefits of being fully chromatic. The English might also make more sense to a trained musician ( ducks involuntarily as he writes this ! ). Also, does she actually want a free-reed instrument, or is this just a general idea you have. Perhaps you could make a list of what is in the price-range you were thinking of and offer her a choice. Probably the best point is that even if you are wrong in the choice of instrument it should maintain its value to sell on. GP

Hmmmmmm. I have recently bought a Lachenal english treble 48 - rosewood ends, bone buttons, 5-fold bellows, original case, c 1918 by serial number. The reason for purchase was that it seemed in fair nick and very underpriced ! Anticipating a potential profit I then went ahead and bought a flat-back bouzouki on E-bay. The mother of my children is now raising the mother of all rows because I now own two more instruments ("Which you didn't need !") and have not yet commenced any arrangement for selling. Meanwhile I already own a 150-y-o Wheatstone english, in need of some restoration after my owning it for nearly 35 years, but still more satisfying to play than the newer Lachenal, despite the odd leak in the bellows and a couple of dodgy valves. Any sensible suggestions ? Would selling the Wheatsone be more sensible as at least I should make more profit, on an instrument which is also about the sixth on my list of those regularly-played ? - I'm primarily a fretted instrument player. I would rather have the Wheatstone reconditioned, both from sentiment and nostalgia. And what would they be worth, either of them ? I do well understand it 's all dependant on finding the right buyer. GP

Thanks for the info. Do you have the whole list of concertinas ? I am assumng you can't look back on the Southebys site once the auction is over. I would be especially curious about comparing the expected price with actual final bid. Also £720 for a playable Lachenal English only sounds good before the tax and buyers premium ! I regret not being able to get to the auction, I arrived @ 12.30 to discover it was already over - 300+ lots in 2 hours, some going !