Animaterra

Hello, everybody! I'm happy to report that the Jeffries has gone to a happy home - near my hometown in NH. I'm so glad that it will be played regularly again- it was lonely in the closet! Thanks, David, for your advice and support, and to the whole C-net community for being a great place. All bright wishes for the season to you all.

Still available.

Hello, friends. It has been a long time since I have frequented this place. It has been about the same period since I spent any time playing my concertina. I confess that I have gone over to the dark (PA) side and I'm not sorry. But I've kept my beloved Jeffries all this time, thinking "maybe, someday." But someday has never come. And now I have a need to do some de-accessioning, in order to finally get hold of a financial situation that will no longer be ignored. So I appeal to you here, to please spread the word or consider your own long-held desire for this instrument. What is it worth these days, do you think? I inherited it from my previous beloved, Byron Smith, who died in 2003 of a heart attack. He bought it from the Button Box, who got it from the estate of an actor, unknown to me, who had a collection of concertinas. I had it looked over once, but it hasn't been seriously reconditioned since the Button Box. The bellows are a bit loose, but it is otherwise in excellent condition. I have more photos here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1w2KsTsrq0DSC2eXxPSzw18SMYLfvY0FB

I wish I could afford TradMad as well as ECD week! You're a great teacher, Jody, and I'm sure it will be a fantastic week.

I'll be there most of the weekend, sans concertina.... My husband Hunt Smith and I are giving a workshop on "How to Play by Ear" at the delightful hour of 9 pm on Friday. I'll be in charge of guitar chords! My women's chorus, Animaterra, and I will be leading a "Sing for Joy" workshop at noon on Sunday in the HS auditorium. For part of Saturday I'll be running away for awhile to visit my friends at Seven Arrows Herb Farm in Seekonk, Mass. It will be lovely to see many of you at NEFFA!

Wow- Thanks, Don! (and Alan!) After something of a concertina-hiatus while I focused on (sorry) piano accordion, I am playing my beloved Jeffries once again, and whaddya know, up jumps a new student! I have a feeling he only wants me to point him in the right direction, so I am going to hand him your link as well as Alan's web page. Nice to see my old friends here!

Thank you, David. I strolled over here to CNet today, as someone reminded me that I first came here 10 years ago today! I knew Mac and he was a hero to me and so many others. I sat at his side many nights in Nelson as I was learning to "boom chuck" and he always made room for me, offered suggestions, let me ask questions. I'll never be as good a player as he was. But what an honor to try to stretch to follow his giant's foot steps. About 3 years ago a young man came to me to learn to "boom chuck". After two lessons I basically told him I was not worthy of his talent, and that he should go see Mr. Mac. Bob spent one trial session with him, and announced "For you, there will be no charge". Matt is now one of the best rising young contra pianists in the region. The others Bob helped number in the hundreds, or more probably thousands. I still have my Jeffries and pull it out every now and then. It's nice to be back for a bit here.

Argh! Amherst is a mere 60 miles away and I didn't see it his until today! Fancy coming to NH for brunch today, Bertram? I just baked bread yesterday and could tempt you with some homemade blueberry jam.... Rats.

If I can find the money, I'd really like to come!

This is perfect! Thanks so much! Allison

Hello, friends! I have a new student who wants to learn to play her 20-button C/G Stagi (I'm not really qualified to do anything other than get her started, and lead her through basic musicianship, but that's what she wants, so here we go!). Somehow I assumed I would be able to find a chart on-line to print out for her. Haven't found one yet- can anyone lead me to one, please? ETA: Of course, in the subject line I meant 20 BUTTON not "20 row" (now, that would be some concertina to see!)

Amen, brother! Now, would this sound better on English or Anglo???

Thanks, everyone- I only had one person's word that it was a tenor-treble- I suspect it's just a treble, as the low notes aren't *that* low, and the fingering matches the various charts I have. I believe Ken Sweeney looked at it at some point and felt that the reason the bellows don't close is something about the construction inside; the case is wide enough to accommodate it in its "relaxed" state. Stephen, I took the picture with "Photo booth" and I believe that, yes indeed, the photo is reversed! It looked normal to me, since it's what I would see in the mirror! I will go down to the Button Box this week sometime and have them take a look at it. Thanks for all your comments!

Hello, old friends. I'm back in concertina-land; haven't been playing the Jeffries anglo much lately asmy dear husband Hunt and I have been busy playing contra dance music on fiddle (he) and piano and (gasp) AP (me). But lately there's been a nagging wonder about whether I should revisit my first concertina interest, which was English. So I went to the Button Box, rented a Jackie, played it a bit, but the sound quality put me off, and it sits on the piano, unopened and untouched. What I really wanted, I told my husband, was a Wheatstone tenor/treble in decent condition. Two days later.... a friend was visiting from England. I told him of my wants, never suspecting that he is in fact trying to sell, er, a Wheatstone tenor/treble in decent condition... which was currently housed at a friend's house, in my own state of NH. The friend is Tom H, denizen of CNet, and I was already slated to drive the Englishman to Tom's house. So now I've got this Wheatstone tenor/treble in decent condition, on long-term loan while I decide what to do and whether I can afford it. I'm enjoying it immensely, and as Tom suggested when I first picked it up, it isn't taking long for me to get the muscle-memory back (not that it was very strong when I left off playing). So, I'd like to learn more about it. Tom, if you're here, feel free to chime in. It has been completely overhauled by someone in England, my friend couldn't remember who. New bellows, but they don't close completely. No air button. Looks like new buttons, possibly new reed pan, new thumb straps... and no serial number. What do you suppose it's worth? Or is it a bit like my grandfather's axe? I don't know how to post photos anymore, but here are the bellows: The label is a paper oval and reads: C. WHEATSTONE & CO. INVENTORS, PATENTEES MANUFACTURERS 15 West St., Charing X Rd LONDON, W.C.

And what a fine time it was! The best part of the weekend was following around the fine concertinists- Jody Kruskal, Brian Peters, and John Roberts were amazing! I got to dance for the first time to Grand Picnic- thanks, Jody. I'm inspired and happy to be back squeezing again!