Theo

And there are more kinds of concertina than just anglo. Your friend might be happier with an English or a Duet.

I think that is the most likely interpretation. I’ve previously seen a basic Lachenal English with a paper label for H Boyd Newcastle.

Ive had three 38 key anglos pass through my workshop in recent years. A metal ended one in Aflat/Eflat shown here. I have photos of the internals if you need reference material for a rebuild. The two others were CG rosewood ended, one with metal buttons was as good a player as any Lachenal anglo I've tried, the other had bone buttons and was very average.

I’ve seen reeds that had the pitch raised by adding solder near the fixed end. It completely ruins the performance of the reed. It still makes a sound but the volume is drastically reduced. Removing the solder restored the reeds performance in the examples are be seen.

Looks like a raised ended Jeffries. Could be an anglo?

I have a very similar Lachenal pierced sides, but wooden rather than metal ends. It’s a very good quality instrument with very good reeds.

There are a few basic steps that can help, but not guaranteed to eliminate the smell: 1 thoroughly clean the whole instrument inside and out. Remove dust from external bellows folds, action box, reed pans, internal bellows folds. My usual tools for this are a variety of paintbrushes, used dry, and a blow out with low pressure compressed air. 2 wipe over external surfaces with a soft rag moistened with household detergent. Bathroom cleaners are quite good for this because they are designed to remove residues of perspiration among other things. Follow with a wipe over with a clean rag dampened with clean water to remove any detergent. 3 wax polish external wood and leather

This, which can also be caused by something raised on the inside of the end plate: lump of glue, projecting screw etc.

Spray mount is good for sticking the template in place prior to sawing

Possibly a left luggage office?

£2500 for a 63 Wheatstone that needs repair isn't a gamble, it's a looser for the buyer.

eBay sellers can be very very unrealistic about prices. This one sound seriously overpriced. Much better to buy from somebody who understands what they are selling

The ends are rosewood, doesn't look like a Lachenal pattern. It's common for early EC's like this one to have 4 fold green bellows.

Leaking pads are very likely if this is an old concertina, sometimes even in a new one. Hold one end of the concertina near your ear and press gently without pressing a button. If you can hear air escaping it's likely to be leaking pad, or pads.

Thanks for your message Annelie. I already have several interested buyers. I will let you know if all those drop out.

I'd prefer a UK buyer, but I will consider sending further if i don't find a buyer in a few days.

I think it means that if you want to buy the best Jeffries or Crabb concertina you should pay more attention to how it plays, and less to the name it bears.

Scarlatti CG anglo concertina for sale. £100 including UK delivery. I've been asked to sell this to a beginner who would like to learn anglo, but who can't afford a new instrument. It's as new with it's bag. CG Wheatstone/Lachenal layout.

Another source of material is the cheaper type of old German piano accordion or melodeon which use the same long plate reeds as your concertina. You can harvest the reeds and fit them as Chris suggests above, or if you can find a diatonic with a row of the same pitch you may be able to saw the reed plate in half and use the top half on the right of your concertina and the low half on the left.

Reeds need to have valves fitted to sound properly. This is especially true of low pitched reeds.

Sell it as is would be my advice. Anyone who is any good at repair work will have a lengthy waiting list, and tuning from old pitch to 440 needs someone with experience and a skilled hand with a file. Potential buyers will likely have their own preferences about who they trust to do the work.

And I see they have a black constructional veneer "coming soon" which would mean a nice solid black through the cut edges.

Not sure about oak core, I'd prefer something softer and with less grain if cutting by fretsaw. Walnut is nice, or sycamore as mentioned by others.

Laminated is definitely the way to go. I found a veneer supplier that does the usual .6mm veneers and also a structural veneer which is 1.5mm thick that I used for the core with 2 veneers on either side. All walnut in the ones I've made and then ebonised with iron acetate. If I was going for ebonised finish again I would use pear for it's smoother texture. I used Titebond cold press adhesive and clamped in a nipping press. I had the ends laser cut by Bill Crossland.

I used to sell the Jackie and Rochelle for CC, so I am very familiar with the layout of their reeds. They are quite unlike the traditional English built concertinas you are familiar with.