Ray

Now sold ... gone to a very good home ensuring it continues to get the care and playing it deserves.

Good point, Michael - thanks. See link added to original post. And again here for convenience: http://www.raychandler.net/audio/Aeola.mp3

I used to be impatient but I've got no time for that now.

Yes, I think you are right, Geoff. When you look at asking prices by the likes of Barleycorn, Hobgoblin, etc, they are noticeably quite a lot lower than a while back. Still, even allowing for that I reckon my new asking price is a snip! The market will decide if I'm right. Cheers.

Well, I thought £3,000 was a bargain opening price for this fine instrument, but after no interest on here and then no bids on eBay, I've re-listed it at only £2,750. You see standard Aeola trebles for this kind of money, so for a tenor-treble this is surely a real snip!

I've put this on eBay now (after giving it a week on here first) ... opening bid price only £3k. Already attracted three watchers in first 12 hours, so hoping it'll move towards my original asking price of £3.5 ono. If anyone here wants to make an offer, get in touch asap.

I've decided to sell one of my two Aeola tenor-trebles (unjustifiable extravagance to keep both!). I really struggled to decide which one to part with but have chosen the metal-ended 56-button one, serial number 26248 (which dates it at 1914). It has a bright tone, as you'd expect with a metal-ended Wheatstone, and has a fast, highly responsive action with a very free-speaking, lush sound and wide dynamic range - fabulous for tunes but also for gentle song accompaniment. It was professionally serviced about six years ago and the bellows, springs, pads, reeds and valves are in very good order. It's in concert pitch and is an absolute delight to play. The metal end-grills are typical for an instrument of this age, with the finish dull in places and with some wear to the plating. I've not had them re-plated as I think venerable instruments like this look great in their natural state, but these grills are easily re-plated if you prefer a gleaming, new-look finish. It comes in a modern hard case. I was originally asking £3,500 ono ... but now see below - only £2,750!! I tried putting images in here directly but couldn't get the size sensible, so here are external links: http://www.raychandler.net/images/Aeola3.jpg http://www.raychandler.net/images/Aeola4.jpg http://www.raychandler.net/images/Aeola2.jpg http://www.raychandler.net/images/Aeola5.jpg http://www.raychandler.net/images/Aeola6.jpg http://www.raychandler.net/images/Aeola1.jpg And here's a sound file just to give an indication of how it sounds and plays: http://www.raychandler.net/audio/Aeola.mp3

Are you still looking? I have a black leather box which is the right size for my Aeola TT. The box itself is in reasonable condition but one strap is missing (torn away where it joined the side of the box) and the little tag that would hold the lid closed is also missing - so it needs a bit of work by a leatherworker. If you might be interested let me know and I'll take some pictures and do an accurate measurement.

The instrument is a new Morse Georgie tenor, fitted with TAM reeds which are very responsive and free-speaking even from new. The stiffness is definitely in the bellows - just as stiff whether playing notes or using the air button. I'm giving it plenty of pulling and pushing with the air button depressed, and I am already detecting a gradual easing off, but the idea of a machine to speed things up is very interesting!

Thanks Mike. I think it would certainly be specified in the order documentation and receipt if it had the TAM reeds - it's an optional extra with an additional price-tag. Cheers, Ray

Thanks Dana. I did wonder about the possibility of a machine to work the bellows, so I'm fascinated by your final sentence and would love to know more about your machine. Ray

Yes, I'm a great believer in that ... but stiff bellows make practice hard work! Cheers, Ray

I know new leather bellows tend to be rather stiff at first and get more flexible in time (and I know patience is a virtue!) ... but is there a way of hastening the process to get stiff new bellows playing more freely more quickly? Thanks.

Hello Mike. Morse offer this model with TAM reeds as an option. Just wondering - is yours fitted with the standard reeds or the TAMs?

A few of the higher reeds on my 1914 Wheatstone English tenor-treble sound thin, with less volume than others. I suspect the instrument has been played a lot more in its middle and lower ranges than up high, so part of the difference might be a difference in how much playing-in the different reeds have undergone over the years. The feeble notes speak quite freely and start just as quickly as the others - they just produce a noticeably weaker sound. I have a later Wheatstone (1928) and that has a fairly consistent volume up the scale, which I'd like to achieve in the 1914 one. Is this possible? How can I turn up the volume a tad on those weaker notes? In some cases it's just one of the pair - so the draw speaks louder than the pull or vice-versa. Any guidance would be appreciated. Ray