Pete Dickey

Whatever you do, DON'T immerse it in a bucket of water to see where the bubbles are coming from. That trick has been tried by one of our more illustrious members who used the Manchester Ship Canal. Pete

Been away for the last day or two. Thanks for the kind words in my absence. Given me some food for thought Chris but I don't think that will work for the first time there. I'll probably save it up for next year. Helen don't forget that although you are crossing the ocean for the first time to another continent, due to the miracle of the internet you already have quite a few friends over here and we will certainly be looking after you when you are here. Mostly English spoken over here although a bit of the Gaelic may be heard in Arran in which case most of us will be as lost as you Looking forward to seeing you then. Pete

I keep checking with my daughter just in case she might just have to go to "Uni" a few days early which would give me the chance to come, but no joy yet. It looks like I'll be carting her gear there on Sunday 9th October. Even if she could go on Friday 7th it would give me a chance. I'm sitting here reading all the posts about the ferry crossing and the tunes and thinking of the great weekend I'm going to miss - just feeling very morose about it all. I do hope you guys have a really great time though and get all the problems ironed out ready for next year when I come. I must get there in 2006 come hell or high water (literally). Helen you are ORDERED to come next year!!!! (Runs and hides before the flak starts) Pete

That's marvellous, at least I know I'm not imagining things. Thanks a lot Stephen Pete

I was fortunate to come across this concertina a few weeks ago from a chap who had it stored in his garage. It was bought and played by his Grandad many years ago and has been lying around largely untouched ever since. Serial number is 167167 and it is in old pitch but also Bb/F. It plays very well considering it has hardly been touched for so long. What I was wondering and perhaps Stephen can help is - was this not one of Lachenal's top-end models? The name Peerless seems to stick in my mind. Perhaps you can put me out of my misery. Thanks Pete (modified to re-add photo)

OOps!!! One post too many. Please see the other one Pete

Pete, That's the reason noo I wear a kilt ! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well I'd heard you had the knees for one

Can I suggest that to remove the Verdigris from the metalwork without causing any damage that you use a fibreglass pen which can be had from hardware suppliers such as Proops Brothers. Pete

Just had a look at the Ebay entry for this - very nice too! I see you've moved to Scotland Stephen, was there something wrong with Kilrush? Pete

So my daughter, bless her little heart, has worked her socks off for the last couple of years and come out of her "A" levels with 3 "A" grades. I'm chuffed to bits as she's got onto a great History course at York University. We are now planning all the things to buy and sorting out all of things to do to include transport to the University which isn't too far away and my car is therefore booked to be filled with all of the necessary goodies.... OF COURSE THE DAMNED THING JUST HAPPENS TO BE ON THE WEEKEND OF 8th/9th OCTOBER i.e. THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE CONCERTINA WEEKEND and if I come to Arran instead then I'll probably be disowned by the kids as well as divorced by the wife. I wouldn't care but I've already turned down attending a really good school reunion so that I could come. Regretfully therefore and with a heavy heart, I must cancel my reservation (or postpone it until next year), and in so doing I feel gutted to miss what promises to be a superb weekend. My apologies to all for my absence Pete

I must say it was also a real pleasure to meet Theo - great to meet another C/netter - we had been playing alongside each other for over an hour and then chatted for several minutes before we each realised the other's identity . That was my second visit to the Swan and both times I've found it very friendly with a nice mix of music. Well worth a visit. Pete

I was told that the distinction of the oldest -- or at least the oldest continuously operating as a pub/inn -- belongs to the Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham. But I was also told that T2J dates from 1066, so that if the George is even a distant second, it's no slouch! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Didn't used to be a bad boozer the T2J although it's many years since I was in last. As to the date. If I remember my property law correctly then 1189 is taken to stand for "Time immemorial" which is the "John Doe" of the property world, i.e if you didn't know how old it was then slot in 1189 and that would do

Dave, The first to use plastic were "those truly progressive makers, Messrs. Lachenal" (to quote J. A. Black, writing about the firm's pioneering the use of aluminium c.1894). The material in question is a variety of Casein (the protein in milk, hardened by immersion in formaldehyde) called Erinoid, so-named because it was developed by the Condensed Milk Co. of Ireland (a.k.a. "Erin"), though it was then manufactured in Stroud, Gloucestershire, from 1914-1980. Casein was made in rod, sheet and tube from 1927, and Lachenal's seem to have started to use Erinoid for concertina buttons soon afterwards. But unfortunately those late Lachenal instruments had very domed buttons and very strong springs, not a happy combination for ease of playing ! Following the closure of Lachenal's, in 1933, both Wheatstone's and Crabb's started to use the material. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So where does "Ivoroid" plastic come in Stephen. Is it Casein or a derivative or something entirely different?

Thanks Jim and Stephen for some interesting postulations/feedback. Interesting comments about the weight/speed issue, although it would seem that the curvature of the heads is much a matter of personal preference. Last time I made a full set of keys, I did mean to weigh them for comparison with a set of aluminium and a set of bone keys. As to the curvature of the heads then in solid keys, this is a very simple matter of just grinding the lathe tool to the right shape in the first place. Further to your point about the manufacture of the metal caps Jim, I wonder if it is similar to the manufacture of metal caps for the ends of propelling pencils and suchlike?. Can't be too dissimilar?

I think that's as much a question of technique as curvature of the button ends. It's something I've never had a problem with, but I also don't normally press the buttons down until I feel them stop. Instead, I often stop pressing a millimeter or more before "hitting bottom", even on held notes. More important, in my opinion, is that all the buttons should have the same curvature. (Please don't embed a rhinestone in that middle C! ) If you're replacing only a few, they should match the ones that are already there. I doubt that very much. The labor in making capped buttons seems greater than that for making solid buttons. For hollow all-metal buttons, it's definitely much greater. I doubt that any possible savings in materials cost could overbalance that. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I do agree with much of what you say Jim. My point about the keys being too domed is that I've seen a couple of cases where very small buttons were used and were almost pointed - uncomfortable however you play them. I recall some of the discussions we had about 18 months ago and I'm trying to avoid going over old ground if possible, but I'm looking for other reasons why keys were made using methods other than solid bar. Cost was a thought since, going back a number of years, 3/16th solid nickel bar may have been a lot dearer comparatively than it is now but I do take the point on labour costs. Having used a set of solid metal keys instead of bone and finding no major change in the weight or "feel" of the instrument, I'm struggling to see how hollow or wooden /plastic shanked keys with metal caps are better

I would be more worried about them being heavier on the player's fingers, the reason for hollow metal keys (Lachenal) or metal-capped wooden or plastic ones (Wheatstone). Steve has always used them, seeing that they have been "the norm" at Wheatstone's since 1933/4, long before he took over the firm. But there is really no harm in having a few with plastic cores in an instrument, along with the wooden ones, as long as the length and button profile match, and definitely a better option than solid metal. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've been using them on my Jeffries for the last year without any problems whatsoever and there doesn't seem to be any issue regarding them being heavier on the fingers. Any additional weight in the instrument is negligable. Other concertinas that I've seen with solid metal buttons, e.g. other Jeffries and Crabbs similarly don't seem to have caused problems. What seems to be more of an issue is the shape of the key ends which shouldn't be too domed or they CAN be uncomfortable after a while. I don't therefore see why plastic or wooden cores are " definitely a better option than solid metal". Wasn't the use of hollow keys or metal-capped wooden or plastic ones more an issue of cost in production rather than usability?

I think I would just prefer to make my own solid ones out of 3/16" nickel-silver bar. At least they should last well enough and they do look pretty good as Dave hopefully will agree. Pete

What a shame you have to go then. If you waited a couple more days then you could attend the Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend which promises to be superb (see Mark Davies' posting). Lots of very high class music and you would also get the chance to meet several C/netters including Alan Day, Dave Prebble, Mark Davies and possibly Geoff Wright, not to mention little old me. There will also be several other superb players not subscribed to C/net playing English, Anglo and Duet concertinas. Bradfield is only about 20 miles or so from Doncaster, situated at the North-West end of Sheffield. Do give it some thought if possible. Pete

Don't need a silencer Geoff. A couple of firelighters should do the trick.

That's dangerous ground I fear coming from a PA player like yourself Geoff. (I'll just run for cover ))

I feel one of the saddest things is the view that seems to have been adopted by the BBC. Although our National Radio broadcaster, it would appear that they consider Folk music in general to be some minor distraction to such an extent that they have it listed together with American Country music on their website as if it is just an addendum to normal music. Whereas other countries take pride in playing their own music, the only English music we seem to hear is on the occasional folk program. The BBC seems to think that "English" music is only that composed by the likes of Vaughan Williams or Elgar etc. and therefore is to be played on Radio 3 as classical. Just try doing a search withn the BBC website for firstly "English music" and then "Irish music". Take a look at "The Session" on the BBC web-pages - all of it Irish music. The BBC are always so keen to play ethnic music so as not to be seen as racist, then why are they not playing English ethnic music? Try emailing them. You'll get an acknowledgement but I'm afraid nothing else when your email is consigned to the recycle bin. If English Folk Music does finally die out then our National Radio broadcaster will have played no small part in it's extinction. (Just doing my "Grumpy Old Man" bit )

1855 seems very early. Could it perhaps be by another maker, Dawkins maybe? Pete

Perhaps not that one but I reckon I looked pretty similar

Are you refering to me, Mark? Senility must be setting in. I can't remember bringing my average-sized accordion with me last Wednesday. Any more of this talk and I will bring my mighty Wurlitzer (and here is a reminder of that aweful fate). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Presume that photo was taken before this one Geoff shows what PA's do to you after long exposure Pete

Don't suppose the Jeffries is for sale is it?