david watkins

Hi Currently for sale on ebay, anyone bought/played one, or have any comments? I don't know if this has been on the forums before, I've seen it once or twice in the last couple of months on ebay, looks like a Rochelle-type to my untrained eye, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-CONCERTINA-30-BU...1QQcmdZViewItem Cheers david

Hi Thanks David for clearing that up about the keys, I don't know why I was struggling there, and also for the suggestion about Wendy's book which I will order. Also the other guys for their help which I will also follow up. Cheers David Thank

Hi Slowly working through my beginners book but I've connected with the abc music notation thing which seems brilliant and would like to download some easy tunes to have a go at any suggestions for a few tunes for an anglo 20 button C/G and what key should they be in, I can convert them if necessary to another key, but I'm struggling to understand the whole key thing? Cheers for any help David

Hi Looks like this might do the job, but any other ideas welcome thanks very much david

Hi I'm sure I've seen on the forums someone suggest a piece of software which can convert automatically an abc tune from one key to another, but can I now find it.......? I having started using Navigator 2 but it doesnt seem to have this... Anyone able to help? Thanks David

Hi Theo Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a go with some masking tape Cheers david

Hi yes I'm in Yorkshire Uk. You supplied me recently with some strips of a foam sealing strip which seems to have worked a treat. David

My Galotta has some very small L-shaped securing pins holding the reed board tight up against the end board but I lost a couple and I want to put some extra ones in anyway, anyone know where I can get some?? Thanks David

Hi If anyone has seen my previous posts they'll realise I'm a rank beginner at concertina, I've never played any instrument before and I'm slowly working through Mick Bramich's excellent starter book. I dont know whether I'll be able to play by ear, I suspect that only comes with time, so for the sake of a few minutes everyday ( and at the moment I only practise for 15-20 mins a day ) I start with the scales. If it turns out I'm not so good at playing by ear it'll perhaps have been time well spent. I dont know for sure but the scales possibly helps my brain 'tune in ' to the notes again, limbers up my fingers and gets my brain going on finger positioning. I'm sure the procedure of doing the scales has to help subconsciously, I'll certainly carry on with it, though it strikes me from the forum posts here, that with the concertina there is no one recommended way of learning. David

Hi Simon I think this is a great idea, I started playing recently and am recently enjoying it, but it would be great to have a small gizmo to practice on. I occasionally take mine in the car and have a practice on a lunchbreak in the car where no-one can hear, this would be even better and less bulky. I dont know why you havent had more response. Sorry i cant contribute but i know less about electronics than i do about playing the concertina ( at the moment ), good luck! Cheers David

....picture didnt upload on my first post, does this help

Hi Anyone able to help? I have this Galotta concertina, must be about 25 years old or so but seems in excellent shape to the extent that it's hardly been played. I'm a concertina and musical novice and been playing on it for a week. I'm coming along OK but there is a general air leakage which is not as far as I can see anything to do with the bellows which are in excellent shape but seems to be down to two things both attributable I guess to poor manufacture and they are as follows... First up is air escaping I think around the end of the bellows and through the two ends. There is a seal of sorts but I dont think it's working properly. Can I put some new bellows tape around the plywood plate that carries the valves or should I try something else, maybe replace the seal some thin leather, or is there something special to use as a seal? Second is general air escape through the valve pads if thats the right description. These are as you can see made of thin ply and they have a fabric pad on the underside but i guess it's some cheap stuff and they could do with replacing with something better and the ply could probably do with sanding off and sealing to improve the seal. But it's all a bit delicate with what looks like wax holding the pads on, and how easy are the valves/springs to put back together !!!! Third up and not necessarily to do with the air loss are the buttons. they seem to travel a way before a note happens, is there anything I can do to sort this as I must be expending a lot of air just in button travel if you see what I mean. Bear in mind this is a low cost low quality concertina and I dont want to pass to an expert for costly repair, I'd rather save any money for an upgrade in three or four months but if I can have a go myself without wrecking what I've already got that would be great. I think it would enhance the machine and make it nicer to play and easier to learn So any suggestions most gratefully received Cheers David

Hi I got my first concertina this week (Galotta 20 key Anglo ) and yesterday settled down with Mick Bramich's Absolute Beginner's Concertina out of earshot for my first session practising the scale of C major. That was pretty straightforward but the straps were both too narrow and too long, it was very uncomfortable and I could practise for no more than a minute of two without stopping. So this morning having access to plenty of leather ( being in the upholstery supply trade ) I fashioned some new straps which are tighter and much broader, covering the whole of the back of my hand. Took only 20 minutes but the difference is significant. Now I can control the instrument much easier, it's way more comfortable, the weight of the concertina is taken by the whole of the back of my hand and it just feels more secure, allowing me to concentrate more on playing rather than worrying about comfort and the concertina slipping I could have put some adjustable buckles on but as I'm the only one likely to play this for some time I didnt think it worth the effort. I made the straps slightly tight as over time the leather will ease a bit. So I'm ready for session 2. Some before and after photos attached. David

Hi again Heres a few shots of my new concertina if it helps identify it further, I dont know the model no. or what it's tuned for. I'm hoping to go to the Yorkshire Concertina meeting on Sunday where I'm sure I'll get some more info, but in the meantime if you guys can advise further, most grateful Cheers David My Galotta (it actually doesn't have a maker's name on it, but it looks just like photos I've seen of some others with the Galotta name) has waxed-in laid-flat steel accordion reeds, not long-plate brass reeds. And I've got a Scholer that's got those accordion reeds too, though in that case they're mostly set up in reed blocks rather than laid-flat. It's been my impression that sometime in the post-WW2 period the German small concertina industry switched from long-plate to accordion reeds. I've assumed that this was because accordion reeds were readily available at that point at low prices and the long-plate ones were not. I've heard that Arno Arnold, the only German post-WW2 maker of Chemnitzer concertinas, used accordion reeds too, unlike the long-plate reeds of the pre-war makers. Stephen, does this sound plausible based on what you know? And are you sure that Scholer made all of these? When I compare my Scholer and my probable Galotta I see a number of differences in construction technique: in bracing, gasket material, the way the ends fit onto and attach to the bellows, etc. Though there are similarities too, especially in the bellows design and the design of the fretwork/vents in the ends. I can't easily compare the actions as they're both very difficult to access (I suppose that could be seen as another similarity). Daniel, I missed your post previously - I was busy in Seattle at the time! Your query raises some interesting points about the accordion/concertina trades in both Italy and Germany, in that it is not uncommon for some instruments by even the most famous and respected makers to be built either entirely, or at least partially, by others, and that as certainly been the case in Klingenthal. It is also not unusual for a manufacturer/exporter to market instruments additionally under the brand name of another firm it has taken over, as well as under it's own, so as to be able to supply additional import/wholesale companies in a given market without breaching "exclusive" contracts - hence the survival of the Galotta brand long after the closure of G.A, Schlott & Sohn (I wonder where they got the name from ). Instruments branded Scholer that were sold in Britain were supplied by Hohner London, who may have had such an "exclusive" arrangement, but identical ones were also sold there under the Rosetti "Rambler", Galotta and other brands, and I have no doubt at all that David's Galotta was built by Scholer. In my experience the cheap wood-grained red (single-reeded) and yellow (double-reeded) Scholers always have brass reeds on long aluminium plates - but maybe they built them with steel reeds on individual plates for the US market? Certainly they did make some more expensive models with such reeds. Bandoneon reeds are another story: In high quality instruments steel reeds were mounted on long[er] zinc plates up until the Second World War, when Gebr. Dix A.G. of Gera became the only company allowed to make reeds (under rationing) in German-occupied Europe, and Alfred Arnold was therefore forced to switch to their individual accordion reeds.

OK, the Galotta / Klingenthaler just arrived and looks barely used, still in it's box, very little wear on the straps etc. I havent a clue what tuning it is, nothing on the box and nothing on the leaflet inside which illustrates several possibilities. The label has the following which may/may not help. Kr 221/88 III 3 1 84/3953/88 15.0 No, I dont know either! I'll carefully undo the ends and check it inside later, maybe if I post some pics you guys can assess it. Anyway lots of fun coming up Any help appreciated David The wax is accordion wax. You can buy it from any accordion shop. It's Bee's wax mixed with rosin and something else in certain proportion. So it's hard, has higher melting point and sticky. Tape is bellows tape, sold in those same accordion shops or on the Ebay (and wax too, but that's tricky). I'd just tape over existing worn spots. May not be pretty, but easy and holds for a long time. It may make existing bellows pleats thicker, but marginally. When you get your instrument, don't be afraid to open it, take the picture and post here. Many people will be able to comment on needed improvements, that are easy to do and help alot. Main are reed setting and re-valving. BTW, I may need some thick black leather, some two sheets of 6x9 or equal amount. I'm about to make a handle for my EC and the leather I have is a little too soft.

Hi This is quite interesting, with so many concertinas having been made and it being such a popular intrument there should be plenty of photos and maybe bits of film around, or you would have thought. The music halls must have seen lots of individuals or bands with concertina players, the Salvation Army had lots of players I believe, the concertinas popularity in Ireland and America as well as Europe, then the seafarers etc etc If Regondi was playing in the 1830's that may be before photography was easily available. Anyway any more contributions would be of interest and maybe some research if anyone has time. Regards David [/size]

Hi I'm waiting for my first concertina to arrive, bought unseen on the web ( ah! there'll be tears I hear you all say, shame, after all we told him ), the Galotta I posted about a week or so ago...anyway I was visiting here now and again in my eager anticipation and wondered if anyone knew of, and where it could be viewed, the oldest film of someone playing a concertina...and the oldest recording of someone playing the concertina Maybe the answer is already here on this site, but perhaps someone could point me in the right direction. Thank you David

Hi Many thanks for the info in the last two postings, I took the plunge and bought it unseen for 27UK Sterling, so when ( if ) it turns up it'll be interesting to see what it's like. I'm hoping it'll be good enough to at least get me through learning the rudiments from scratch... I was fascinated by what you would do to upgrade it and would ask if you thought that ( other than changing/tuning the reeds ) it could be done by a competent amateur ( Me ) ...and what sort of wax and tape would you use for any repairs, leather shouldn't be a problem as i work close to that industry... ( in fact if anyone needs any small bits of leather give me a shout, I've lots of offcuts in different colours etc, might be able to help ) Cheers david

Hi larry, Yes, nicely spotted, thanks, it looks exactly the same, which drives to to go ahead and get it, if it's good enough for this band... Cheers David

Yes , it's Galotta, sorry about that, cant find a great deal about them on the web, anyway I may be able to get it for about 40UK / 80US so I'll probably take the risk. If anyone else know much about this make I'd be interested to know. Cheers David

Hi Total beginner, no musical background, looking for a budget instrument to learn on, all I want is an anglo which will allow me some practice with finger positioning and knock out a passable tune till I decide if i want to continue and upgrade I've been offered this Galetta, we think East German ( ? ), can anyone advise what it is, the seller doesnt know, and what I would expect to pay, it's supposedly in good nick and playable, thats all I need at this time. Should I buy it? It seems quite large Any help much appreciated David