Bill N

I made this about 10 years ago when I needed to take two instruments as carry-on luggage. Hand-stitched vegetable tanned cowhide with 1" foam padding. Has a carrying strap with quality hardware, and an external pocket (I used it for a digital recorder). It definitely has some patina, but still very sturdy. Approximately 16" (80 cm) long x 8" (40 cm) in diameter. $280 obo plus shipping. SOLD- donation made to concertina.net

Used Morse and Edgley instruments come up for sale here in that price range pretty frequently . ( I just sold a nice Edgley for a friend for $1900). Either would be a much nicer box than the 3 that you are looking at IMHO.

I was mistaken about the number. I found some old paperwork, and double checked the Customs Canada on-line list. Here is the code I have used successfully when shipping to and from US, UK, Italy and South Africa: 9205.90.10.90 Wind musical instruments (for example, keyboard pipe organs, accordions, clarinets, trumpets, bagpipes), other than fairground organs and mechanical street organs. - Brass-wind instruments - Other - 0% payable

I'll be in Washington D.C. over the Easter weekend, staying in the downtown area. Are there any friendly sessions on the go?

No, concertinas are duty free. You can quote the US Harmonized Tariff Code 9205.90.15 There may be some sales tax payable depending on the state you live in, but whether that would be collected or any action would be taken at customs I don't know.

They are not a tack, but rather a smooth pin that goes through the frame into a corresponding hole in the bellows frame. They are held in with a friction fit. I find the pins are easier to deal with than the wood screws that are sometimes used to hold the ends on cheaper instruments. Accordion techs have a special set of pliers to pull these pins, but a set of wire cutting pliers (the type with the jaws perpendicular to the handles) work well if you use them carefully. I gently close the jaws behind the knob of the pin, and pull straight back to draw the pin out. A tack puller can work well too, but you might want to put some masking tape down where you are levering the puller on the frame to protect the finish. Once all the pins are pulled the end should lift off. You don't need to pull them completely out- just far enough to be clear of the interior hole. To get to the levers and buttons you usually have to remove a couple of small wood screws. Typically they are driven at an angle through the edge of the action board into the end frame. Take care with these- it's easy to chew up/strip the screw holes. Then some gentle tugging should pull the action board out of the end frame. You asked about Dave Elliott's book; it's a great resource for maintaining traditional English made instruments, or those built in that style, but of limited use for your type of concertina, since the reeds, action and bellows construction are all quite different.

Not tune names exactly, but they are referred to by the name of the part of the dance that each was played for: Run Through, Advance, Chain and Close-in. Mrs. Belle also called them "Bill Jones' Square Dance tunes", as she learned them from an older musician from Aquaforte, on the South Shore of the Avalon Peninsula. To give a timeline, Mrs. Belle was born in 1919, and began playing accordion for dances as a young child. She moved away from Aquaforte n 1933, so probably learned them before then.

My Carroll concertina came with a little repair kit, including a strip of foil for realigning a misaligned reed. Basically you loop it around the reed and gently tug it sideways in the right direction. He has a good "Repair Resources" tab on the Carroll Concertinas website with a series of videos on diagnosing and correcting common problems.

Action wise I don't have a preference. I like the slightly domed Delrin buttons which are found on all Edgleys and earlier Morses. Morse changed supplier at some point and went with a flat topped button which I didn't like as much, but that's a personal preference. Morses are quite a bit lighter than Edglys, which is nice if you play standing up, but the Edgleys aren't particularly heavy. I have a G/D Morse which I really like the sound of. I had a C/G Morse and I thought it didn't sound quite as "concertina like" as my metal ended Edgley, which I felt had a brighter tone. But I would be happy with either.

Especially since you have said you prioritize speed, response and control, and taking tone out of the equation, I will say the following about used instruments in your price range (and add "reliability" into the bargain) : Any Morse or Edgley that hasn't been abused will be hands down better than all but the very best Lachenals (which you would be hard pressed to find for $2000). In fact, for playability I would stack them up against many modern concertina reeded instruments. (I own a Carroll and a Morse as well as several Lachenals. I have owned a Kensington and an Edgley). I can't speak for the other high-end hybrids. As far as tone goes, while not the same as a concertina reeded box, any Edgley or Morse I have heard has a pleasing sound.

Any chance of posting a sound file? I'm on the hunt for a new G/D, and am looking for something with that "growl"from the left end that I've heard from Jeffries and some Dipper boxes. I have a Carroll C/G, so I know I would love everything else about one.

Not able to post a video, but here's a sound file. Recorded on the fly with a Zoom H2n. Edgley demo.MP3

I am selling this for an elderly friend who is downsizing. She only used it for song accompaniment, and it is in immaculate condition. This is Frank Edgley's top quality hybrid model with angled reed pans. It's tuned C/G with the 3rd row in the Jeffries layout (C# on both push and pull) so ideal for Irish Trad tunes. It is nicely air tight, and the action is smooth, light and fast. The reeds respond quickly and evenly from low to high, and there is nice balance between the ends. It's a fast and lively player with good dynamic range from soft to loud, and would be excellent for sessions. Barb has small hands, and the straps are trimmed as such. I have a new set coming from Frank, and will include them. The only negative is that it does not come with a hard case, so I have reduced the price accordingly. A soft case is included, and it will be well packed for shipping. $1900 obo plus postage. SOLD- DONATION MADE TO CONCERTINA.NET

I play Irish, Newfoundland and English polkas on my Anglo, but if you are thinking of the Eastern European variety a Chemnitzer concertina is the traditional type to play. There are a few people on this forum that know about that type of instrument, but most of the discussion here is about Anglo, English and the various types of Duett concertinas.

Just a few tips for removing the ends- once you've loosened the 6 end screws out of the bellows frame the end should come off. To get access to the button side of the action board you'll probably have to unscrew 2 tiny wood screws that are driven in to the action box frame at about a 45 degree angle at a couple of spots around the edge of the action board. When you put it all back together be careful not to over tighten anything. These things are cheaply made, the wood is soft, and they're not really intended to be assembled/reassembled very much. It's easy to strip the holes the screws go into.

A 10 button melodeon (cordeen in Newfoundland) would be the most direct application of your harmonica skills. I also was a long time harp player before I picked up a concertina, so at first a 20 button Anglo was an easy transition. Really just 2 harps strapped to a bellows. But when you add a 3rd row and start to take advantage of the duplicates and reversals and accidentals (to play in other than the home keys) by playing "across the rows", rather than up and down one row like a harmonica, it quickly becomes a very different proposition.

I third the motion. I bought one of his instruments sight unseen from someone in Italy (I'm in Canada). Doing my due diligence I contacted Dana to confirm that the vendor was the original owner as claimed. Dana confirmed it, and offered to give it an overhaul for the cost of postage. He also said he'd buy it back for what I payed if I didn't like it. And he swapped the too-small hand bars for a larger set. Every interaction with him has been a pleasure. A Prince among men!

You might get some responses if you post this question in the "Instrument Construction and Repairs" forum and include a photo. This forum is for technical questions about the website (e.g. how do I post a picture?) and doesn't get a lot of traffic. An indication of your general location would help too, as concertina repair shops are rare and widely scattered.

I really enjoyed attending the Swaledale Squeeze when I was starting out as a player. Held annually in May at Grinton Lodge near Reeth, in the Yorkshire Dales. There were wonderful classes and workshops, Barleycorn Concertinas had a stall there, and there were friendly players of every type of concertina. The scenery, cask ale from a local brewery and a ceili dance in the village hall in Reeth were icing on the cake.

Hi Jody- I have a Microvox system that I no longer use. All working as far as I know. 2 pairs of microphones- 1 pair on gooseneck clips and 1 pair that attach with Velcro, plus cables, mini power supply, balanced output unit and muting DI box Are you interested in any/all of this?

I would echo Wally's comments and add that mid-level to top flight concertinas all hold their value really well. If you can afford the up-front cost, buy a good new or used hybrid like a Morse or Edgley, (often to be found on the buy and sell forum here). The ease with which these can be played relative to a cheap instrument will give you a real leg up on your learning. If you decide after a while that it's not for you, you will know that the decision was made for solid reasons like aptitude and enjoyment, not as a result of equipment related frustration. And you should be able to sell it on for pretty close to what you paid for it. You might lose a few hundred dollars on the transaction, but the same would be true if you bought a new Chinese or Italian concertina for $600, then tried to sell it on.

Just noticed a video of a South African band in a new thread by Fred V: "Boeremusiek!!" I'm pretty sure the concertinist is playing a box by the same maker as mine.

mariposa.mp4

I had a 20 button D/A built for me a few years ago by a maker in South Africa who builds them for a Boer Music club there. It's a double reeded box on the German model- but made with much better materials, reeds and craftsmanship. It cost me around Can$600 plus postage. If you're interested I can probably dig up the contact info for you. Coincidentally I got it to play in Newfoundland when I'm there in the summer. I'm in Hamilton the rest of the year- if you are nearby you're welcome to have a look and squeeze. mariposa.mp4

Is this a common button layout for a 40 key Anglo?