Azalin

Sorry, I meant the person selling this concertina. I'm speaking communication-wise, I don't know about the rest.

* edited to remove poorly formed statement

Just a big thanks to Simon. I recently purchased the stated camera case. I was a bit skeptical at first because the measurements seemed much smaller than my concertina... but it ends up fitting perfectly, and there are extra pockets, so I can also pack my tuner and field recorder, and there's a space on the front where I can put my "D" whistle, after removing the fipple. I just came back from a session and brought my stuff in this bag, I couldnt be more happy.

I'd personnaly suggest an accordion-reeded C/G concertina from makers like Tedrow, Edgley, Morse, etc. From my own experience, yeah the sound isnt as neat as concertina reeds, but the action is great, much better than many vintage concertinas I've tried. So I'd rather learn the instrument on an *easy* instrument with accordion reeds than a harder instrument with concertina reeds. But you're talking around 2000$US.

Same here, been trying to contact them for a while. My guess is that they're on vacation. I'll try next week-end. They recently mentionned october for some instrument work, so I assume they didnt intend to work on concertinas much in september. PS: Nous aurions même pu discuter en français :-)

... and, I was going to say, spared our eardrums, but then the whistle was pretty piercing too. Ah well, could have been even harder on our ears (but easier on your wallet ) if you had taken up the accordion. This is heresy and blasphemy! Speaking about accordions on concertina.net! You know Zizi, comparing an accordion with an anglo concertina is like comparing a recorder with a whistle...

Thanks everyone, in light of this torrent of information I am going to postpone any case decision :-) The concertina world is so complex, I should have stuck with the whistle!

Well, I was thinking of having a Fallon case made for me, which is really top of the line case. I could use the other case for my current concertina, which only has a soft case...

Well, I'm having a case made for this Dipper, which I still don't have. Would anyone here have one and kindly send me measurements? I would need side width from side to side, side width from corner to corner, and width of the instrument when the bellows are depleted. I've tried calling the Dippers but they're not answering, and that would be important I get the measures this week. Thanks for the help :-)

Last night I was practicing Wynnes #1 and could not do anything with my pinky, it's stopped working! Some days I sit down and it's all going smoothly, some other days it doesnt want to listen to me. I will use the beginning of that tune for pinky strenghtening and practice. So I agree with you, it's not easy :-)

You might be right, the Crabb 46 buttons didnt sell (at 3500 pounds), so maybe we've reached the top for now.

Oh and don't tell me it's not raining anglos, it's coming from all sides! :-)

It will sell because it has a bid already :-) I wouldnt go for that one even if I had the money.

You're right Greg... I'm already torn apart about selling my Edgley, which I love... but I've been living on my credit line for a few months and I need to be responsible and get rid of credit as a priority... but it's tough. Having to let go that one will be a nightmare... maybe by then I will win the lottery?

I'd also say, those who don't attempt to reproduce an 'authentic' style miss all sort of fun, too. I take great pleasure in playing with those who are trying to share a common language, there's things there you can't find on the other side of the pond.

Thanks guys. Good point Ben about the pictures, next time I need to post equivalent pictures I will correct this. Greg, our winters are hard here, so I'm definitely be inside practicing :-) Very good point Dana, about the state of the market. I actually got the condo when the market was cooling down. But I live in Canada and we don't have a similar crash than our southern neighbors. Also, the province of Quebec never had a major jump in prices. Properties went up like everywhere but never like west canada with oil boom and Toronto. But anyway I bought a 3 1/2, and there's almost never one for sale in the area I bought, it's very central and in demand area but it's hard to evaluate the value when there's no other equivalent being out for sale. I guess I'll find out when I sell to get the Dipper ;-)

Well, I finally picked up my new vintage anglo C/G concertina on thursday, after two-three weeks of waiting for the instrument to cross the Atlantic. This is my first concertina with concertina reeds, and I've been at it 5-6 hours today, I'm exhausted. The real origin or maker of this box is unknown. It bears signs of Jeffries/Crabb/Ball-Beavon/Shakespeare but with no real proof of that it is. One theory is that it's one employee of one of the old makers who built it as a personnal project, maybe with reeds he took from the workshop. The year it's been built would be approx. between 1900 and 1920 but even then, no real proof. It's been restored in the UK recently and has new bellows, springs and valves. It plays very, very well, and the reeds are very responsive. The sound is what I've always dreamt of, that sound similar to the one I'd get on some Jeffries, Crabb, Dipper or Suttner that would always leave me depressed afterward because I had to go back to my great, but accordeon reeded instrument. But those days are no more, thanks to a great guy over the sea :-) Here are some pictures: Here's a sound clip I recorded: concert.mp3 The beast has been tough to tame, and still not totally tamed. I was used to different hand straps, a bit different layout and some different distances for fingers etc, but I'm slowy getting a hang of it. The bellows are new so they're still a bit stiff and my shoulders hurt from pushing and pulling but it will smoothen up, same with the springs. I can see a difference already. The tough note to get is the high Eb on the fourth button accidental row! WTF! :-) My poor Beare Island suffered a bit but it's back on track. So basically I'm in heaven, I'm looking forward to relax a bit and get used to it, I think I was 10 times more excited about this concertina than getting my first condo six months ago, you can imagine how much sleep I lost over the thought of this concertina being in my hands! My Dipper should be coming this year but I'm a bit worried that by then I might not want to part with my new love, and I will get the Dipper for sure. I'm broke already thanks for my credit line I could afford this concertina, but will have to make tough choices in a few months... like selling my condo to buy the Dipper? Hehe just kidding. Well thanks for sharing my excitement, now it's time to go back to Tina!

Thanks Ben. I know this, but my question was "Once he started working on it, how long does it usually take?". He should start working on mine in october, that's why :-)

Sorry it stopped raining but still at the end a damn Jeffries 38 buttons hit my head. I'm bleeding a bit but the box is still working fine!

I'd like to add that I've been playing an Edgley for more than four years, and have tried throughout the years some Dippers, Suttners and older vintage concertinas. Yesterday I picked up a vintage, Crabb/Jeffries concertina I recently bought and still, the Edgley, in term of speed and reed responsiveness, is comparable with any of the best concertinas out there. I was telling a friend who visited last night that quite frankly, the Edgley is an instrument you can play and if/when you switch to a concertina-reeded instrument, the only difference is going to be with the sound of the reeds, but you won't find your new box easier to play. For the price I think this concertina is a bargain.

Hello, I've got a very important question. For four years I've been playing my Edgley anglo and the first four buttons on right side accident row are (push/pull) Eb/C# - C#/Eb - A/G - G#/Bb I am obviously used to that fingering. I recently acquired a great vintage concertina, and the layout on those four notes is different: C#/C# - A/G - G#/Bb - C#/Eb I know there is no 100% standard on these notes, but at one point I'm going to have to tell Colin Dipper what notes I want there... and I'm not sure what's closer to the standard... I know I know I know we can play with whatever layout we feel comfortable with, but I'm not experienced enough and I'm not sure which works best, right now anything that's not like my Edgley makes me work because I need to re-learn the buttons... Any suggestion? What works for you? What have you often seen on Jeffries concertinas? Thanks in advance :-)

I'm sure this concertina has been attacked by a jealous, evil accordeon, that would explain the hole...

Wow Ben, you're talking Heavyweight Leagues concertinas. I think Jeffries layout is very bad, very very bad. It's half finished? I will do you a favor and take over it OK? :-) Seriously, can you tell me how long it takes Colin in average to finish an instrument once it's started? We're talking months I guess? I will post a thread with my new toy over the week-end!

Oops sorry Paul you're right, only one Crabb, I still have the old one in my watch list, it confuses me.

Paul there's actually two Crabbs on eBay, and one that was sold recently... I don't remember seeing that many but maybe I havent been looking to intently as up to recently. Ben, so tell me tell me, what's your new keeper concertina? :-) Mine is a vintage Crabb/Jeffries/Whateveritis I'm going to pick up in a few hours, but I got word from Colin Dipper that he might start working on my concertina very soon, so there's too much happening at the same time and I can't keep up!