Jewish Leprechaun

I'd had a long debate about leather handle versus the brass. I couldn't quite find the right brass hardware for fixing the leather to the box and didn't want to get the brass stock to fabricate it, so I abandoned the idea... but I agree it would me more comfortable for carrying.

Here's a better picture of it; it's a pretty snug fit.

Yeah the four latches might be a little overkill... the problem I was wrestling with is because I was using thin stock lumber, I really couldn't use long screws. The majority of screws are #5 3/8" long and a few where I could use them (like the handle) are #5 5/8" long. So with the latches I was afraid that with just two latches being held in by 3/8" long screws they might just rip out, figured 4 latches might better distribute the strain per screw. And the added bonus of a little security was nice, you can forget to latch one latch and maybe even two, but I dare you to forget latching 4 latches As far as the blocks go, yeah that's bad shadows and pixilation. The blocks are 3/4" thick so they "bite" onto enough of the "corner meat" to hold the bellows nice and even.

So when I got my Jeffries, all it had was the original leather jug case in a rather poor condition. After 100+ years of the jug case, the bellows were a bit lop sided when closed and needed some re-training. I know I needed to move it into something new so in came the Pelican case, which I really like, but the Jeffries just seemed to need something that matched its personality... which set me off on a rather expensive and lengthy journey to build the "perfect" case. Next came a bunch of measurements and the search for wood, which immediately led me to mahogany, but it needed something extra which brought me to aromatic cedar. Brass parts were more difficult to find as I wanted something solid, not stamped sheet metal. Eventually, I found a company that hand cast brass parts. I didn't want a lot of padding on the inside, so I landed on 1/8" thick 100% merino wool felt. Well the all in total came to a whopping $400 in parts and then many hours of work in my shop, but I am pretty pleased with the end results. Needless to say it's quite heavy. The top and bottoms are 1/2" thick and the sides are 1/4" thick mahogany and additionally it all has an extra layer of 1/8" aromatic cedar on the interior not to mention all the solid brass parts. Enjoy and if anyone wants any more details on the build, I'm happy to share!

Ugh, well shoot, my bad, a repost... thanks Takayuki for attaching the original thread!

Had to share this one I stumbled across on Ebay. Get a load of those extended sides! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325259378720?hash=item4bbaf84020:g:A~4AAOSwxGlixx66&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoGABn%2Buy1fuK96NWBSD%2BbTa7nEnjMGptcRkSltIA1NJsg%2BJeoaKurnIv%2FUPa13E1%2Bv201ymSUTYUbVbDuCXWkHfN%2BaavDpYadnzCCsetMvtI%2BiOGHkcteDz9sLFPULiBtz%2FCryiNSHZmHaYEUYLEQD0duULcz5Gktrn5dw8Ti5W6Kh825jVwRld5KUEKHWuYH%2FQzkhjh8dI6%2FL7CcPCy2%2F4%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9D-9bL8YA

Bone buttons and green bellows... oof the temptation is real!

Wow, Bruce, that burl is beautiful!

Listen to Reeves, he gave me the same advice when he let me try his Bb/F in 2009, I think it was. I placed my order and almost 5 years later got my Suttner. No regrets! And used Suttners really don't pop up that often... Just don't forget to budget for customs/import fees 😅

Hmm, have you reached out to Geoff Crabb, perhaps he might have a recommendation or two and/or a spare C# reed. I ran into a situation recently where I had to have some reeds swapped around on a Jeffries that had a Wheatstone layout. I typically play Jeffries layout, but in an effort to minimize modifications to both reed and reed plan, the changes made were subtle. I swapped the C#/D# (push/pull) to D#/C# fortunately the reed frames were the same size. And then I took a C reed from elsewhere (it's a 38 button, so I had reeds to spare) and tuned up to C#. Caveat: I didn't do any of this work, but had it done by David Robertson in the UK. I think the reed frame was bigger so the reed pan did have to be modified to accept the new C# on the push for the second button. In the end I have a mostly Wheatstone layout, but with the C# in the right places for the Jeffries layout. On a separate note, I had a great Lachenal at one point that had been modified and had a C#/C# on the first button, depending on how much you use your D# that's an option too that shouldn't require the reedpan to be modified.

I was at a session and the fiddle player looked at me oddly when I kept cocking my ear down towards my concertina. I shrugged and told him I just couldn't hear myself playing. Well, he looked at me a bit incredulously before assuring me everyone else could hear me just fine 😁

As far as I've found, the stamps on the reeds match what I'm finding with the Wheatstone layout. So it doesn't look like the reeds have been tampered with. There are some oddball keys that don't really aline with either the Jeffries or Wheatstone layouts like the last button on the left hand side inner row is a B/D instead of a more standard B/A for either system. Which I suppose supports the case of someone asking Jeffries to do a one off custom layout. I'm probably going to steal the C pull from the first button on the middle row of the right hand side, tune it up to C# and swap it with the A on the second button of the outer row and then reverse the C#/Eb of the first button outer row. It'll still have it's eccentricities of course, but that'll give me my two C#s in the right places. If I'd make those changes it looks like, I'd be at about a 86% match to your 38k Jeffries layout on your website, Jake. Still not ideal, but it'll be much closer while retaining all the original reeds and doing minimal tampering.

Well, I got an unrefurbished 38k Jeffries on an online auction. I waited in anxious anticipation for its arrival. I eagerly opened the box, the bellows were rough, but still held air ok, all the keys and levers moved pretty well, 95% of the reeds sounded ok and then I realized the unique quality it possessed... it's a Wheatstone layout!!! I opened it up and everything seems original. I bought it from a gentleman who bought it from a gentleman who's Grandfather bought it when he 13 years old and then immigrated from Norway to California 125 years ago. So I know I've seen one or two Jeffries with Wheatstone layouts before. Were these most likely custom orders by Jeffries?

I started out the same way on a Rochelle with a Wheatstone layout, but eventually made my way to a Jeffries layout. At the end of the day, it really only changed up the way I play my C# as I don't use the other notes much that the layout change affects. So it was not all that terrible to switch up the C# push from my right index to my right middle finger; even my B C# D triplets weren't all that affected by the shift. In addition it's nice to have that extra C# on the pull now too with the Jeffries layout. BUT I think if the right concertina crossed my path I wouldn't mind switching back to Wheatstone. A Wheatstone layout could handle any tune I threw at it, but so can a Jeffries layout. At this point I do prefer the Jeffries layout, but I'm also not trying to play much outside of the trad tunes, so if you're trying to do the classical music, that'll be a different animal. As far as button numbers go, well, there are numerous discussions out there on that. Personally, I don't use all the buttons on my 30 so I can't really advocate for more.

Well it's got a bid now...