StuJanis
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Posts posted by StuJanis
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Thanks, Greg. Glad to know it's legit. Truth be told, though, I'm anxiously awaiting the Wally Carroll instrument I ordered, which should be ready around the end of the year. I played a few at Noel Hill's school last summer, and I know it's going to be a lot more responsive than the Wheatstone.
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Here's the reed pan. I believe mine is a 1954.
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I purchased Wheatstone #54769 (30 key C/G Anglo) about 3 years ago. I took it in for repair recently and the technician didn't recognize the inside of it. I queried the seller and they said it had undergone the "South Africa treatment" before they got it. I know this has been an occasional topic of conversation on these forums (https://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?/topic/5043-opinions-on-this-wheatstone-anglo/), and I've found some other discussions as well - http://www.concertina.com/gaskins/late-wheatstone-anglos/index.htm, https://thesession.org/discussions/13881. The gist of it is that from 1938-1974, Anglo Wheatstones were manufactured in South Africa with numbers in the 5XXXX series. They're somewhat different from the original Wheatstone design.
None of those seemed to address what the repair tech said, which was, "It is clear that your reed pan construction is nothing like original Wheatstone production, with tear-drop shape brass reeds, that slide into the segmented pan. This one looks more like a Lachenal (or other) pan covered by remaining Wheatstone end plates. Possibly explained by difficulty (after Wheatstone's death) in constructing the pan and in accessing original reeds. I'm disappointed by the application of "Wheatstone" on this modified version, not to mention its African modifications using 'accordion-type' reeds."
Does anyone have experience with South Africa Wheatstones? Do the tech's observations describe a typical South Africa Wheatstone?
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Thank you to the lister who passed my previous post on to Linda at Noel Hill's school. I'm now signed up for the Midwest week (unless it filled up between yesterday and this morning).
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Hi StuJanis,
Just learned that the Palestine, TX gathering will be having a concertina group, taught by Jody Kruskal. I too have been looking for a
summer course (anglo, thus Irish) and Jody teaches old-time/american tunes as far as I know. For more info, email Dan Worrall
danworrall@msn.com
You should check out Swanannoa Gathering Celtic Week in July 2015. Grainne Hambly teaches concertina there.
Kay
PS Ken - Looking forward to the summer school list!
Yes, Dan e-mailed me with the info. Unfortunately I now have a conflict that weekend as well as with the Swannanoa timing.
Several weeks ago I wrote to the address listed on Noel Hill's USA school site requesting info about the events this year but haven't gotten a reply.
Stu
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Thanks for the input so far.
Jim - I got my MS degree at UW Madison way back in 1981 so I have fond memories of the capital city. (Hudson is a suburb of St. Paul, MN.)
Ken - A resurrection of the Summer School list would be fantastic!
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I'm hoping to expand my Anglo concertina skills at a workshop this year and am wondering what options are out there. I was hoping for Palestine, TX, but it sounds as though they're not having an organized concertina event this year. (The past organizer has a conflict and hasn't found someone else to organize.)
My online search found Catskills Irish Arts Week, Noel Hill Irish Concertina School, Lark Camp, and the Northeast Squeeze-in. Any recommendations? Anything that didn't turn up in my search?
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Thank you for all the great advice. I've noticed a small change to the finish (if the light is right - or should I say, wrong) where I applied the Velcro, so the possibility of finish damage is certainly there. I like the idea of putting something through the fretwork, either sewing non-adhesive Velcro or using some elastic. I'll give that a try.
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They're fresh strips. I cut them small so they would cover as little of the wood as possible. I suspect the issue is with the finish.
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I recently got a 1952 Wheatstone Anglo to replace my Rochelle. I used a pair of M400s to mic the Rochelle, but I find that the Velcro strips don't stick well to the Wheatstone. Would you try a different adhesive or would you switch to mics on stands?
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About 4 years ago my wife bought me a Rochelle Anglo from Concertina Connection, and while I'm OK on the handful of tunes I know on the anglo, it's time to take a step up. Part of taking a step up involves upgrading my instrument. I've been a hammered dulcimer player and teacher for almost 30 years and I always tell my dulcimer students who want to upgrade that the best way to pick an instrument is to play a bunch of them and decide what they like. And the best way to do that is to go to a dulcimer festival. I suspect a similar approach makes sense for concertinas, too. I don't have enough vacation left to attend a week-long event this year, so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend an upcoming one-day or weekend event (in the US).
Or if you have other ideas about where to try out instruments I'll take them, too! There don't seem to be too many options in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Hobgoblin Music in Redwing, MN, lists anglos on their website but it's not clear if they have them in house or if most of them are in Hobgoblin UK locations.
Thanks,
Stu Janis
South Africa Wheatstone
in Instrument Construction & Repair
Posted
That's an interesting discussion. Did I understand correctly that May Fair instruments were made by Wheatstone's but sold under a different name? This instrument has a Wheatstone plate on it.
I also read in that discussion that the value of a Mayfair is relatively low (maybe $600 15 years ago). I'm curious about this because I'm ultimately planning to sell it once my new concertina arrives, probably toward the end of the year. I bought it from the Button Box in 2014 for about $2,300, and while I've never visited the shop in person, they seem to be well-respected in the forums, and my impression is that they value things fairly.