Geoff Wooff
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Posts posted by Geoff Wooff
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Sold! Hammer price €20,000 !! Plus the buyer's premium and sales tax........
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I have two numb fingers caused by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and that is two years after an operation to relieve the problem. Prior to the surgery I had three fingers and thumb numb and a great loss of strength in my left hand. This appears to be in the repetitive strain injury category and that does not surprise me as my hands have come in for a lot of strain during a long working life.
I can manage to play my concertinas again, though occasionally I hit a wrong note, some would say it was ever thus.
There are various nerve and circulation problems that affect the fingers, I wish you good luck in finding a cure.
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Thanks for adding the links Alex...... I'm a bit of a dunce when it comes to this IT stuff.
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Claude the Clown is an automaton playing the concertina by Gustave Vichy, circa 1890. This very interesting item is coming up for auction in Cologne on the 23rd March... with an estimate of €18,000 - €25,000 !
Well worth a look at the information and photos provided at www.the-saleroom.com ( a search for 'concertina' will bring up the details) .
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A few years ago I tried a Morse Baritone and found it wanting in its air supply in comparison to my 8 inch octagonal Wheastsone with seven fold bellows. Perhaps it is mostly a case of 'what one is used to' and for a single note melody player the Morse would have been fine.
Even when playing the Baritone-Treble with chordal accompaniment, for the most part, I still have more air than I need . On second thoughts, after a test with a couple of larger arrangements, there is sufficient wind but a big chord can use a significant amount of the seven fold length.
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Some people make a lighter bellows for the English, Wim Wakker for one. I have a set of Wakker bellows on my Treble EC and I enjoy the way they work. A couple of times I have tried the bellows kits from Sandylaneman which are probably meant for Anglos.... well made and price is good but somewhat heavier in action.
A search at www. wakker-concertinas.com will find a description of the difference between Anglo and English / Duet bellows.
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I sympathize with you Bob and hope you can get some professional help with this problem.
Two years after an operation to relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome I still have numb middle and third fingers on my left hand . Although things have improved I doubt the sense of touch will ever recover fully. At least I can work fairly well again but will have to put up with the odd mistake on the concertina...... nothing new there then !
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I have come across Jones Broad Steel reeds on several of his anglos. They produced a very nice tone but were somewhat slower to respond, sure it was not much but it felt like the player would need to hussle along, use a little more air pressure.
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10 minutes ago, LR71 said:
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Playing the Anglo it's really frustrating how you can't easily try out someone else's instrument, what with all the loosening up involved. I wish the quick release mechanism Dana uses on the Kensington had been universally adapted, but I'm sure some people wouldn't be happy with the look. I envy people who play the EC, no fussing around.
Oh I can assure you there is plenty of fussing about when trying someone else's EC... same problem , the straps. There are two types of players; the one's who have their straps set for gripping the end joint of the thumb and the others ,like myself, who have the straps slack enough to shove the thumbs in as far as they will go.
As for how many concertinas have I Tried ; more than a hundred, Owned; lost count but likely more than fifty... currently have three.
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That is sad news Peter.
Crotty's was THE go to bar in Kilrush.
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And worth every centime!!
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50 minutes ago, SteveS said:
Geoff
Is this 60 key baritone of any interest?
It could well be Steve.
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Nice looking Baritone there Mike.
What I am looking for is a loud Baritone that I can use in a band.... 'they' did make 'em ,probably for concertina bands. I'll see if I can post a photo of what I'm looking for.
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7 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:
Only halfway to a baritone, but this New Model 35-key band-tenor might possibly tempt you Geoff: https://theboxplace.co.uk/product/35-tenor/
Certainly an interesting instrument Stephen .
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12 hours ago, scoopet said:
Are you after wooden ends and steel reeds Geoff?
Yes Scoopet. Ideally a stretched Lachenal New Model but I am open to consider any.
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Never did get that Baritone back in 2020,
It was coming into a bad year and I'm sure not the only one who found 2021 a wee bit difficult. Still, all behind us now and plenty of other things to concern us BUT I'm still looking.
Some few years ago i had a lovely Lachenal New Model Baritone and for some reason I sold it... now with regrets I am looking for another.
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Pictures are a bit dark Stephen. A report on its playability would be nice. Hope all is well with you,
Geoff.
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One way to practice moving fingers from button to button is to try playing tunes using only one finger on each hand......
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Whilst the historic answer to your question has been covered by Stephen Chambers , the 'why' that most of us still use the thumb straps is covered by your other point. When a button needs the use of a finger that has just been engaged elsewhere then some twisting of the hand might be employed to gain a position where a different finger can be utilised. The pivoting of the hand around the thumb strap allows fingers to be positioned more easily to reach buttons further forward or backward..... The small compass of the Jackie keyboard is not really going to give you the full effect or need to shift positions.
I'll agree that the thumb straps are hardly ideal and some here have championed the use of alternative holding methods whilst others, like myself, hang on to the original system.
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Perhaps there is wear in the lever pivots which can cause problems like those you describe. A Jeffries will have done a huge amount of playing over the last 100 years and the holes in the levers and the rivetted pivot pins are bound to show considerable wear.
On the other hand perhaps the change of location is showing problems caused by lower or higher humidity ?
I would be inclined to talk with a good restorer of concertinas.
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It is almost 50 years since I was out for a walk one Saturday morning and bought one of these Pin hole Aeolas for £9 in a pawn shop in South East London. Since then I have always had a great liking for Wheastones of this period... I'm guessing it will have a serial number in the 22, 000 or 23,000's .
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I find myself making emphasis with the bellows without changing direction , using changes in pressure to affect the dynamics and giving rhythmic structure to the music. A bellows with a little more elasticity is a help as is the amount of extension one uses as a starting point. To illustrate what I mean; the Anglo can be very effectively played whilst the bellows is only just open , changes in direction can be more quickly made because there is less flexiblility of the materials and structure when the folds are almost closed. I always recall the degree to which Alistair Anderson would let air into his bellows before begining a piece, I imagine he arrived at an ideal extension and then it appears as if his bellows never moves..... as he shuffles the bellows back and forth whilst using the elastic qualities to smooth the direction changes and add the degrees of loud and soft needed to enliven a melody.
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Of course, there are alternatives:
A few years ago I had a beautifull Maccann duet which, according to the Wheatstone Ledgers, had ends made of Brittania Metal. The main thing I remember about this instrument was its TONE . I have never heard better!!
Stainless Steel, Brass, Aluminium alloys, Sterling Silver and even Argentium could be used. For the amount of metal in the ends of a concertina the cost of the metal is surely a small factor compared to the work involved in making them ?
My current needs for Nickel Silver sheet, if anyone finds a supplier, include thicknesses of 0.6 , 0.8, 1.2, 4 and 5mm sheets.
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31 minutes ago, DDF said:
In the past I have bought it from here. http://www.metalsmith.co.uk/metals-materials.htm
regards David.
It would appear that BREXIT has caused difficulties with importation from the makers Mettal Schulz in Nûremberg . I have heard the paperwork is too difficult but I have been searching for a supplier of Nickel Silver sheet in various thicknesses in Europe. Whilst I can purchase directly the minimum order is 50kg for each size which is too much for me. If anyone knows of a wholesale supplier or if someone were to take this on as a business I am sure many small craft workers and model makers would be only too happy to purchase metals in smaller quantites.
Duets Mostly...
in Buy & Sell
Posted
Hello Dirge,
are you still playing 31527 ?
Geoff.