Mike Franch

Well, technically, a Bandoneon is a concertina, isn't it? Not our type of concertina, but still a concertina, I think.

I remember chatting with him during the break at a house concert in the Baltimore area. He was using three concertinas. I was joking about his abandonment of the EC and remarked that one of the the concertinas he was using looked like a Jeffries. He replied, "They're all Jeffries." Wow! He made good use of them. A man of great accomplishment, in my experience he was modest and gentle, almost shy.

Alan Day raises fundamental questions. There's also the matter of which type of instrument you'll get on with. Some people try one and find it just does not work for them. If possible, you might rent two in succession, an Anglo and an English. Some people find that their brains don't work with the Anglo. I play EC, and have a friend who finds the notes alternating sides to be incomprehensible. Some people can play both systems comfortably. Once you settle on a system, you could contact sellers and restorers (and some are both of these) and find out what's the best they can do for you with the money you have. Finally, welcome to the club! And I don't think anyone will look down on you because of your instrument. (As a matter of fact, I know someone who plays better on his Jackie than I play on my Wheatstone!)

Wrinkly1, please don't be discouraged. There are reputable dealers and restorers, who should be able to accommodate you at a price you can afford--or if not, tell you that you should save up a little more because something decent will cost more. It would be helpful if they knew what kind of music you hoped to play. Even modestly priced instruments can give a world of pleasure. I think a reputable dealer or restorer or a known member of this group would be able to sell you a modestly priced instrument that you'd be happy with.

Is that the Kruskal family uniform that you're wearing? (In the photo above, not in the video.)

I know two people with Jay concertinas. They both love them. One is an Anglo, the other is an English.

A good and useful discussion. I have just two points to make: 1. You don't need to think in terms of either "cheap" or $5,000. I gather you're in the market for an Anglo, which are generally pricier than for English models, which is where I have my experience. But $2,500 can get you a very nice English, either vintage or, say, a used Morse concertinas. 2. You asked about areas of the U.S. and concertina availability. It's useful to be aware than the concertinas popular in the Upper Midwest (e.g., Wisconsin, Minnesota, Chicago) are not the kind commonly discussed in this forum. "Concertina" in these areas often means the big German concertinas that look like square accordions. Okay, a 3rd comment: Several names have been mentioned above as restorers and sellers of restored vintage concertinas. I don't think you'd go wrong buying from any of them. (I'm very happy with my 1915 Wheatstone, and have been for 10 years or so.) The downside of a vintage is that you'll probably have to do minor fiddling with the innards more than you would with a new one. Also, the newer ones, with plywood innards, might be less susceptible to changes in humidity.

Hi, Ed. I can ask around, but don't know anyone offhand who would be interested. You might try Randy Stein, who is on C.net. He plays English and teaches students, so might know someone who would be interested.

First time I've every heard or seen one of these!

I never took my concertina on long trips, just local trips around town. I use a camera bag, which I wear. I let my body absorb the jolts. And Baltimore streets are well supplied with jolts.

And, sadly, Bertha's Mussels (the restaurant) closed in October 2023.

Reinforcing this suggestion. It is inexpensively available new from various sources. Beware way overpriced used copies offered on Ebay and other Internet sources. Every vintage concertina player should have this book.

He left his instrument!

I think you will not regret the choice. As long as it is in good shape when you buy it, you shouldn't have to do anything major. Over the years, there might be lots of little things to tinker with, such as a reed making a strange sound because it's sucked up a bit of lint (which could happen with a new instrument). These you can easily fix. Mostly, you just need a good, appropriately sized screw driver to take off the ends without marring the wood. They're mechanical, so you can see what is out of alignment, what is loose, etc. Of course, some occasional frustration comes along as well. I'd suggest getting David Elliott's Concertina Maintenance Manual (I think the 2nd edition is the latest). You can buy a new copy inexpensively; beware some resellers who ask outrageous prices for used copies. Have fun! Mike (my main squeeze is a 1915 Wheatstone Model 21)

They've got the "concertina stare" right.