Wolf Molkentin

Hi Brian, I‘m chiefly an English player (and would recommend this type - 48b treble being the standard to start with), but I would easily admit that the Anglo is the more intuitive instrument...

for me it's not so much about a "sound" but this unique modulation of the tone, IMO only achievable with trad reeds - so even recorded (or amplified) it can make a difference, if you - the player - are willing and capable to exploit the capability of these reeds - as you of course so evidently are, Jim... ?

model 22 is an excellent choice - enjoy!

ok, fair enough David ?

...in your post, obviously, David. The FB link of the OP is leading to a device with a two-row Melodeon layout however ?

I have one of those (with solid rosewood fretwork), albeit rather a G/D by birth. They can be lovely instruments (as is mine).

I guess this is what I wanted to suggest as well (centering around C instead of D) ?

just one quick shot - if you're aiming at melodic minor / aeolian mode (apart from the major 70th then) you might have to tune/center the instrument to Bb (F) flat rather than G (D).. best wishes - ?

you might be able to acquire a 20b Lachenal for slightly more - the pros and cons (30b Chinese box vs. 20b vintage concertina) have extensively been discussed on these forums...

Your instrument is a Lachenal "Excelsior", which has been a top-of-the-line model at some point. I have one myself, which is sufferning from some lack of air supply but is otherwise a lovely and particularly sweet-sounding instrument. Yours seems to have its original bellows, which is looking very sound! If there are no issues with reeds or action I would exepct you to get something between 1.000 and 2.000 Euros for it (I payed 1.650 for mine back then in 2011, and yours is definitely looking better.... (however, the market may have changed a bit, I don't really know...). Good luck with the sale and best wishes - ?

John, I use to muse on that each time I'm taking up soldering, but couldn't bring myself to choosing this solution (and I'm even playing Anglo too) because I'm not prepared to lose the convenience of meaningful bellows changes... Best wishes - ?

Yes, and Gmin is a truly sweet key - I'm tempted to diversify but as yet have stuck to the scheme of always having the treble or baritone low F, which is desirable for Gmin tunes as well (where I love to use the Fmaj harmony) on the one hand, and the low B resp. E for the TT and (F) BT (because the low third of the dominant chord is so sweet) on the other, so that I can easily switch between the instruments. However, I would love to have a F# for the trebles or baritone as well, as I like to play in Dmaj - so here I can only follow Jim's suggestion to take up the TT then... (or the F-BT with an A fingering...). Best wishes - ?

my TT has a very low B (replacing the D#), though a very low Bb would of course be lovely too, and my BT (which transposes to Fmaj) has a very low E replacing the G# (though a very low Eb would be desirable as well), asf. ad infinitum... ? (BTW, the solder work is all mine...)

the never-ending controversy Jim ?, as some might prefer the Ab... best wishes - ?

I tend to agree with Jim - for me it's just the single part of a harmony setting that I too would like to read through the treble clef, as long as I would be playing f.i. a baritone as a treble, transposing one octave downwards - OTOH should I play multi-part harmony on one instrument, I would surely prefer the eleven lines... Best wishes - ?