Wolf Molkentin

Wish you all the best with the new beginning Ciaran!

Albeit in a different faculty (English System) I nevertheless would advise you to go for a decent 20 button Lachenal, which would cost some more money but maybe be still affordable for you.

A breezy welcome to the concertina world then! As to the instrument, it doesn't necessarily have to be completely out of tune, and I'd guess it's "young" enough to have originally been tuned to 440 Hz. OTOH; tuning some reeds would be no great issue since the isntrument is not that valuable. Thus you might give it a try with just a nail file, and follow the instructions to be found on this site and elsewhere on the internet (bascially, file the tip to sharpen the pitch or the middle section to flatten it). With your general musical background you will notice how big the tuning issue really is... And as to the price, seems rather at the top end to me, but of course it depends on the condition of the instrument, and the model as to which I can only make guesses as yet... Best wishes - Wolf

Yes indeed - thanks for sharing!

... for the second time here... (just saying...)

Recorded a new - intermediate, so to speak - version this evening. Hope you'll like it somewhat better, Rüdiger...

Can't be English System Baritone, which would make sense otherwise

I guess a characterisation every afficionado (or afficionada) of his (or her) Edeo, Excelsior a.s.f. will gladly second... P.S.: Even more OT; That very concept of "fruitiness" occurred to me once before from Paul McCartney talking about his, well, clarinatty Beatles songs...

Hi everyone, some new recordings to be announced: Bold Fisherman - one of my favourite Sussex sing-along song​ ​ On Raglan Road - from the repertoire of Luke Kelly and Van Morrison Black Nag and 3/4 version of "Star of the County Down" (instrumental) . Thanks go to to Adrian for pointing me to The Black Nag (Playford) and suggesting to waltz out the Irish tune as played in the same key of Dmin (which changed my arrangement a lot; will record the original Amin version, or the song, later). Best pentecostal wishes - Wolf

most likely a "33.."!

Just judging from the small pic, I find 33 not at all unlikely, esp. when comparing the lower loop with the (only) loop of the "6".

Makes me smile right now - thank you for the amusement! What a funny imagination, trying to put an Aealo into one of these hex boxes...

I guess it might be be put that way: the approach you seem to follw at the moment doesn't make that much sense... As Dave pointed out, there never was a thing like a "Tutor Model", this concept is no more than an abbreviation for saying a given instrument is rather a cheaper one, made available for learning without having to invest too much money. Even such an instrument doesn't necessarily have to be a bad one. Every concertina is different and to be judged on "her" own merits. If you have, say, ten (generally expensive) Aeolas in front of you, you will almost certainly find out how different they are: in terms of overall quality, playability, but principally sound (which is of course very much a matter of personal preference). Quality depends on a lot of aspects: indivudual craftsmanship, available material, just coincidence (and not to forget treatment over all these decades, by owners, repairmen...), so don't be obsessed with the concept of a "Tutor Model", or compare the looks of instruments for judging the sound, before having found out what your very instrument is in fact capable of! Hope you don't mind me saying is... Best wishes - Wolf

Very nice Jignatius, and most likely the first minor key polka coming to my knowledge... - albeit having rather expected a jigification of that tune from you... Best - Wolf

I guess this is very true, and best advice...

With my personal experience being very limited I nevertheless feel like telling you that my own somewhat late Lachenal instrument (of Dave's category three, plus large scale reeds) from around 1927 was (and still is) a fantastic player right out of the box (and a very reliable instrument as well) when I bought it in 2011 from a private seller! In your case, there might some work to be done (as my instrument might however benefit from new valves, bushings asf.), but you see, it all depends and can only be judged with the specimen in hands... Best wishes - Wolf

Let's Polka, hey-ho! (quick recording of one "old", one new)

The obvious downside, if it's just loud and not, say, piano-forte, is the drowning of one's singing voice...

Maybe it should be added that there's no being forced to store the instrument in the box whilst staying at your home...

O.k., as to here and now, how do these two instruments compare as to playability and sound to your oppinion? and was the ET feature a thing you went for? if so, it would be interesting to learn as to why... Best - Wolf

This will be very much OT, but at least it's about music and even music-making:... George R. R. Martin's first novel is one of my very favourite books, would like to point at it: Armageddon Rag Very moving, keeps the spirit of the 60s so truly as to me...!

How come I smoked a thing like that...? O.k., so my congrats go to the collector as well, Robbie! Best wishes - Wolf

With the original I'd have to rethink my hypothesis regarding the parson...

My identically looking Stagi had been single-reeded...

My congrats on the purchase! but what about your beautiful Wheatstone amboyna instrument? Best wishes - Wolf