Wolf Molkentin

You always get to see the pic (even lots of them) when searching „concertina“ (or maybe „english concertina“) on an eBay site... ?

lovely - and the „gedackt“ (covered) drones obviously have stops, but where are the keys for the f to f octave? best wishes - ?

I've traveled the route in the opposite direction, and am loving my switching between the different concertina worlds. I did not use a tutor, neither for the English nor the Anglo, but having said that, the instructions by Alistair Anderson are certainly a good choice. Enjoy your English experience - ?

was it you who unfastened the screws holding the reed? I almost certainly wouldn't do that myself under any circumstances...

it's very common and not restricted to a certain period AFAIK

Well, I can tell that quite "loud" brass reeds do exist - but I agree that this will most likely not be applicable here... ?

It‘s a common acronym meaning „Irish Traditional Music“, played in a specific and well-established style, usually on a CG Anglo, as far as concertinas are concerned.

Agreed - I didn’t have the later Hohners in mind - however my Stagi/Hohner is sufficiently awful in its own right... ?

Bastari, Stagi, Hohner (I have one of the latter brand) - it does not really matter.....

No, curved means they are in a state of deterioration, which will most likely cause malfunction in two ways: 1. the opposing reed will start rather quiet, reaching its full volume only after a "flap" noise 2. the valve might vibrate on its own when playing the reed underneath. Those valves have to be replaced. Best wishes - ?

could be Italian = "early", and pieces of tube from a customary soap dispenser will do...

Lachenal Anglos vary a lot quality-wise, particularly „in the reed department“, quoting a friend. Your instrument has the more elaborate fretwork of the better ones, as well as apparently rosewood rather then mahogany ends, and a 6-fold bellows which is possibly original (and no wood screws fastening the bellows but proper end bolts?), and that’s three (or even four) features indicating an instrument with more effort being made with any component. Of course you can’t be sure, there are good mahogany-ended instruments and bad rosewood-ended ones - but it works as a rule of thumb... I have two really nice Anglos of similar appearance (one C/G and one G/D) myself which I wouldn’t part with. Of course playing and listening to your instrument would tell more... Best wishes - ?

just to keep you updated:

indeed, John - and there's already a bidding war going on... ?

In my experience there is no such thing like a "standard-sized" slot - they're all rooted and fitted individually, and hence a swap would often require some removal of wood or shimming with a piece of paper. OTOH there are dimensions spanning not just one single note, but I would expect that at a certain point in a scale the lower-pitched instrument would have a larger reed shoe... Can't really be answered in general I reckon - apart from: 1. it could be done, 2. it might not be perfectly simple (and reversible) all over... Best wishes - ?

in fact it could very well be a - better - Lachenal - maybe Rushworth and Dreaper were retailers? will examine tomorrow

as always, a picture or two would certainly help...

didn't want to be so picky... ?

yes, he and an employee are promoting it, as „festival special“ or something along that line, for GBP 999,00 - he says it‘s a long-needed filling-the-gap...

It might depend on how much harmony the OP is inclined to include in his playing, Peter... Best wishes - ?

I tend to object to this notion - lots of players, including advanced or really good ones, approach their different Anglos as transposing instruments (be it „thinking C/G“ or „thinking G/D“, but always including all of them, Bb/F and anything else). Nobody has to, but it is certainly a valid approach, is it not? Best wishes - ?

I widely agree here Rüdiger - but since I don’t aim at just maximising evenness but rather a fluid expressiveness I tend to include exploiting all these different strong points in my playing - leastwise when given the opportunity by chance, I’m taking notice and gladly expand these minor tricks - it’s not at all about complaining, and not even about restrictions or issues - just playing with what we happen to have got... Best wishes - ?

John, I think that this neglection derives from the fact that hardly anybody really wants to that much focus on up- and downbeats asf., but it could be done, and maybe it should, at some point. Anyway, there certainly is a different feel as for me. Starting a tune on the push can feel a bit wobbly when the bellows are not that widely opened (or short by themselves), as the positioning on the knee/thigh may be irritated, whereas - as mentioned - pushing the bellows can help accentuating single notes (I‘m loving to do that with bellows extended to the max, and twisted... but then again it‘s possibly only because I can watch - and better hear - myself playing then?). However, I love to explore and rely upon all this subtle options from time to time.. All the best - ?

..... and here it seems to have resurfaced:

re the English concertina, it's about meaningful bellows changes (which then will allow for more dynamic playing at any point), re the Anglo (apart from improving generally which includes more efficient use of air) about including the air valve in one's playing....