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http://www.youtube.com/edit?ns=1&video_id=QYfT8eCsZnw 'For easier playing: the video shows me grinding off the smooth rounded tops of the buttons of a Stagi tenor (English model) concertina. It's easier to play now. I found the buttons too slippery, so I've used a Dremel tool to grind the tops flat/slighly concave, rough rather than slippery, and give them a perimeter edge that helps orientate the fingers during playing. Possibly you could use a sander rather than this method, for a gentler job, but this worked fine. Playing became easier also because slightly lowered the buttons, reducing travel, making the buttons less wiggly. The buttons are still too wiggly though. That's because they are in a conical seat hole. I may one day put some sort of conical-cancelling sleeve that makes them ride much straighter (the existing holes probably are conical to make it easier to reassemble the concertina for 20 seconds, ignoring the owner's needs when playing it. Possibly i could replace the piece of wood with the holes with another piece drilled with non-conical holes, or even do something good with metal. If anyone's got a contact with the Stagi designers, please tell me, I'd LOVE to talk to them. Ideas welcome about collaborating to design and create a cheap, excellent-tone concertina for the masses. After 2.5 years of playing four different concertinas from cheapest to a good antique, I think it would be good to seriously 'rethink' the design, considering modern day materials and resources and methods (including 3D printing). Possibly we could do a crowdfunding production (people promise funding on condition that the project gets enough funding to proceed, refund otherwise, and they get one of the resultant concertinas. What do you think? Are you a firm traditionalist or do you think a redesign could greatly improve ease of playing, and cost to get an excellent-sounding instrument? Bruce (Tomo) Thomson20 Lyndhurst St. Chelwood Village,Palmerston North 64 06 357 7773 021 176 9711 palmytomo@gmail.com