Smallest playable concertina in the world?

[Hooves]

Ok we've seen the monster big boy boxes, now we need to see the smallest playable concertina. Its hiding out there, maybe its been lost in a sock drawer, or accidentally swallowed by the dog.

 

Lets see pics of the tiniest tina of them all that can play a tune!

 

No tiny replicas, an actual working tina.

 

 

 

I think there is room here for you builders out there to set some new records (either tiniest or biggest).

 

Think of the other records you could break:

 

Most buttons

Longest Bellows

Heaviest

biggest material cost (Faberge anyone?)

most ridiculous button layout

the list goes on and on...

[Leo]

Ok we've seen the monster big boy boxes, now we need to see the smallest playable concertina. Its hiding out there, maybe its been lost in a sock drawer, or accidentally swallowed by the dog.

 

Lets see pics of the tiniest tina of them all that can play a tune!

 

No tiny replicas, an actual working tina.

 

 

 

I think there is room here for you builders out there to set some new records (either tiniest or biggest).

 

Think of the other records you could break:

 

Most buttons

Longest Bellows

Heaviest

biggest material cost (Faberge anyone?)

most ridiculous button layout

the list goes on and on...

Longest Bellows:

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7183&view=findpost&p=67790

 

Smallest, I would think is one of these:

 

 

http://www.apjmusic.co.uk/

 

Thanks

Leo

Edited April 16, 2010 by Leo

[Ardie]

In the third of Leo's clips ( with Noel Hill) it is claimed that that one is "the smallest in the World" but this certainly in not correct. That is a standard anglo miniature probably 7cm across.Long ago I have seen a smaller english with 6 buttons as far as I remember and another about one the same size coming in two halves for some clownery stunt.

[Takayuki YAGI]

Just FYI, there are some photos of Noel Hill's miniature (10-key) on this page.

Noel Hill Irish Concertina School (NHICS) 1998

 

Horniman museum have some miniatures with less than 10 keys.

http://www.horniman.ac.uk/music/music/fra_data_9_7.html

http://www.horniman.ac.uk/music/music/fra_data_9_8.html

 

If my memory serves me well, there was a web page about miniature concertina at ptollemy.tripod.com but it seems to have been closed.

 

--

Taka

[JimLucas]

If my memory serves me well, there was a web page about miniature concertina at ptollemy.tripod.com but it seems to have been closed.

This thread here on concertina.net is about that now-defunct page.

In particular, I think two of my own posts -- this one and this one have relevance to this new Topic.

 

For size comparisons, note that 2 inches is 5.08 cm.

[NoNaYet]

I thought I could compete until I saw this. Mine only has 10 folds :-(

 

Here's a video of it before Bob shipped it to me.

 

 

NNY

 

 

Longest Bellows:

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7183&view=findpost&p=67790

 

 

Thanks

Leo

[Bill Crossland]

I attach a picture of the two concertinas from the Ruth Askew collection, touted as the biggest and smallest in the world. The biggest wasn't, by 2 inches, and the smallest was one of a batch of three (32,456 from 1930)in the Wheatstone ledgers, and would have been more accurately described as "one of the smallest...."

[Hooves]

That's a hell of a lot of bellow!

 

It looks like the search is for a playable tina less than 2" across. Though I suspect the lowest number of notes you could use would be a tetrachord (4 notes) to actaully play a tune and not just sound a note, most peopel would want an octave to be safe.

 

Ive seen some Hohner tiny harmonicas, I bet you could use one of those to make an even tinier tina (for novelty of course). I may even give it ago myself, just for a laugh.

 

all you builders, you've seen the biggest, the longest, the tiniest, now its time to hit the work bench and break those records!

 

Ive seen that footage of Noel Hill, cool stuff.

 

thanks to all posters for your pics and links.

[Leo]

........ Though I suspect the lowest number of notes you could use would be a tetrachord (4 notes) to actaully play a tune and not just sound a note, most peopel would want an octave to be safe.

 

........

Hi Hooves

 

4 notes could be done with one button on each side, Anglo style, and an octave with two buttons on each side. That's about as tiny as I can think of. If it were in a higher pitch, then the reeds would be smaller?

 

Thanks

Leo

 

P.S. Come to think of it, I could have sworn there is a photo-shop picture of a one button concertina somewhere buried in these forums about a year ago. Something about using old doorbells for the ends that would be workable, but I'll be darned if I can find it.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Leo

[richard]

Hello

 

I think the key word is playable. The real miniatures are very limited though fun and a novelty. My Smaller Lachenal (5.25" flat to flat)is not so small that my regular size hands can still work with it and has enough buttons (26)that it basically can do what a 30 button instrument does, with some accommodations.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Richard

[Hooves]

Hello

 

I think the key word is playable. The real miniatures are very limited though fun and a novelty. My Smaller Lachenal (5.25" flat to flat)is not so small that my regular size hands can still work with it and has enough buttons (26)that it basically can do what a 30 button instrument does, with some accommodations.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Richard

 

 

yes, it must be playable. otherwise its mere quackery.

 

Leo is right in line with my thinking on this micro-concertina design, however I'm thinking a pair of bottle caps might make a nice end.

 

I like the idea of 3 buttons on each end: on one side would be the first 4 notes plus a chromatic button, on the other side the other 4 notes plus an air button.

 

I would like to see its flats at 1" - 1.5" across or thereabouts, two buttons per side would be acceptable as well. This must be a record breaker, must be less than 2".

 

Maybe I can buy just the highest octave of an anglo's reeds and shoes rather than trying to use or chop a micro harmonica. I'm thinking for the prototype paper bellows would be ok for testing and sizing.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Hooves

[Geoffrey Crabb]

Although primarily a novelty, the smallest concertina considered capable of producing simple recognisable tunes is the 8 key English system, measuring 2 inches across the flats.

 

It has a range of one diatonic scale, usually C6-C7, thus repertoire is limited.

 

Due to the exceptional difficulty in making the bellows and the limited internal dimensions to accommodate the action etc., these instruments are confined to being hexagonal.

 

 

Geoff

[Hooves]

Although primarily a novelty, the smallest concertina considered capable of producing simple recognisable tunes is the 8 key English system, measuring 2 inches across the flats.

 

It has a range of one diatonic scale, usually C6-C7, thus repertoire is limited.

 

Due to the exceptional difficulty in making the bellows and the limited internal dimensions to accommodate the action etc., these instruments are confined to being hexagonal.

 

 

Geoff

 

 

I think you could make a 4 button box that's square in shape, might be more efficent in space than attempting a traditional hex case.

 

I may not be a builder, but I believe that 2" size can be beat. I'm surprised that the smallest boxes are english style, I would think with the constrained dimensions you would want as much bang for your buck on each button.

 

Leather may be out, but I don't believe leather bellows is a component of the definition of a concertina. This is to beat a record, not to be a work of fine art. and I'm not fully convinced you couldn't use thin leather or something leather like.

 

Its easy to scoff, harder to create.

[Geoffrey Crabb]

Although primarily a novelty, the smallest concertina considered capable of producing simple recognisable tunes is the 8 key English system, measuring 2 inches across the flats.

 

It has a range of one diatonic scale, usually C6-C7, thus repertoire is limited.

 

Due to the exceptional difficulty in making the bellows and the limited internal dimensions to accommodate the action etc., these instruments are confined to being hexagonal.

 

 

Geoff

 

 

I think you could make a 4 button box that's square in shape, might be more efficent in space than attempting a traditional hex case.

 

I may not be a builder, but I believe that 2" size can be beat. I'm surprised that the smallest boxes are english style, I would think with the constrained dimensions you would want as much bang for your buck on each button.

 

Leather may be out, but I don't believe leather bellows is a component of the definition of a concertina. This is to beat a record, not to be a work of fine art. and I'm not fully convinced you couldn't use thin leather or something leather like.

 

Its easy to scoff, harder to create.

 

I look forward to seeing and hearing the results of your beliefs.

 

Good luck.

 

Geoff

[Hooves]

 

 

I look forward to seeing and hearing the results of your beliefs.

 

Good luck.

 

Geoff

 

 

Thanks!!

 

Its so rare these days to get a vote of confidence, though I was hoping one of our talented builders would take up the cause.

 

Perhaps I will win the lottery (don't hold your breath) and offer a reward for setting the new record.

[m3838]

Longest playable bellows probably belong to Livenka

 

Scroll down a little for the picture.

Edited May 6, 2010 by m3838