My 1899 Jeffries 39 Key!

[michael sam wild]

Do you want to play for a Morris team , I can fix you up if you emigrate

[Ptarmigan]

Do you want to play for a Morris team , I can fix you up if you emigrate

 

No thanks Michael, you see my mission will be to convert the whole of Ireland from C/G to G/D!

 

Cheers

Dick

[Ptarmigan]

Albert bought this Jeffries Concertina on the 26th of June 1899, so I'd just like to say Happy Birthday to my Concertina!

 

 

All together now ..... Happy Birthday to Albert's Concertina, Happy B......

 

Cheers

Dick

[Chris Drinkwater]

 

 

Not yet Michael & I won't, until Dave Prebble has checked out the Reeds for me, but my gut feeling is still, to get him to just nudge them down to G/D.

 

So, there could be Prebble ahead, then?

 

Chris

[JimLucas]

Not yet Michael & I won't, until Dave Prebble has checked out the Reeds for me, but my gut feeling is still, to get him to just nudge them down to G/D.

So, there could be Prebble ahead, then?

Prebbley

so.

[david_boveri]

If I recall correctly, if it's stamped as a C/G on the reeds, it may still have started life as an Ab/Eb so he may not have had it re-tuned. The stamp really represented the reed location. I read this on c.net somewhere and I have seen a few instruments, reeds untouched, stamped as C/Gs but actually Bb/F. I have a 26B Jeffries (or Crabb) like that in my workshop at the moment).

 

That's fascinating Paul & exciting too!

 

To be honest, looking at these Reeds, I could be wrong of course, but I'd be very surprised if anything has actually been done to them, since day one! Of course, I would be absolutely delighted if they were as new.

 

However, one thing doesn't quite fit! If it left the shop as an A/E or Ab/Eb, why would Charles have marked it as being in the Key of C on the Receipt? ....Oh for a Tardis!

 

Cheers

Dick

 

it could be that it was tuned to a DIFFERENT C, i.e. not what we consider concert pitch.

 

Especially for those who were asking, here's a YouTube of this Concertina in action.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNwGM-ieEXc

 

Considering it hasn't been played since 1956, I don't think it sounds too bad!

 

Cheers

Dick

 

great playing. it's a great sounding concertina!

 

but... the poor bellows... normally i don't say anything, but i cringe when i see the poor, antique bellows receiving undue wear and tear. if you can't play any other way--it's fine, *sniffle* i'll have to get over it, :'(

[Ptarmigan]

.... i cringe when i see the poor, antique bellows receiving undue wear and tear.

 

Don't worry David, this Concertina is normally only played gently at home.

I could replace the bellows & have the Reeds all tuned to present day Concert Pitch, but I prefer to keep it the way it was, when Charles sold it to Albert, back in June 1899.

After all, how many Concertinas around today, are still in that kind of original condition.

 

The other reason I am posting is because today, out of the blue, Steve Canacott, a Grandson of Albert Canacott, contacted me by eMail to tell me that he'd stumbled onto this thread & wanted to send me a couple of photos of Albert. Naturally I was absolutely delighted to receive these & will take great pleasure in having them printed & keep them with this lovely old Concertina.

 

 

 

Cheers,

Dick

 

P.S. That's Steve's Dad sitting on Albert's Knee!

Edited March 26, 2012 by Ptarmigan

[Jody Kruskal]

Hi Dick,

 

Down to G/D is a very short way. I'm Sure Dave P. will set you right. Lovely box.

[Geoff Wooff]

You could look at the youtube videos of Jacqueline MacCarthy and Tommy Keane playing concertina and B pipes. Here Jacqueline is using a Jeffries in A/E that she inherited from her dad and that I tuned to suit the scale of the pipes... A sort of Monochord tuning using the key of B as the datum.

I think this works very well but only for playing with , and in the Home keys of the pipes.

[Ptarmigan]

Hi Dick,

 

Down to G/D is a very short way. I'm Sure Dave P. will set you right. Lovely box.

 

Well Jody, if I lived in England, where I believe there's lots of opportunities for playing a G/D, I think I may jump at that option, but over here in Norn Iron my C/G keeps me right in the Irish sessions. So I'm more inclined to keep it as is.

 

You could look at the youtube videos of Jacqueline MacCarthy and Tommy Keane playing concertina and B pipes. Here Jacqueline is using a Jeffries in A/E that she inherited from her dad and that I tuned to suit the scale of the pipes... A sort of Monochord tuning using the key of B as the datum.

I think this works very well but only for playing with , and in the Home keys of the pipes.

 

That's a fascinating option Geoff, but unfortunately, I don't play regularly enough with any Flat Pipers to make that option really worthwhile.

However, I do know a Piper with a set of Pipes in B, but I only get a chance to tune down my Fiddle & session with him maybe once a year. However, that idea might be worth exploring, especially as, at the moment I am able to play with nobody else really, except string players who are willing to retune on special occasions, so once a year might just be more appealing than just playing alone.

 

It's all useful food for thought ... thanks.

 

Cheers,

Dick