Concertina reeds vs. accordion reeds in COLD weather

[Jim Besser]

It being Solstice time again, I have to play a Morris set outdoors tonight - with 20 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and snow.

 

What I'm wondering: do accordion reeds do better in severe cold than true concertina reeds? Or is this not a factor? Trying to decide which boxes to bring.

[Chris Timson]

Couldn't you take both and then tell us which works better?

 

Chris

[Jim Besser]

Couldn't you take both and then tell us which works better?

 

 

 

I may do that - even though that means taking 3 boxes on this frigid expedition!

 

 

 

 

[Greg Jowaisas]

Jim,

Whatever instruments you take try and let the concertina(s) accommodate in advance to the conditions in which you will be playing. That way you will avoid condensation on the reeds. I don't relish the prospects of scraping rust off your Jeffries reeds down the road!

 

Be safe. Have fun! And a very merry solstice to you.

 

Greg

[Jim Besser]

Jim,

Whatever instruments you take try and let the concertina(s) accommodate in advance to the conditions in which you will be playing. That way you will avoid condensation on the reeds. I don't relish the prospects of scraping rust off your Jeffries reeds down the road!

 

Be safe. Have fun! And a very merry solstice to you.

 

 

 

Good point! I've been thinking about bring the Morse - but because of the weather, I'm playing solo and will need all the volume I can get, which means the Jeffires.

 

 

[JimLucas]

It being Solstice time again, I have to play a Morris set outdoors tonight - with 20 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and snow.

 

What I'm wondering: do accordion reeds do better in severe cold than true concertina reeds? Or is this not a factor? Trying to decide which boxes to bring.

FWIW, I've never had trouble with my vintage instruments at that temperature, though of course I let them cool down slowly in the case before taking them out to play.

 

Have you had trouble before? The only time I've had a reed stop on me, due (apparently) to the cold, was a couple of weeks ago, when the temperature where I was playing was about -15°C (+5°F).

 

That was an Aeola English, though, not a Jeffries.

I wonder if that makes a difference.

[Geoff Wooff]

I would be more concerned about the possibility of wood shrinkage at low temperatures/humidities. This, in a traditional concertina, could cause the reedpan wood to squeeze the reed frames and thus jamb the reed tongues. With an accordion reeded instrument this would be less of a problem.

If in doubt use the more easily replaceable instrument. But what to do about cold fingers ? No rude answers please!

 

Geoff.

[Jody Kruskal]

I would be more concerned about the possibility of wood shrinkage at low temperatures/humidities. This, in a traditional concertina, could cause the reedpan wood to squeeze the reed frames and thus jamb the reed tongues. With an accordion reeded instrument this would be less of a problem.

If in doubt use the more easily replaceable instrument. But what to do about cold fingers ? No rude answers please!

 

Geoff.

This is probably what happened to me last season at a frigid outdoor gig. I took my Dipper because of the big bass notes and also because I believe that the reed pan is laminated and so might withstand temp. and humidity swings better than a solid piece of wood. Still, after about an hour one reed choked up and would not sound. This problem went away on it's own after the box got home and warmed up. Other than that no other problems from the ordeal.

 

I'm playing the same Solstice gig this year on Sunday in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY under the stars (unless it's snowing).

 

That season is upon us...

the season when it is customary to walk around in the woods in the chilly night, lighting candles, singing songs and sipping hot cider. Won't you join me? This is really a wonderful event that will make you forget for a time that you are in New York City.

 

SOLSTICE PARTY - A Celebration of Light, Life & Reflection

with music and chorus songs by Jody Kruskal and Ken Schatz

Sunday, December 19, 2010, 5-7pm

FREE Hot refreshments included FREE

Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY

 

Meet lakeside at the Golf House. If you are driving, enter the park at Bailey Avenue & Van Cortlandt Park South following the sign for 87 North but taking a left hand fork into the park golf course. By subway, take the #1 IRT train to the last stop and walk east into the park using this map. Call (718) 430-1890 for more information. http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/2010/12/19/solstice-party-with-jody-kruskal

 

Jim, good luck with your event and let us know how everything turned out.

[Jim Besser]

Well, I brought a vintage c/g and a hybrid g/d. But since I was playing alone and it was very noisy, I used the old C/G, which is much louder. No mechanical problems, but cold fingers were an issue; in the middle of Abbott's Bromley, I lost all sensation in my fingertips. Good gloves and chemical hand warmers, used between dances, were lifesavers.

 

Don't worry, Greg, the Jeffries stayed in my nice, warm home. But it will be coming your way one of these days for the new bellows we discussed.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Jim Besser

[Greg Jowaisas]

Hey Jim,

Shouldn't the picture caption read: "Numbing in the snow"?

 

You guys are nuts! And God bless you.

 

Greg

[Jim Besser]

Hey Jim,

Shouldn't the picture caption read: "Numbing in the snow"?

 

You guys are nuts! And God bless you.

 

Greg

 

Maybe "dumb in the snow."

It was amusing to watch hook legs turn into skids. All things considered, I had it easier than the dancers.

 

 

 

[David Barnert]

No mechanical problems, but cold fingers were an issue; in the middle of Abbott's Bromley, I lost all sensation in my fingertips. Good gloves and chemical hand warmers, used between dances, were lifesavers.

Perhaps this is a good time (yesterday might have been a better time) to repeat what I have mentioned here before: The "glove liners" that you can buy at Eastern Mountain Sport do the job nicely. The ones I have are not what they are currently selling, but they are worth a try. I can even play pipe & tabor wearing them.

 

Edited to clarify: Yes, I can play the concertina while wearing them.

Edited December 17, 2010 by David Barnert

[saguaro_squeezer]

I"ll say it again, there's a reason that I live in Arizona.

[JimLucas]

Shouldn't the picture caption read: "Numbing in the snow"?

 

You guys are nuts!

I"ll say it again, there's a reason that I live in Arizona.

Warm-weather wimps!

I like the snow. It's a delight I remember from my childhood, and one I relish when I visit a friend 1000 km north of here. I'm also enjoying the current snowstorm here in Denmark, though it's terrifying much of Europe.

 

As for the concertina at low temperature, I remember the time I joined my volunteer-fireman brother and his firehouse band on a caroling tour around the town where he lives. The temperature was well below freezing, and the various brass and woodwind players were afraid of getting their lips frozen fast to their mouthpieces. So they all sang, while I ad libbed accompaniments on my concertina (a treble Aeola). No problem at all with the concertina reeds. (The other way around, though, was the cats-and-dogs rainstorm on a Morris tour where the fiddles, concertinas and melodeons stayed in their cases and I played my completely waterproof trumpet. )

[PeterT]

Warm-weather wimps!

 

Holds up hand. When does spring start? Soon, I hope.

[Robin Madge]

I think that we perhaps haven't officially started winter yet. Some sources are saying that it starts on 21st December!

 

We were out last week in the cold, at the Garstang Christmas fair, and found that the brass band playing further down the street from us were all sharp compared to the concertinas.

 

Robin Madge

[Jody Kruskal]

Well, I brought a vintage c/g and a hybrid g/d. But since I was playing alone and it was very noisy, I used the old C/G, which is much louder. No mechanical problems, but cold fingers were an issue; in the middle of Abbott's Bromley, I lost all sensation in my fingertips. Good gloves and chemical hand warmers, used between dances, were lifesavers.

Hey Jim,

 

Glad to hear that you survived. As for me, my solstice gig went very well with no concertina reeds sticking this time. It was hovering just above freezing so that is a bit warmer than last year when I had problems. Before I left home, I went to the glove drawer and found a pair of tight fitting thin stretchy ones of my wife's and they worked fine to play in. I would not have thought it possible to play in gloves, so thanks Dave for the suggestion which worked a treat. Playing generates lots of upper body heat for me, so no problem there, but my feet were freezing by the end of it. As we played and sang and froze, we were accompanied by flocks of geese coming in over the lake in the twilight... magical.

[Robin Madge]

Out again last night playing for the Gregson carolers on our annual carol night around the local area raising money for charity.

 

I was playing my Bb/F as most of the carols were pitched in F. This instument has bone buttons and hence the fingers take longer to freeze then when playing a metal butoned instrument. Anne only realised this later when we got back in the warm; she'd been playing her usual metal ended and buttoned English!

 

We both gave up playing after about 45 minutes and concentrated on adding the harmony voice parts as people were dropping out due to the cold.

 

We both wear fingerless gloves, but you don't want knitted ones that catch on the fretwork of metal ended instruments. We both realised that we shoud have worn another pair of socks though as it was the feet that suffered most standing still on the ice for long periods.

 

We raised just over £212 in about 1 1/2 hours.

 

Robin Madge