Current players of The Maccann ?

[Irene S.]

With regard to Irene's breakdown of players by country above, I feel bound to wonder ... what about South Africa? I'm thinking particularly of the Afrikaner boeremusiek players. I know they are mostly anglo players, but there were a number of Maccann players too (I heard this from Zak van der Vyver), so I guess there must still be some. Does anybody know?

 

That is a point - on Youtube there are several videos where a Maccann player is featured. I might just go back there and do a bit of digging.

 

By the way, at the Saturday afternoon tune session at the recent White Horse Folk Festival there were three Maccann players in the same room!

 

Have you got their names (apart from yours, obviously!)

[Irene S.]

With regard to Irene's breakdown of players by country above, I feel bound to wonder ... what about South Africa? I'm thinking particularly of the Afrikaner boeremusiek players. I know they are mostly anglo players, but there were a number of Maccann players too (I heard this from Zak van der Vyver), so I guess there must still be some. Does anybody know?

 

That is a point - on Youtube there are several videos where a Maccann player is featured. I might just go back there and do a bit of digging.

 

 

Just went back in there ... and the first one I found showed Sean Minnie playing - but we have him listed already, and I believe he's now resident in the US which is where I have allocated him (per his listings elsewhere)?

 

And herewith Mr Minnie in action

[maccannic]

Have you got their names (apart from yours, obviously!)

 

One was Will Hall. Don't know the other.

[Irene S.]

Yup - Will Hall's already down on the list

[Kurt Braun]

There was a Macccann player in Champaign, Illinois around 1978 or 79. Any ideas who that might have been?

[LR71]

Hi Geoff,

 

Was snooping around here and noticed this thread. Perhaps you remember Ramon Martin, a client of yours from about `10 years ago - Houston Texas, nickel silver B set, mammoth ivory mounts? Well he picked up a MacCann Duet last year; thinks they'll be the Next Big Thing. He wanted me to front the money - and offered up the Wooff chanter as collateral! No thanks, but he scraped the money together anyway. It's an old 'un, Lachenal or Jefferies or the like. Not a Wheatstone.

 

He's moving to Portland Oregon next year, and will be arriving this week to set things up; I'm after him to bring the Duet as I'd like to get a partnership going playing stuff from Kerr's Merry Melodies etc - schottisches, clogs, straight jigs etc, in whatever key, I play heaps of these tunes, on fiddle or silver flute; or Irish pipes, if they fit. Haven't heard Ramon play but on the phone he did describe the bizarre experience of having 8 fingers moving once and not a break so sounds like he can do something with the thing. He is good on the melodeon.

 

Kevin Rietmann

[saguaro_squeezer]

So you all are making it sound like I should switch from Crane to Maccann!

[Geoff Wooff]

Hi Geoff,

 

Was snooping around here and noticed this thread. Perhaps you remember Ramon Martin, a client of yours from about `10 years ago - Houston Texas, nickel silver B set, mammoth ivory mounts? Well he picked up a MacCann Duet last year; thinks they'll be the Next Big Thing. He wanted me to front the money - and offered up the Wooff chanter as collateral! No thanks, but he scraped the money together anyway. It's an old 'un, Lachenal or Jefferies or the like. Not a Wheatstone.

 

He's moving to Portland Oregon next year, and will be arriving this week to set things up; I'm after him to bring the Duet as I'd like to get a partnership going playing stuff from Kerr's Merry Melodies etc - schottisches, clogs, straight jigs etc, in whatever key, I play heaps of these tunes, on fiddle or silver flute; or Irish pipes, if they fit. Haven't heard Ramon play but on the phone he did describe the bizarre experience of having 8 fingers moving once and not a break so sounds like he can do something with the thing. He is good on the melodeon.

 

Kevin Rietmann

 

Hi Kevin,

sorry for not getting to this earier... I missed it first time around. Yes I remember Ramon Martin very well. So he is into MacCann as well. I like the Duet for playing the type of tunes you mention too. Currently trying to transfer all the French Scottishes, Valses,Polkas,Mazurkas and Boureés that we use in our local band for playing at the 'Bal Trads'.

Say a Hello to Ramon from me.

Cheers,

Geoff.

[Geoff Wooff]

It might be interesting to see my post on the Buy and sell forum (titled wanted to buy 57key MacCann) regarding Wheatstone production figures for MacCanns during the period 1910-1937. With just 653 being made of sizes larger than the 46key and nobody today really producing new ones , as far as I know, what might happen if there is an explosion of interest in the MacCann ?

Edited October 22, 2011 by Geoff Wooff

[felix castro]

It might be interesting to see my post on the Buy and sell forum (titled wanted to buy 57key MacCann) regarding Wheatstone production figures for MacCanns during the period 1910-1937. With just 653 being made of sizes larger than the 46key and nobody today really producing new ones , as far as I know, what might happen if there is an explosion of interest in the MacCann ?

I think that the interest of trying another systems it would be increased because of the good prices that are now in the market. Perhaps it would be a maccann renaissance.

I have just bought one 46 buttons maccann duet, wheatstone model, rosewood ends, metal buttons, serial number 29476, it is from between the 30th of november or 8th of december of 1922 following the production sheets that owns Steve Dickinson. It was for auction in ebay one month ago. It was almost in playing condition with minor faults.

 

I was for a long time considering that I wanted to try another systems of concertina, I bought one year ago a 144 buttons bandoneon but it is too large and too strange for me, I almost didn't try it. And I decided that I wanted to continue with more portable instruments.

 

As there are many good offers of concertinas in ebay nowadays, I decided to try a duet model.

I decided that the maccann was the most suitable for me (I have small hands, etc.) as the hayden model is only produced today at much higher prices.

By now I am only trying the right hand scales for melody.

 

As galician traditional music has a very close ambit, usually one octave, small models are also very suitable for playing it.

 

When I consider myself a maccann player I shall tell you, as I shall tell you another ideas about the system.

Félix Castro

[Dirge]

It might be interesting to see my post on the Buy and sell forum (titled wanted to buy 57key MacCann) regarding Wheatstone production figures for MacCanns during the period 1910-1937. With just 653 being made of sizes larger than the 46key and nobody today really producing new ones , as far as I know, what might happen if there is an explosion of interest in the MacCann ?

 

 

So with some having been destroyed over the years, not many made later and only 20 years of production before 1910, with my 3 instruments I might well own 1% of the remaining big Maccans in the world. What an extraordinary thought.

 

I certainly have been working to sort out my instrument holding NOW for the long term because I feel sure the day will come when supply is badly outstripped by demand.

 

And Felix; good choice of instrument. And for the reasons given above I'd get a larger one, perhaps a 58 or 61, at your first opportunity. You will learn to use all the notes I promise, and the bellows size is much better too.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Dirge

[Ralph Jordan]

It might be interesting to see my post on the Buy and sell forum (titled wanted to buy 57key MacCann) regarding Wheatstone production figures for MacCanns during the period 1910-1937. With just 653 being made of sizes larger than the 46key and nobody today really producing new ones , as far as I know, what might happen if there is an explosion of interest in the MacCann ?

 

 

So with some having been destroyed over the years, not many made later and only 20 years of production before 1910, with my 3 instruments I might well own 1% of the remaining big Maccans in the world. What an extraordinary thought.

 

I certainly have been working to sort out my instrument holding NOW for the long term because I feel sure the day will come when supply is badly outstripped by demand.

 

And Felix; good choice of instrument. And for the reasons given above I'd get a larger one, perhaps a 58 or 61, at your first opportunity. You will learn to use all the notes I promise, and the bellows size is much better too.

Well ...I've got 3 57 MacCanns....We seem to be cornering the market! That's my pension sorted when the prices rocket! And when I get my Dipper......!!

[Dirge]

Well ...I've got 3 57 MacCanns....We seem to be cornering the market! That's my pension sorted when the prices rocket! And when I get my Dipper......!!

 

Nice round number, 3. Mind you 4 would probably be even rounder.

[ceemonster]

oh, boy---maccannorhaydenmaccannorhaydenmaccannorhayden????

 

[i decided that the maccann was the most suitable for me (I have small hands, etc.) as the hayden model is only produced today at much higher prices.] is this really the case? aren't good-quality maccanns going for about six grand now? i was thinking, if i'd missed the boat on getting one at a good price, and if that were the case and one would be making that big an ivnestment, it'd be better to go new, thus hayden.....otherwise it becomes, which is more playable, which will do more, etc, and i just can't seem to get a handle on that issue. as other posters have repeatedly pointed out, the examples are just not numerous enough on the 'Tube....

[Daniel Hersh]

oh, boy---maccannorhaydenmaccannorhaydenmaccannorhayden????

 

[i decided that the maccann was the most suitable for me (I have small hands, etc.) as the hayden model is only produced today at much higher prices.] is this really the case? aren't good-quality maccanns going for about six grand now? i was thinking, if i'd missed the boat on getting one at a good price, and if that were the case and one would be making that big an ivnestment, it'd be better to go new, thus hayden.....otherwise it becomes, which is more playable, which will do more, etc, and i just can't seem to get a handle on that issue. as other posters have repeatedly pointed out, the examples are just not numerous enough on the 'Tube....

If you're looking for a reasonably priced duet you might consider a Crane. You can get a pretty nice one for under $2000 and a decent starter instrument like this 42-key from Chris Algar for much less than that.

[Geoff Wooff]

oh, boy---maccannorhaydenmaccannorhaydenmaccannorhayden?

 

 

 

 

My two cents worth;

 

In my humble opinion , having contemplated this at some length before making a choice, if you already play the English then go for a Maccann or Crane... I think this would have been a step that most of the original Duet players took and is does appear that these Duets were develpoed from the EC. If you are an Anglo player then the Hayden would be the logical way forward.

Having said that and done just that myself (EC to Maccann) I should add that any 'new'(to you) keyboard is a thing to be learned in itself and there are no short cuts.

 

Maccann's and Crane's are still a lot cheaper than a new Hayden though.

Edited November 17, 2011 by Geoff Wooff

[ceemonster]

thanks for the two cents and other input. i have eliminated crane based on a) a writeup on duet systems noting that maccann was the one designed specifically for speed and fluidity; and Bee) at least one, i believe more than one, comment here and there by duet attempters terming the crane system too slow for them. at this level of investment, the concertina must be capapable of executing very fast and fluidly even if one has no intention of always playing it very fast. cranes may or may not have that capability, but these refs are too many in the absence of contrary evidence, so crane is out.

 

very interesting, the thought about hayden branching more logically from anglo/maccann more logically from ec. i play anglo, as well as cba, which also is a hayden analogue. but i've recently given ec a try and loved that too. took right to the alternating hands thing, at least for single-line melodies (chords might be diff)... but the price consideration is also a big factor, and new haydens are really, really expensive. but i've been getting the impression that good maccanns were getting up there now as well. i've actually been wondering if stagi would give me a handmade-reed upgrade on a hayden like they offer on their 48-button and 56-button EC models. i am interested in duet for other genres in addition to, perhaps much more than, irish, like some of the duet folks here, and the truth is, irish is the only genre i really would find the concertina-reed sound essential for. high-grade, rich-sounding, fast/responsive accordion reeds would be fine for me on a duet....so there's plenty of puzzle pieces to move around the board before a big jump is made....but all you guys-ez maccann talk is tantalizing, and i really like that "Eloise" record....

Edited November 18, 2011 by ceemonster

[Daniel Hersh]

thanks for the two cents and other input. i have eliminated crane based on a) a writeup on duet systems noting that maccann was the one designed specifically for speed and fluidity; and Bee) at least one, i believe more than one, comment here and there by duet attempters terming the crane system too slow for them. at this level of investment, the concertina must be capapable of executing very fast and fluidly even if one has no intention of always playing it very fast. cranes may or may not have that capability, but these refs are too many in the absence of contrary evidence, so crane is out.

 

very interesting, the thought about hayden branching more logically from anglo/maccann more logically from ec. i play anglo, as well as cba, which also is a hayden analogue. but i've recently given ec a try and loved that too. took right to the alternating hands thing, at least for single-line melodies (chords might be diff)... but the price consideration is also a big factor, and new haydens are really, really expensive. but i've been getting the impression that good maccanns were getting up there now as well. i've actually been wondering if stagi would give me a handmade-reed upgrade on a hayden like they offer on their 48-button and 56-button EC models. i am interested in duet for other genres in addition to, perhaps much more than, irish, like some of the duet folks here, and the truth is, irish is the only genre i really would find the concertina-reed sound essential for. high-grade, rich-sounding, fast/responsive accordion reeds would be fine for me on a duet....so there's plenty of puzzle pieces to move around the board before a big jump is made....but all you guys-ez maccann talk is tantalizing, and i really like that "Eloise" record....

I agree with Geoff that Maccann is easier for English players and Hayden for Anglo players, but I think that Crane can come plausibly from either one. I'd suggest that you listen to Jean Megly's recordings here or Paul McCann's here before giving up on the possibility of trying the Crane.

Edited November 18, 2011 by Daniel Hersh