doodle Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I'd be interested to hear of any members' personal experience of replacement anglo handstraps. Buying remotely over the net throws up several sellers/makers, but I can't easily judge the quality of the products they sell. Any personal recommendations would be valued, as I don't want to end up with stretchy, rough bits of leather, poorly tooled etc. They are to fit a jeffries 51 key anglo - fairly weighty instrument. Thanks in advance to all - I'm UK based. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think David Leese at Concertina Spares makes nice, firm anglo straps. He offers a Jeffries stamping on the strap that might complement your instrument. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex West Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Doodle I've had handstraps from Colin Dipper, Steve Dickinson, David Leese (now Mark Adey) and I've made some myself (including for a 50 key Ab/Eb Jeffries - big heavy reeds!). They've all been fine but I think you can expect some stretch on any leather. I'd say you don't need them to be too thick as they can then be hard and inflexible. In terms of personal preference, I like the shape of Steve Dickinsons Duet/Anglo cut away back style and the material is certainly strong enough for a big anglo. Mark Adey's nubuck ones are also nice and comfortable. Colin's are the closest to Jeffries original shape if that suits your hands and they're very well made Alex West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Doodle I've had handstraps from Colin Dipper, Steve Dickinson, David Leese (now Mark Adey) and I've made some myself (including for a 50 key Ab/Eb Jeffries - big heavy reeds!). They've all been fine but I think you can expect some stretch on any leather. I'd say you don't need them to be too thick as they can then be hard and inflexible. In terms of personal preference, I like the shape of Steve Dickinsons Duet/Anglo cut away back style and the material is certainly strong enough for a big anglo. Mark Adey's nubuck ones are also nice and comfortable. Colin's are the closest to Jeffries original shape if that suits your hands and they're very well made Alex West On the principle that a big Anglo and the big duets I use are the same problem; I'd say make them as thick as you can get in the fixings and live with it. They do run in with use; you can ease any edges that start to cause callouses. I'd also say that if you really think about it a cutaway strap is bound to tear off; you end up pulling diagonally and all the strain is taken on one side. I get mine made at the local saddlery absolutely symmetrical, no offset at all. These days I take the tired one in and ask for more the same; for the first prototypes I bought belts from charity shops and cut my own, but you have to watch that because often the belts are made up of two layers of leather glued together and sometimes it's hard to spot until it delaminates after light use and you realise you've wasted all that effort. I get 1/8" leather and it lasts and stays stiff so you know where you are; I pick up the instrument and I'm 'locked in'. I've a small duet with soft straps and even this is going to get an upgrade to improve accuracy of play. I've been using straps like this for some years now. Straps used to be a permanent nuisance as they got chewed up; I haven't considered them for a cople of years or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglo-Irishman Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Doodle, In my experience, handstraps should be as thick and stiff as you can get! I never had a problem with my anglo, which is a Stagi and has thick broad, stiff straps. I only noticed what a positive feature this is when I got my Crane Duet. It had the original 1920s handstraps on it, and these were thinner, and had become supple through use. I had great difficulty keeping the instrument steady while I aimed for the unfamiliar buttons, which didn't improve my learning curve. Then I ordered Dave Leese' "extra thick" handstraps, and the Crane suddenly became easy to handle. If the straps are too supple, the concertina hangs down between your hands when the straps are at a comfortable tightness. To keep it up, you have to tighten the straps, and this cramps your mobility. Thick, stiff straps hold the instrument up, even when they're not tight round your hands. And thick leather is less likely to cut into your hands than thin leather. I would also prefer a broad strap for comfort, as opposed to a cut-away strap, which is bound to be narrower. Chers, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodle Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Thanks so much, everyone. The flavour I'm getting is to go for fairly thick straps and play them in. They may seem a relatively cheap item compared to the instrument as a whole, but as you say Dirge and anglo-Irishman, they are the crucial link between hand and button and I need all the help that's going!!! Your experience and advice is greatly appreciated. Now I wonder if my wife will miss her leather handbag..........?? Cheers to all doodle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Ghent Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 1/8th inch leather seems a little excessive, I wonder if it would fit through the strap clip on a Jeffries, though you could always make new clips, but even so, could such thick leather make the bend at that point? I find 2mm (1/8th is 3.25mm), to be a good compromise. I also try not to make it a competition for survival between your hands and the leather, soft is unobtrusive. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglo-Irishman Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Now I wonder if my wife will miss her leather handbag..........?? doodle, I don't know what your wife's handbags are like, but the leather of my wife's handbags would be far too thin and floppy for good handstraps! There's no sense in antagonising our Significant Others more than necessary! Cheers, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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