Jump to content

Wheatstone Ledger Designations


Recommended Posts

Hello All,

 

I asked this in the 64-button Wheatstone topic and then decided it warrants its own topic..

 

Is there an existing thread or other explanation on this site or elsewhere that explains the columns, designations, and abbreviations in the Wheatstone ledgers?

 

If so, please note the source and I will proceed there.

 

If not, will someone, please explain, describe, define (whatever the correct term is) the meaning of the designations and abbreviations, e.g., the SV, WS on the 64-button Wheatstone concertina of note and numerous others throughout the ledger.

 

Thanks.

 

Be Well,

 

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

will someone, please explain, describe, define (whatever the correct term is) the meaning of the designations and abbreviations, e.g., the SV, WS on the 64-button Wheatstone concertina of note and numerous others throughout the ledger.

Hi Dan,

 

The jury is still out on the meaning of some of the abbreviations in the ledgers, but I think we have reached a consensus that SV is for "single valve", meaning a single lever-type wind key, as this instrument has (as opposed to a pair of them, or "bowing valves") and WS is for "wrist straps".

 

You can see the earlier discussion of this topic here.

 

Cheers,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 12 years later...

Does anyone know what the ledger notation "Mag" stands for? It seems to occur on the larger instruments

 

Here are some examples:

30479 (Mag Octo 60 keys)
30689 (Mag Octo 9 1/2 75 keys)
30697 (Mag Octo 9 1/2 70 keys)
30736 (Crane Octo Mag 70 keys 9 1/2)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, I know it's not mahogany. I recently acquired a concertina with that notation, and it's metal-ended. It also has what appears to be aluminum or duralumin reed shoes, although I see from other examples that those are noted in the ledger as such.

The only thing I could think of was magnesium, but I've never heard of that being used so I'm guessing that's as absurd as it sounds. Dural is made with a small amount of magnesium, could it be a special alloy with higher magnesium? All I can say for sure is that after handling only concertinas with brass reed shoes, it was surprisingly lightweight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could be right in thinking the reference is to the metal of the reed shoes but it could also be the metal ends that perhaps are an alloy that includes Magnesium or Manganese ?

 

I had a McCann that was made a couple of years after those you list, which had Brittania Metal ends ( according to the ledger), which is a Tin /Copper/ Antimony alloy... the sound was/is wonderfull... but I'm unsure if it had anything to do with those funny metal ends.

 

It does appear that Wheatstone were experimenting with materials quite a bit during the 1920's.

Edited by Geoff Wooff
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I had a McCann that was made a couple of years after those you list, which had Brittania Metal ends "

 

Were the ends cast rather than sawn Geoff?

I don't think they were cast, possibly they'd been 'spun' formed but as far as I recall the frets looked very similar to those on Nickel Silver or Brass ends... the colour was more silvery and the feel of the metal was softer..

 

We could ask the current owner what he thinks ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could be right in thinking the reference is to the metal of the reed shoes but it could also be the metal ends that perhaps are an alloy that includes Magnesium or Manganese ?

 

I had a McCann that was made a couple of years after those you list, which had Brittania Metal ends ( according to the ledger), which is a Tin /Copper/ Antimony alloy... the sound was/is wonderfull... but I'm unsure if it had anything to do with those funny metal ends.

 

It does appear that Wheatstone were experimenting with materials quite a bit during the 1920's.

 

Yes, magnesium alloys are the strongest and lightest of alloys, and were starting to be regarded as valuable industrial structural materials in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, so I guess Wheatstone's were trying them out on some of their Aeola duets. They,would then have been based on Mg-Al-Zn (magnesium-aliminium-zinc) or Mg-Mn (magnesium-manganese) systems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...