What our concertinas look like?

[Wolf Molkentin]

Thank you for the reply Steve, I‘m looking forward to viewing your picture, and maybe to discuss Duet concepts (I just started a thread).

 

As to my Crane, starting with a TOTL instrument might have done the trick for me I reckon ?.

 

I‘m very happy about having been able do grab at the chance when this beast came around...

 

Best wishes - ?

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Wolf Molkentin

[Wolf Molkentin]

16 minutes ago, alex_holden said:

 

What a beauty! ?

 

So true, thank you Alex! I add a picture of the bellows:

 

[RAc]

Hi Wolf - you're very lucky you got an instrument that has the B (in German notation H) below the middle C on the right hand side (I assume that's what the lowermost middle note on the RH is). That note is a part of many tunes (at least in the English/Bal Folk realm) but missing on most Cranes. I consider it very awkward to try to work around the missing note. Getting it from the left hand side to me is not an option because one, normally the left hand's job to keep the rhythm is distracted by trying to fit in the melody B from the left hand side and two, the two sides do have a significantly different acoustic effect, so transferring the melody from right to left always sounds funny, even to those sitting centered before the instrument.

 

So in most tunes the only option is to substitute the B with a different note fitting the tune.

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by RAc

[Little John]

4 hours ago, Wolf Molkentin said:

 

So true, thank you Alex! I add a picture of the bellows:

 

 

It would be good to see a picture of the left hand side. Is the low F on a thumb button? The right hand side is like a 55 button with B3 added. Is the left hand also like a 55 but with a few of extra buttons randomly placed, or does it contain a whole extra row beneath the normal 55? If so, are all the buttons shifted up a row from the normal?

 

LJ

[Wolf Molkentin]

3 hours ago, Little John said:

 

It would be good to see a picture of the left hand side. Is the low F on a thumb button? The right hand side is like a 55 button with B3 added. Is the left hand also like a 55 but with a few of extra buttons randomly placed, or does it contain a whole extra row beneath the normal 55? If so, are all the buttons shifted up a row from the normal?

 

LJ

 

Hi John, you have it right about the RHS, and also re the low F on a thumb button, there are then on regular positions G, A and B, and outside the rows Bb - so the range of the LHs is from F to c‘‘, with only the low F# and G# omitted.

 

Here‘s another picture:

[Wolf Molkentin]

14 hours ago, RAc said:

Hi Wolf - you're very lucky you got an instrument that has the B (in German notation H) below the middle C on the right hand side (I assume that's what the lowermost middle note on the RH is).

 

Hi Rüdiger - yes, it‘s the B, and that‘s what I had assumed, and hoped for, just like the extension down to the low F on the LHS, see above and the button diagram as follows, roughly adapted from a drawing by Geoffrey Crabb (hope he doesn’t mind me):

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Wolf Molkentin

[Wolf Molkentin]

5 hours ago, RAc said:

To let the "secret" (is it really a secret anymore?) out: Alex's #3 is a Crane I commissioned, and I'm very happy that he managed to get the B accomodated - look

 

Very cool, Rüdiger & Alex!

 

Thanks all for their replies in the „considerations“-thread as well, will come back to that tomorrow...

 

Best wishes - ?

[Don Taylor]

The metal ends are amazing, they are works of art and grace.

 

Do you plan to have them re-plated or keep the patina in the memory of former players?

[Wolf Molkentin]

8 hours ago, Don Taylor said:

The metal ends are amazing, they are works of art and grace.

 

Do you plan to have them re-plated or keep the patina in the memory of former players?

 

Hi Don, yes indeed! I don‘t have plans to have the ends replated, „in the flesh“ their appearance is hardly compromised at all (apart from some deeper traces of fingernails near the most common buttons) to my eyes (pics have been edited to accentuate the engravings).

 

And in fact I like having the instrument‘s „history“ visible (to some extent).

 

Best wishes - ?

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Wolf Molkentin

[SteveS]

My latest acquisition - this 'tina is in great original condition and appears virtually unplayed.

Edited November 18, 2018 by SteveS

[Takayuki YAGI]

1 hour ago, SteveS said:

My latest acquisition - this 'tina is in great original condition and appears virtually unplayed.

What a beauty! Is it English or Duet?

 

YAGI ?

[SteveS]

2 hours ago, Takayuki YAGI said:

What a beauty! Is it English or Duet?

 

YAGI ?

it's a 12 key English

[Lofty]

On 11/17/2018 at 8:57 PM, RAc said:

Hi Wolf - you're very lucky you got an instrument that has the B (in German notation H) below the middle C on the right hand side (I assume that's what the lowermost middle note on the RH is). That note is a part of many tunes (at least in the English/Bal Folk realm) but missing on most Cranes. I consider it very awkward to try to work around the missing note. Getting it from the left hand side to me is not an option because one, normally the left hand's job to keep the rhythm is distracted by trying to fit in the melody B from the left hand side and two, the two sides do have a significantly different acoustic effect, so transferring the melody from right to left always sounds funny, even to those sitting centered before the instrument.

 

So in most tunes the only option is to substitute the B with a different note fitting the tune.

 

To let the "secret" (is it really a secret anymore?) out: Alex's #3 is a Crane I commissioned, and I'm very happy that he managed to get the B accomodated - look at 

  (2nd image) to get an idea about the magic involved.

 

 

My "new" 69 button Wheatstone MacCann uses a rather different technique to squeeze in some of the notes. 

 

As the photos below show, some of the levers cross over others. One even crosses over two others. It's a bit of a mystery to me why this was done: it's a very big instrument, so I would have thought that this could have been avoided.

 

It seems to work pretty well, however.

 

Steve

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Lofty

[Wolf Molkentin]

Steve,  that's amazing - could you give the notes for the levers involved? However, still weird as the chambers are still adjacent...

[RAc]

19 hours ago, Lofty said:

 

My "new" 69 button Wheatstone MacCann uses a rather different technique to squeeze in some of the notes. 

 

As the photos below show, some of the levers cross over others. One even crosses over two others. It's a bit of a mystery to me why this was done: it's a very big instrument, so I would have thought that this could have been avoided.

 

It seems to work pretty well, however.

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

Is it by any chance the same instrument discussed here ?

[Takayuki YAGI]

My miniature anglos. Jones 26+2 button (semi-miniature), Jones 10 button and Norman 13 button.

YAGI ?

[Wolf Molkentin]

4 minutes ago, Takayuki YAGI said:

My miniature anglos. Jones 26+2 button (semi-miniature), Jones 10 button and Norman 13 button.

YAGI ?

 

the 26b is pretty cool I reckon

[Lofty]

36 minutes ago, RAc said:

 

Is it by any chance the same instrument discussed here ?

I’m sure it’s the same one.

 

David Robertson seems to have made a mistake in its range, however. As he said, the left side range is F2 to C5. On the right, it’s G3 to G6, not C3 to C6.

 

I particularly wanted the right side to start from G3, rather than the more common middle C. This is partly because that is what the one I have on loan has. It’s also because I don’t ever intend to pay the highest, squeakiest notes and I would rather have lower ones instead.

 

Steve