Geoff Wooff Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Has anyone seen the new EC from Wim Wakker that he calls "Parnassus" ? It would be nice to get a review from someone who has tried one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Wow! I've had no occasion to see one, but it looks gorgeous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mansfield Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 If they sound half as good as they look they're going to be amazing ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 What a beautiful thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 I got no takers for a review of the Parnassus last month unfortunately......... So, has anyone heard it or played it ?? Could Mr. Wakker be persuaded to make one in Baritone /Treble form ? Happy thoughts, Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Could Mr. Wakker be persuaded to make one in Baritone /Treble form ? I'd suggest that you e-mail him and ask him. I have always found Wim to be very responsive to questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Viehoff Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Could Mr. Wakker be persuaded to make one in Baritone /Treble form ? If you click the button marked "options" it says "Baritone" is an option. However I suspect you may have meant a 64 button Baritone-Treble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Could Mr. Wakker be persuaded to make one in Baritone /Treble form ? If you click the button marked "options" it says "Baritone" is an option. However I suspect you may have meant a 64 button Baritone-Treble. Well, yes Ivan... I was thinking that if Wim Wakker was offering both Treble and Baritone in 48key versions then he would have all his reed scalings and chambers worked out for the two sizes and thus he could meld them into a Baritone/Treble. I've been playing a B/T for the last three years and I really like it but it is the 56key version and I use the whole range and sometimes I miss those last couple of high notes of the treble range.... A 64key with the power of a Metal Ended and the dynamic range suggested by Mr Wakker for his Parnassus.. could be the ultimate EC for me.But I would love to try before I buy or hear from someone who has tried or heard one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 On the description page, it says that only 2 instruments will be made each year. So how many of them can he have made so far? Maybe just that one? I'd love to see a review/hear how it sounds too (ha, as if I'll ever be able to afford one or do it justice). But I'm not surprised that not many people would have had their hands on one at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 On the description page, it says that only 2 instruments will be made each year. So how many of them can he have made so far? Maybe just that one? I'd love to see a review/hear how it sounds too (ha, as if I'll ever be able to afford one or do it justice). But I'm not surprised that not many people would have had their hands on one at this point. I guess there is far more of a chance that several members here have at least played or own a Wakker EC on your side of the Atlantic Jonanna... As to the Parnassus; you are probably correct that there is so far only the one. Let's hope someone will come forward with comments. Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mansfield Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 If anyone would like to buy me a Parnassus, I'll happily write a review of it for Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelly0312 Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 A 64key with the power of a Metal Ended and the dynamic range suggested by Mr Wakker for his Parnassus.. could be the ultimate EC for me.But I would love to try before I buy or hear from someone who has tried or heard one I'm with you Goeff. Should we each order one (T/B--not that it is even being offered!) and put Wim in cardiac arrest? That would be the ultamate for me also. Gosh, can't you just stare at the double fretwork.....delelicious. Wim would probably want to interview the orderees--and declare me an unfit waanabe!!!! Shelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 (edited) I'm with you Goeff. Should we each order one (T/B--not that it is even being offered!) and put Wim in cardiac arrest? That would be the ultamate for me also. Gosh, can't you just stare at the double fretwork.....delelicious. Wim would probably want to interview the orderees--and declare me an unfit waanabe!!!! Shelly Well, putting on my Instrument Maker cap, I would say that it is not really the remit of a maker to create judgements on the musicianship of his or her customers. After all there are very few Matuchwitch's or Alf Edwards' about these days. Still with my Maker's cap on and with the lack of first hand reports on this new Parnassus, and no videos that I can find of anyone playing one of Wim Wakker's EC's... I will continue with a little speculation, or interpretation of the information given on the Concertina Connection website: I can understand that the 12 sided shape is going to give a better uniformity of Reed Chamber shape throughout the range and combined with a very exact gradation of Reed sizes will help produce the best equilibrium of tone. Good dynamic range will come from fine reeds and excelent choices of Tone woods. That all makes sense. The next point is the Ends.... having played, and owned, many many EC's over the years I understand that the Ends play a large part in defining how the instrument will sound. An instrument with little open hole area will be quiter than one with very open fret work and that a balance needs to be found with this. That a Metal ended instrument will be louder than a wooden ended. That there is a certain Ringing quality to a Metal ended concertina that whilst it carries the sound more clearly it can cause problems with staccato passages.. a sort of Reverb effect. If one then decides to have a more open Fretwork in a Wooden end, which will negate the sound baffling effect found in traditional fret paterns, the whole thing can start to look ugly. By using a double Rosette you gain much open fret effect whilst keeping the "I cannot quite see inside" look. This is a very nice idea. I also notice from the pictures that the Rosette lattice work does not look as if it has sharp edges, at least on the outside and thus probably on the inside. I am well aware from my own work that sharp edges occuring in vibrating air spaces can create turbulances which can have a detrimental effect on tone quality.So here you get the tone of a wooden ended concertina without the baffling effect and without the reverb effect of a metal end. There is also mention of the "action multiplication" is this a reference to a short travel button that opens the pad further because of a double action pivot or more simply an improved positioning of the pivot points ? Well there's my musings... Geoff. PS; Sorry Steve, I cannot afford one for you too Edited April 16, 2012 by Geoff Wooff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I have to admit that is as spectacular an example of concertina porn as I've seen in quite a while. I don't even play the English and I think I'm going to have to go home and have a cold shower ... Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I have to admit that is as spectacular an example of concertina porn as I've seen in quite a while. I don't even play the English and I think I'm going to have to go home and have a cold shower ... Chris I know exactly what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 I have to admit that is as spectacular an example of concertina porn as I've seen in quite a while. I don't even play the English and I think I'm going to have to go home and have a cold shower ... Chris I know exactly what you mean. Well... I don't think I would go that far... Perhaps I am just a misery guts and really just interested in its usefullness as a musical instrument. Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureBoy Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) I got my Parnassus about a week ago. It is starting to work in nicely. The reeds are thinner so the sound is richer and broader. Since it has some spruce wood, it has a lot of resonance and vibrance. The action and button short travel distance are even more responsive than I thought it would be. It is as responsive as any concertina I have ever played and far better than most. Of course the 12 sides makes for a wonderfully unconstricted sound. It is not a honker or a screamer so it is perfect for playing with 2-3 other musicians. Even better for playing solo if the acoustics are good. The only bad thing I can say is that it will spoil you rotten. You won't want to go back to your other concertinas. I have to force myself to regularly play my Wheatstone Aeola so I do not get too spoiled. Edited January 1, 2013 by NatureBoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelly0312 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I got my Parnassus about a week ago. It is starting to work in nicely. ....oh holy cow...you better do a sound bite for me and Goeff--so we can bluther some more! Shelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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