Lachenal query

[PhilEdwards]

A friend has just asked if I'd be interested in buying his Lachenal EC. It's someone I trust - personally and as a musician - so I think it'll be an OK box generally. (The discussion's still at a very early stage, I should add.) One thing gave me slight pause, though; apparently it's been modified somewhere down the line, removing the release button & replacing it with a small plate.

 

I can't think why someone would do that - wouldn't it be rather inconvenient not to have a release button, not to say anti-social? Or is that a known modification, in the world of concertina-modding (if there is a world of concertina-modding)?

 

What do people think?

Edited March 23, 2012 by PhilEdwards

[spindizzy]

A friend has just asked if I'd be interested in buying his Lachenal EC. It's someone I trust - personally and as a musician - so I think it'll be an OK box generally. (The discussion's still at a very early stage, I should add.) One thing gave me slight pause, though; apparently it's been modified somewhere down the line, removing the release button & replacing it with a small plate.

 

I can't think why someone would do that - wouldn't it be rather inconvenient not to have a release button, not to say anti-social? Or is that a known modification, in the world of concertina-modding (if there is a world of concertina-modding)?

 

What do people think?

 

Many (perhaps the majority) of vintage ECs have no air button. There's a knack to closing the concertina at the end of a tune without making an almighty squawk. (Usually a hand over a swathe of buttons as you close the bellows means that not enough pressure reaches any of the reeds to make a noise)

I don't know why the mod would have been made unless, there was some damage or leakage and closing the vent off was easier than fixing it.

Also, some EC's had a novelty sound (duck quack!) or a drone on the extra button rather than an air button and this may have been removed if the owner didn't wan to quack by accident in some serious hymn tune playing!

Edited March 23, 2012 by spindizzy

[Geoff Wooff]

Perhaps the Air button was in a position that a previous player found was getting opened inadvertently by their thumb ?

[SteveS]

Perhaps the Air button was in a position that a previous player found was getting opened inadvertently by their thumb ?

I once repaired a concertina on which someone had snipped off the entire slide valve lever arm, and which I reinstated during the repair.