Geoffrey Crabb Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Just for interest, My latest project, an 8 button Midget English concertina, now completed (See attachment). Geoffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolmbebb Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Very cute - and very well done! Part of me hopes that you had no very good reason for doing it, just did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Gorgeous! Just the work we expect from Geoff. Congratulations on its completion. (A "small" split of champagne is in order) Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Crabb Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 Very cute - and very well done! Part of me hopes that you had no very good reason for doing it, just did it. At this size not the thing you do for fun actually. The instrument will be used in a clown act in Denmark. Geoffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Franch Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I hope this turns up on YouTube someday soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worrall Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Gorgeous, Geoff....your usual. I hope that clown appreciates it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conzertino Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Geoff, I would love to get my hands on a mini-concertina-door-bell-push-button ( like you used to have at your shop )!!! Any chance of a one-off? Or did you keep the original one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Very nice Geoff, congratulations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Lovely work Geoff!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Congratulations, Geoff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Very cute - and very well done! Part of me hopes that you had no very good reason for doing it, just did it. At this size not the thing you do for fun actually. The instrument will be used in a clown act in Denmark. Nice job Geoff! I wouldn't think it was humanly possible to make a smaller concertina than one of these 2-inch, 8-key miniatures, and I've never seen or heard of anything smaller - the bellows must be an especial nightmare to make. I've got one myself, that was made by Wheatstones in 1929 and bought by "Miss Linda Martell, the comedy girl with her concertinas." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Geoff, I would love to get my hands on a mini-concertina-door-bell-push-button ( like you used to have at your shop )!!! Any chance of a one-off? Or did you keep the original one? Maybe we should form a queue? (Nanoatures we save for the day somebody builds a concertina with one button on each end?)Many moons ago I toyed with the idea of getting a hexagonal doorbell made, complete with fretwork and one button in the middle (and I seem to recollect that Neville Crabb might have made one for the shop - or is my memory playing tricks on me Geoff?). So would that count as a 1-key solid electric mini-concertina????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Crabb Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Thanks for the comments folks. I try still to justify the term 'Concertina Maker' albeit now only minor. In reply to some of the remarks. Bell pushes. Conzertino, I am sure that some of the more enterprising 'youngsters' amongst us with laser cutting access for the tops could make some to meet the desire of yours and others. Jim. In fact, it was me that made the one at the shop. Probably the most expensive 'push' ever made according to my dad. I removed it when the shop was vacated, 25 years ago now, but like other junk historical artefacts recovered, I have no idea where it is now. Bellows Stephen. Yes, the bellows is quite a challenge. Being inset, it is in fact 1.75" across the flats and is constructed exactly the same way as a normal size hexagonal, eight fold one with the same number of pieces (446 excluding the bellows frame parts). Another challenge is making the collapsible mould on which to build it as this differs from the conventional design. And, of course, installing a workable action in the limited space of the endboxes requires some careful thought and in this instrument some unusual features . Like you, I also don't think it possible to make anything hexagonal smaller even though an historical report of a 1.5" instrument able to produce a selection of Scottish airs ??? appears elsewhere. Nanoatures ?? Jim, I suppose, my late brother Neville and I could claim to have made a Nanoature in 1983. This was a novelty device (I won't call it a concertina) made for a French comedy musical act (not a clown). The requirement being for something 'pocketable' that could replicate the siren of a passing French police car. The resultant 1.75 " AF square 'device' had one button at each end, was 'bisonoric' and double reeded. To provide reasonable sustain of individual notes, a ten fold bellows was fitted. To provide the necessary doppler effect, the reeds on the right were tuned F# (pull), D# (push) and those on the left F (pull), D (push) . Each pair of the four pairs of reeds fitted were tuned wet to give the characteristic French siren sound. In use, the right button was held down whilst the bellows was expanded and compressed, the effort being gradually increased to simulate the vehicle approaching. At the appropriate point, the right button was released and the left button then held down, the effort on the bellows being then gradually reduced to simulate the vehicle passing and into the distance. Geoffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Like you, I also don't think it possible to make anything hexagonal smaller even though an historical report of a 1.5" instrument able to produce a selection of Scottish airs ??? appears elsewhere. Geoff, That's in a report on Linda Martell's act and the instrument she was playing is the same (2") Wheatstone one that I've got - only the reporter underestimated the size of it... (How unusual for a reporter, they usually overstate everything! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Ghent Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 As a person with one foot in each trade, there are moments in journalism when understatement is an over statement..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Crabb Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Video now available, three Crabb midgets 18, 12 and latest 8 key. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIDY8ZmAtRc Unfortunately accompaniment a little loud Geoffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_holden Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 It's great to hear them being played, thanks Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Yeah, enjoyed this very much too...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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