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Baritone/treble Aeola!


Geoff Wooff

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  • 4 months later...

Another one of these BTs has come up at our local auction. http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/great-western-auctions-ltd/catalogue-id-srgreat10010/lot-6370f031-4f7c-45df-a48e-a45a010239df .Looks like a definite model 14. I'm currently in the process of buying a TT and I would have otherwise been tempted, but I'm going to pop along to the viewing out of pure curiosity; having never seen or tried one before.

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Presumably a BT is a treble extended down rather than a baritone extended up? Therefore different fingering than a normal baritone as the lowest note is on the opposite side, or am I just confusing myself again?

Edited by Rikki
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Presumably a BT is a treble extended down rather than a baritone extended up? Therefore different fingering than a normal baritone as the lowest note is on the opposite side, or am I just confusing myself again?

Correct; a BT is a treble extended down. They are like TT's except that they go further, down to G ( which will be on the left side), or low F on the right side in the case of a 64key model.

 

The fingering is the same as a Treble but usually the alignment of the thumb strap/ finger plate is displaced by one vertical row of buttons... so where the upper edge of the thumb strap on a treble ,TT and standard Baritone, is in line with the A button on the right ( G on the left) side, with a Baritone Treble it aligns to the D on right side and C on left..

Also a quick ( at a distance) recognition is that the centre line of the thumb straps of a BT are (usually) in-line with the End Bolts, so they are 'centrally' positioned on the end of the instrument whereas most other types of EC have the thumb straps positioned off centre in the direction of the player's body. This means that the balance point is a little different and all the buttons are placed further 'up' towards the badge .

 

See the pictures on posts 10 and 11( and Geoff Crabb's drawings) if my quick explaination is unclear ( that would not surprise me),

 

Geoff.

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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Wow. Thanks for the excellent answer Geoff. I can perhaps see why these models were not so popular; as anyone familiar with playing a baritone may struggle to adapt to the change. Personally I believe I would rather own separate baritone and treble instruments and live with the fact that I can't get both ranges at the same time. That said, I have little doubt that there are players out there who will have no problem adapting.

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Yes Rikki, it can be slightly confusing to play both a 'normal' Treble (TT or Bari) positioned instrument and a BT. Sometimes I have made an intro ( on stage ) in a wrong key because I habitually play the BT at home and then swap to the Treble with the dance band.... can be embarrassing!

 

However, as I have probably written earlier in this topic, I see the BT as an instrument for the Treble player who wishes to add some 'self accompaniment' whilst they are playing the melody in much the same way as one might on a TT. I came to this conclusion because of the way the lower notes are balanced against the treble octaves on my own instrument.... as if it was designed that chords in the bottom octave would allow an upper melody to shine through... well, that is the way I try to use it. :huh:

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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Another one of these BTs has come up at our local auction. http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/great-western-auctions-ltd/catalogue-id-srgreat10010/lot-6370f031-4f7c-45df-a48e-a45a010239df .Looks like a definite model 14. I'm currently in the process of buying a TT and I would have otherwise been tempted, but I'm going to pop along to the viewing out of pure curiosity; having never seen or tried one before.

 

 

 

Looks like it is in need of some TLC. The bellows look worn and the plated ends are tarnished. It has seven-fold bellows, I notice. Also, the original case appears to have been repaired and painted black. Still, a nice concertina for someone. (I've already got a 64 key one, so won't be bidding!) 30131 dates from the 1st April 1924, according to the Wheatstone ledgers and is listed as a model 14.

 

Chris

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I went along to see it yesterday. It is 8" across and starts at low G on the left hand side. In my opinion it is a Model 14 per the ledgers, but I am certainly no expert.

 

It has been tuned to concert pitch in the past and is now overdue a good tuning. I suspect that it has been stored in someone's loft for a long time as it smells of mould. I'd probably want to replace the bellows just to help lose the smell, but if you could deal with the smell in another way then they may be repairable as I didn't identify any significant leaks.

 

I wouldn't pretend to have reasonable knowledge of restoration, but I believe that the case is probably not something you would want to keep.

 

I had the opportunity to try a friend's 64 button BT on Monday, and it was in a significantly better condition than the one on offer. For the limited times that I would use the Baritone notes for song accompaniment I think I would be better off buying a separate baritone so that I don't need to stretch for the treble notes the remainder of the time. I could also then transfer the muscle memory to another baritone in due course.

Edited by Rikki
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Many thanks Rikki,

 

for keeping us informed about the sale of this important concertina. I nearly put in a commission bid which would have increased the price the winning bidder needed to pay by quite a chunk but, I am currently sworn off buying any more concertinas... huh!... well perhaps untill the next time that is. B)

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