Wanted: Travel Size Concertina Wheatstone Anglo

[Voomy]

Im looking for a travel size concertina. wheatstone style anglo $800-1500 range. Obviously need it fully functional and in tune.

 

I hate haggling. so Give me the price your willing to accept for a particular item. If I cant find one, ill settle on the marcus traveler in a few months.

 

EDIT: any anglo that is not jeffrie 20+ key and non altered tuning 5-6 inches

Edited December 12, 2016 by Voomy

[nicx66]

There was a member who had a beautiful 6 over 6 lachenal 24 key that just sold. I think the seller still has a 20 key for sale http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19185

Also a 26 key lachenal from another member. http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19171

Neither are wheatstones, however both are at the lower end of your budget and from respected members of this forum

[Voomy]

There was a member who had a beautiful 6 over 6 lachenal 24 key that just sold. I think the seller still has a 20 key for sale http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19185

Also a 26 key lachenal from another member. http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19171

Neither are wheatstones, however both are at the lower end of your budget and from respected members of this forum

 

 

I thought lechenals were wheatstones.... can you tell me the difference?

[Stephen Chambers]

I thought lechenals were wheatstones.... can you tell me the difference?

They're different makes, made by different firms!

Putting it in American guitar terms, Lachenal would be more like (say) Harmony, or Stella, whilst (pre-war) Wheatstone and Jeffries instruments would be more like Martin and Gibson, and very expensive... (In fact many players would consider the pre-war Wheatstone's to be the best concertinas ever made!)

(But most post-war Wheatstone instruments would not be as good as many's the older Lachenal.)

 

[Voomy]

Well thats quite interesting. So is it just called a standard anglo now? I just dont want the jeffries row on the right hand side. Thankyou a TON for your help

[Bill N]

I think I see where you are coming from. Yes, generally speaking, concertinas manufactured by both Wheatstone and Lachenal use the same arrangement of notes/buttons for the 3rd row. That arrangement is often referred to as the Wheatstone system. Note that you will find variations however, either as factory-made custom orders, or after-market changes. ( For instance, I have converted my formerly Wheatstone arranged Morse to match my Kensington, which is in itself a modified Jeffries arrangement!)

 

Wheatstone and Jeffries set the standards, and other manufactures followed their leads.

 

Just to add further confusion, Louis Lachenal worked for Wheatstone for many years before he opened his own shop, and was largely responsible for setting up Wheatstone's manufacturing system.

[Voomy]

Ohh. I finally get it.

 

so just wheatstone system or just call it an anglo and I think that's generally what people mean. And I Know what notes are on that. but you are extremely correct. Have to watch out for different tunings on.... well just be cautious if the people don't know or cant tell you.

[Bob Michel]

In the price range you mention, I think I'd be looking out for a used hybrid concertina (Morse, Edgley, Tedrow, etc.) with the Wheatstone layout. These are fine, durable instruments that use accordion reeds. As for concertinas of Wheatstone manufacture, you'd be unlikely to find even a passable postwar one in that range.

 

What do you mean by "travel size"? The dimensions of a typical Anglo are pretty travel-friendly, though smaller models have been made throughout the instrument's history. A concertina of reduced size, if that's what you're after, will probably be harder to find.

 

Bob Mixhel

Near Philly

[Voomy]

yeah i love how small concertinas are I just wanted one that was between 5-6 inches across the flats. My Rochelle is quite large.

 

Im going to do some research on the brands you mentioned. I dont care what brand it is, as long as it uses that weatstone system

 

however, it may not even matter on a 20 button! again, I'm still quite the newbie with this instrument

[Don Taylor]

It is surprising how much smaller a standard 6 1/4" concertina is compared to a 7" Rochelle. It is not just the diameter of the ends, but the extra depth of the ends on a Rochelle that makes it feel a lot bigger.

 

You might find that anything smaller would be too small for your hands.

[Bill N]

As a travel-friendly concertina I can recommend a Morse if you can find one used. They are wonderful to play, very light compared to most other similar boxes, and very durable. I have been playing mine hard, indoors and out, for nearly 7 years and it has been bullet-proof.

[Voomy]

It is surprising how much smaller a standard 6 1/4" concertina is compared to a 7" Rochelle. It is not just the diameter of the ends, but the extra depth of the ends on a Rochelle that makes it feel a lot bigger.

 

You might find that anything smaller would be too small for your hands.

 

 

completely incorrect! Travel size is what I want

 

And bill, I will look into that morse

[John Wild]

have a look at the Marcus traveller.

 

http://www.marcusmusic.co.uk

[Voomy]

have a look at the Marcus traveller.

 

http://www.marcusmusic.co.uk

 

Yeah that's probably what ill settle on... but I want to give it a few months on here to give it a chance if someone has something like that

[Voomy]

No dice yet. 5-6 inches... Id like more on the 5 inche side.

 

20-30 key.

[Theo]

I'm not surprised. The vast majority of English made anglo concertinas in 20 and 30 key sizes are 6 1/4" across the flats. Smaller sizes were made, but in relatively tiny numbers. What you are looking for is a very rare instrument, the sort of thing you could spend years looking for.

[Takayuki YAGI]

Just for your information, semi-miniature Lachenal 30b is currently on the top of Greg's Holiday Pyramid. Please see here.

However, as Theo said above, smaller sizes are rare and I am not sure if this one is within your budget......

Edited December 21, 2016 by Takayuki YAGI

[Stephen Chambers]

Yes, generally speaking, concertinas manufactured by both Wheatstone and Lachenal use the same arrangement of notes/buttons for the 3rd row. That arrangement is often referred to as the Wheatstone system. ...

 

Though it's actually a system that Lachenal's developed, some forty years before Wheatstone's even started to make Anglos.

 

Wheatstone and Jeffries set the standards, and other manufactures followed their leads.

 

That would certainly be the case with late-20th/early 21st century makers.

 

Just to add further confusion, Louis Lachenal worked for Wheatstone for many years before he opened his own shop, and was largely responsible for setting up Wheatstone's manufacturing system.

 

Louis Lachenal produced most of Wheatstone's concertinas between 1848 and 1865, though I don't believe he was ever employed by them as such. But the "manufacturing system" was his and he (naturally!) took it with him when he set up as a fully independent maker in 1858.

 

From 1865 onwards, "Wheatstone's manufacturing system" became that of Edward Chidley (senior), until 1933 when the Lachenal firm got bought out by Wheatstone's - who then started to use Lachenal's tooling and machinery to produce their own instruments.