Colin Dipper - Honourable Tradesman

[JimLucas]

Now that is an interesting concept; playing my Dipper on my 101st Birthday!  I just might make it!  One Greatgrandmother lived to 98, the other to 102. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was a news article recently about twins in Sweden celebrating their 100th birthday. They said they didn't understand what the fuss was all about. After all, it seemed to them pretty much like their 99th.

[jmyersgoucheredu]

"The truth is", Jeff, that you don't know what facts I might know that haven't been made public in the Forum

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Fair enough, Jim, all that you say. I guess I would just have told Oddball (sp?) that waiting is part of the game; be patient, and you'll eventually have a great instrument.

 

Jeff Myers

[JimLucas]

I guess I would just have told Oddball (sp?) that waiting is part of the game; be patient, and you'll eventually have a great instrument.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I and several others did just that.

 

But when I discovered that his two posts had become the first items to be seen when one searched for Coin's name not only here on C.net, but on Google, I felt that something more active was called for. After all, what was being broadcast to the world was not just Oddball's frustration at the wait, but accusations that Colin was a liar and dishonest in his business dealings. I felt -- and feel -- that the contrary view needed to be presented with equal salience.

 

Interestingly enough, shortly after I started this thread both of Oddball's Topics stopped appearing in the Google search, and I never saw this Topic appear there at all. Meanwhile, most of the items about Colin that Google does pick up still originate here on Concertina.net. I have no idea what mechanism is responsible for that selective censorship, but I do think it's a reasonable solution.

[Mark Evans]

Was suprised by that myself Jim. Never have seen anything like it. Some of the older C. Net Colin mentions did not show up before in the first few pages, now, They are right up front with other hits that did not appear before and yes, this topic is not anywhere to be seen.

 

Odd.

[PeterT]

If he is able to make about 20 instruments a year, but has "orders" for 100 or more (I don't know the true number; this is just for illustration), then one might expect to wait at least 5 years for a new instrument.

 

I say "at least", because Colin doesn't run a first in-first-out queue. He sets -- and continually readjusts -- his priorities according to what he perceives as important. I, for one, consider this flexibility to be a virtue, not a vice. "Special" instruments get lower priority than "standards", because they take more time and effort to produce, which means filling fewer "orders" overall.

 

There are, of course, other factors. Repair work often takes priority. It makes sense that someone who has been doing without a particular instrument up till now can survive a further delay, while someone whose livelihood depends on an instrument that has suddenly stopped working has a more urgent need.

 

I've taken the liberty of editing portions of Jim's excellent posting.

 

I totally agree with the very positive comments by Jim, and others, relating to Colin and Rosalie Dipper. They are always a pleasure to talk to, very knowlegable, and extremely helpful people.

 

Then there is the quality of their instruments. As Jim says, "specials" generally get a lower priority than "standards", which can be made in small batches. How long did I have to wait for mine? Well, just 3 weeks short of 10 years. Was it worth the wait? Certainly was; it looks stunning, sounds superb, and plays like a dream. I have absolutely no regrets.

 

Colin did say to me, earlier this year, that new instrument manufacture is now taking priority over repair work (i.e. he is not currently taking on repairs).

 

Peter.

[Alan Caffrey]

Hello to all,

I too would like to state how pleased I am with the Dipper's work: I collected my Claire model C/G last September and it's an absolute pleasure! It has mahogany ends framed in ebony with black bellows with old gold bellows papers, the wood is very dark and shiny. Colin told me that he obtained the mahogany from the natural history museum in London, they sold off the wood that they used to pin bugs to for display after changing out their shelving system.

I received the instrument three years almost to the day of placing my order, and it's made a huge difference to my playing. I was playing a mid-range concertina before Colin's and the Dipper is a big step up in quality, sound and playability.

One thing I would like to say to people starting out on concertina is that what ever instrument you pick you really need to be willing to do some repairs of your own. It's unfortunate that we all so spread out so you may not have anyone to show you how to do it. But if you don't learn to do basic repairs yourself you may have a lot of 'down time' and it's frustrating and costly to insure and send your instrument to a repairer. A lot of repairs will only take ten minutes to do, but of course you don't want to make things worse! I've had to do repairs on all my instruments including the Dipper though it has had less problems than the others.

So good luck and don't be discouraged by the stories you hear of waiting times (for standard models anyway), I did as Colin suggested and gave him a telephone call once in a while to show I was still interested, and the instrument came through right on time.

 

Bye for now...Alan.

[Brian Peters]

i do know one very good and well respected player who had aproblem with him,i think the bellows fell apart.

 

Having had a new set of bellows built by Rosalie Dipper for my antique Crabb Anglo a number of years ago, and subjected them to some pretty robust treatment in the meantime, I find it very difficult to believe that any bellows emanating from the Dippers could possibly "fall apart". They are beautifully constructed and a perfect facsimile of the worn-out bellows. Obviously I don't know which player you're referring to, Dick, but I can't help feeling that wires have got crossed somewhere.

 

I've never ordered a new instrument from Colin (though often been tempted), but for what it's worth I think his work is superb, and that he's definitely one of the Good Guys.

Brian

[JimLucas]

I've had to do repairs on all my instruments including the Dipper though it has had less problems than the others.

Repairs, or simply maintenance?

 

Removing a bit of dust or reseating a reed frame because a change in weather has caused the wood of the reed pan to swell or shrink, e.g., isn't a "repair" any more than adjusting the air pressure in a car or bicycle tire.

 

But I'm asking, not criticizing, because I don't know what you did.

[Paul Read]

It's interesting that lately new people are joining and resurrecting the old threads. It's fun to see how thgey develop second time round.

[JimLucas]

ihave only used colin dipper once, and ifound him very helpful and useful .however i do know one very good and well respected player who had aproblem with him,i think the bellows fell apart.its probably a different person.which might make two.two out of thousands.i need say no more.

Actually, I think you've said too much.

 

Not a repoprt of personal experience, but hearsay. No substantiation. Apparently you're not even sure of the details. ("I think...," you said.) Nor do you report what was or wasn't done to correct the situation, something which I would consider of great importance.

 

Though I don't believe you intended it that way, it seems to me a gratuitous smear on Colin's reputation. I'm even left wondering whether the subject of your anecdote really was Colin, or whether you've managed to get him mixed up with someone else. I certainly find it hard to believe that any bellows coming from the Dippers, whether one made by Rosalie or a restored original, simply "fell apart".

[Alan Caffrey]

The job I had to do was remove levers and lubricate the pivot with a little graphite powder and wiggle them back and forth to get free motion in the lever. Maintenance? More of a settling in problem I think. Oh, and I added tension to one spring. I live state side and was in England to collect the concertina, and to see dear ol' Mum, when the first lever stuck. Colin and Rosalee drove into London from down near Stonehenge to do the fix, good people! And it was handy to have Colin show me how to do it. Yes, more of a settling in problem I think. It's a wonderful instrument.

Alan.

[JimLucas]

isaid thhat i,foundcolindippers work good,i have arecollection of talking to someonewho had aproblem but as isay i only heard one side of the story.

Which is precisely why you should not "repeat" it in a public forum.

 

somebody out there has had a problem,but as i pointed out,its only one or if its adifferent person two out of athousands

Almost certainly a different person. But if it's only one or two out of thousands, then it's not representative of Colin's work, which is why I wonder at your motivation for publicizing it at all.

 

thats not a gratuitous smear.

"Gratuitous" (as I used it) = "unnecessary or unjustified". I stand by that. What you posted amounts to an unsubstantiated (you yourself didn't see the allegedly fallen-apart bellows, did you?) claim of shoddy workmanship, something I find difficult to credit for even one case out of thousands from Colin.

 

think it shows he has avery high standard,of workmanship .

Ah, but that's not what you said before. The meaning I got from your earlier post was, "He did a good job for me, but he doesn't always do a good job."

 

althoughcolin doesnot need to defend himself i,msure he knows who the person who postedthe comments are,..

He does indeed know who the original poster is, but in my post that you quoted I wasn't talking about some earlier person's posts; I was talking about yours, which I felt and feel was inappropriate, because it didn't represent your own experience.

 

...he can always put his side of the story .

If you feel that way, then why didn't you leave it to the person who allegedly had a problem with Colin's work to post "his side of the story"... or not, as he saw fit?

 

Well, I think I've made my point. I hope you've made yours. I don't really want to get into a long debate, so if you reply to this post, I'll try to let you have the last word.

[Frank Edgley]

Well, I'm pretty sure Colin hasn't made thousands of concertinas, but along with repair work it may be approaching that number. However, Colin is never satisfied with his work and is always striving to produce better and better concertinas. I have owned two and repaired or examined several more. They are often different internally. Usually as time goes on he manages to improve tone, response etc. Add the fact that seldom does he make instruments which appear the same externally. He does not make "cookie cutter" concertinas i.e. concertinas which are all the same internally, and have the same grill pattern, etc. Because he is always looking at ways to improve the tone of his instruments and can make your concertina sound like a jeffries or a Wheatstone aeola by the way he profiles the reeds, for example, it makes me shake my head when a new maker comes on the market and people say things like "It plays (or sounds) as well as a Dipper." As if a new maker can suddenly, and without experience produce an instrument to equal one of Colin's. If they can do this right out of the box, they must indeed be geniuses. That's not to say they aren't very good instruments, but as good as Colin's---that would be a remarkable feat.

Edited February 23, 2006 by Frank Edgley

[bill_mchale]

Well, I'm pretty sure Colin hasn't made thousands of concertinas, but along with repair work it may be approaching that number. However, Colin is never satisfied with his work and is always striving to produce better and better concertinas. I have owned two and repaired or examined several more. They are often different internally. Usually as time goes on he manages to improve tone, response etc. Add the fact that seldom does he make instruments which appear the same externally. He does not make "cookie cutter" concertinas i.e. concertinas which are all the same internally, and have the same grill pattern, etc. Because he is always looking at ways to improve the tone of his instruments and can make your concertina sound like a jeffries or a Wheatstone aeola by the way he profiles the reeds, for example, it makes me shake my head when a new maker comes on the market and people say things like "It plays (or sounds) as well as a Dipper." As if a new maker can suddenly, and without experience produce an instrument to equal one of Colin's. If they can do this right out of the box, they must indeed be geniuses. That's not to say they aren't very good instruments, but as good as Colin's---that would be a remarkable feat.

 

Frank,

I couldn't agree more. I have played two Dippers, very briefly in the Catskills last year. There are a number of truely remarkable instrument makers out there; this is particularly true when one remembers that many of these gentlemen developed their art with little feedback. A Suttner or a Modern Wheatstone is truely a remarkable instrument, the Kensington I own is also remarkable in its tone and playability, I have also heard good things about Carroll Concertinas and the new Wakker instrument. I could also say similarly nice things about the makers of the hybrid instruments. That being said, all of these instruments are the products of craftsmen (or appear to be). Dippers I think fall closer to works of art. I think if anyone ever writes the history of concertina makers, Jergen Suttner and Steve Dickenson are both going to be mentioned in the same breath as Colin.. but I think Colin's instruments will be the ones that are considered the Gold Standard.

 

--

Bill

[Chris Timson]

That is almost poetry, Bill, but I agree with every word. Don't forget Rosalie, though. Best bellows on the planet. The Dippers are a team.

 

Chris

[Frank Edgley]

Absolutely!

[Dan Worrall]

I received my first Dipper in 1988, and my current one in 1992. I've played it, hard, for fourteen years now with never a problem...it is a true joy. This week, a screw holding the air button bushing board fell out; its accompanying nut had come undone and I hadn't noticed it in time. I called up Rosalie and Colin (great to chat with them again after a long time) and they popped some replacements in the mail. Any charge? "No of course not; if its only 1992 that you bought it, it's practically still in warranty!"

 

'Nuff said. Best concertinas, and some of the most delightful people, on the planet.

[Bruce McCaskey]

I received the instrument three years almost to the day of placing my order...

What I find most interesting in the recent postings is Alan's statement that it only took three years from the order date for his County Clare to be delivered. Of course we've read and heard of long waits for some (less common) instruments from Colin, but I'm quite enthused to hear (or in this case read) of a data point indicating only a three year wait on a Claire.

 

Colin had suggested a three year wait when I put in an order a couple of years ago for a Claire Professional, but reading the forum postings over the last 18 months I'd concluded I was more likely looking at a five year wait. Alan's posting has given me hope...

 

The standard model Claire I currently own (purchased lightly used) has been a pleasure to play and the one time I had it apart (to clear lint out of a reed) I was amazed at the attention to detail in the parts and construction.

Edited February 23, 2006 by Bruce McCaskey