wunks Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 I've read that duets require the EC type of bellows as opposed to Anglos, however My Jeffries (made by Jeffries) appears to have the Anglo style while my Wheatstone has the EC. I can certainly feel the difference when I play and because I like to change direction often( (fiddle player) I prefer the Jeff. I know there aren't many of them out there but did Jeffries usually fit his duets with Anglo bellows? Are some other systems equipped this way as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 One might then asked the question 'did Wheatstones fit an EC type bellows to their Anglos' ? From my observation the difference between Wheatstone's Duet bellows and their Anglo bellows is not apparent. I recall a Jeffries EC that had a fairly typical Jeffries bellows ... perhaps a little lighter in construction..... So, perhaps each house had their own style (weight) of construction for bellows ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little John Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 How do the bellows differ? Why should there need to be different types? LJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saguaro_squeezer Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Having read this, I went and checked my bellows and in my stable, (and remembering the Herrington, too) the anglos did seem a bit more flexible, although the 57b Crabb is just as much so, and its bellows are not original, but its reeds are set up like an anglo. It couldn't have to do with that difference, could it? SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 (edited) I just got in and have to dash back out but I'm referencing a thread either here or another website. I'll also put up pic's when I get back in. Wakker concertina's ,com/bellows I believe Wakkers explanation fits my situation. Below: both my instruments in repose ( Jeff on right). The jeff will squeeze tight but will slowly push back. Edited March 10, 2019 by wunks more info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 (edited) Here's Wim Wakker's page on this: http://www.concertinaconnection.com/replacement bellows.htm . The relevent text from that page is below: English/Duet versus Anglo bellows Not all bellows are the same. There is a difference between bellows made for an English or Duet concertina and for an Anglo. Bellows made for English/duet concertinas have thinner folds and are very supple. They should not 'pull back' when you play on them. The weight of the bellows in relation to the ends is very important. For English and Duet concertinas the bellows should be as light as possible. Just like the bow on a violin, it should almost be weightless in order not to interfere with the musical movement. Anlgo bellows folds are thicker. They allow less side movement of the bellows. The most important asset of anlgo bellows is stability. When playing an anglo, the bellows movement is very short and irregular. Because of the rapid changes it is important that the folds themselves do not move. When the folds 'bounce' when you change bellows direction, you lose energy which results in slower bellows changes and less control over volume. This does not mean that they should be stiff. We use an acid-free type of card for our anglo bellows, with a higher weight. The card does not bend itself and provides a solid base for the typical anlgo movement. The heavier bellows feel more stable and give the player maximum control over movement. I wonder if other makers or restorers would agree. There aren't many makers who make both Anglo and English concertinas. Edited March 11, 2019 by Daniel Hersh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 8 hours ago, Daniel Hersh said: Here's Wim Wakker's page on this: http://www.concertinaconnection.com/replacement bellows.htm . The relevent text from that page is below: English/Duet versus Anglo bellows Not all bellows are the same. There is a difference between bellows made for an English or Duet concertina and for an Anglo. Bellows made for English/duet concertinas have thinner folds and are very supple. They should not 'pull back' when you play on them. The weight of the bellows in relation to the ends is very important. For English and Duet concertinas the bellows should be as light as possible. Just like the bow on a violin, it should almost be weightless in order not to interfere with the musical movement. Anlgo bellows folds are thicker. They allow less side movement of the bellows. The most important asset of anlgo bellows is stability. When playing an anglo, the bellows movement is very short and irregular. Because of the rapid changes it is important that the folds themselves do not move. When the folds 'bounce' when you change bellows direction, you lose energy which results in slower bellows changes and less control over volume. This does not mean that they should be stiff. We use an acid-free type of card for our anglo bellows, with a higher weight. The card does not bend itself and provides a solid base for the typical anlgo movement. The heavier bellows feel more stable and give the player maximum control over movement. I wonder if other makers or restorers would agree. There aren't many makers who make both Anglo English concertinas. This is the reference I referred to. It also includes photos of two representative instruments to compare with mine. In addition, my playing experience conforms to the text. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 I have a replacement Wakker bellows on one of my EC s , it is supple and a very expressive component of the instrument. Other bellows makers do, I think, take into consideration what instrument type is the intended oblect of their creations, but one seller of bellows kits appears to offer just the one 'weight' and I fitted one of his to an EC a couple of years ago. It was heavier than the original EC bellows from classic Wheatstone and Lachenal instruments but supple enough to function for either, at a bargain price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Taylor Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 (edited) The bellows on my Morse Beaumont seem to be a compromise between Anglo bellows and EC bellows - definitely heavier and thicker at the fold than the bellows on either of my ECs but they do not bounce when played or push back when closed. Edited March 11, 2019 by Don Taylor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now