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**SOLD elsewhere** Jeffries 38b C/G anglo


Luke Hillman

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This concertina has been sold.

 

I have a 38-button C/G Jeffries anglo in excellent condition for sale. I've had it for two years, during which time it's been beautifully restored to top playing condition by Greg Jowaisas:

 

  • New 7-fold bellows
  • All reeds are Jeffries and sound great
  • 1/5 comma meantone tuning
  • Sometime in its—likely South African—past, this concertina had its ends re-plated and its buttons replaced (see pics). The buttons lack bushings. The new owner may wish to correct this; it doesn't bother me.
  • Listing includes the hard case, newly blocked for this instrument.
  • Photos (pics of the internals are from Greg; I haven't opened it up myself):
  • Demo Video | bonus video: Orange in Bloom

 

I am told that this instrument could likely have more work done to optimize its action and airflow, though it plays quite well by my reckoning. Selling because I use my other concertina more for gigs and, though it's a great box, I never really "bonded" with this instrument -- I think I'm leaning in the direction of eventually getting a mellower instrument like a Bb/F or a G/D.

 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reply to this thread or send a PM.

 

As of April 2020, Asking $5,000 (selling at a rather steep loss, but I'm interested in seeing it successfully re-homed soon). Reasonable offers welcome. I'm in the San Francisco area and will happily ship wherever (free shipping to the US or Canada).

Edited by Luke Hillman
sold
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  • Luke Hillman changed the title to Jeffries 38b C/G anglo (asking price reduced; reasonable offers welcome)
  • Luke Hillman changed the title to Jeffries 38b C/G anglo (reasonable offers welcome)

Hi Luke,

 

I too wanted to say how much I enjoyed your recording of Orange in Bloom.  The sound was beautiful and I connected with your performance immediately.  I've listened to that recording several times now over the past few weeks.  I hope to aspire to that level of playing one day. 

 

Can that arrangement be played on a Wheatstone anglo?  If so, wherever did you find the sheet music for that tune?

 

Thanks and good luck on the sale!

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Thank you for your kind words @Nabio! My favorite Morris tune. I learned this version from @adrian brown's video here. I play by ear and don't have the sheet music for this exact arrangement, but these chords seem to be accurate, and there's lots of free sheet music for the melody out there (for example). Hope this helps.

 

You can absolutely play this on a Wheatstone anglo; in fact, my other concertina is a 30-button Wheatstone one. The only problem is that I like to play this tune in F, and on my 30-button C/G, I don't have the very highest note (third measure of the B part) in the right direction. I don't have a layout chart in front of me, but you'd probably have that note on a 40-button Wheatstone. It pains me to say, but when I play it on the 30b, I usually just play the chord and leave that note of the melody out, hoping that the listener's ear will fill it in. You could play it in another key and have all the notes. G works, and is traditional, but it's so squeaky!

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Hi Luke,

 

Thanks very much for the links.  I used the sheet music for the tune as a basis.     

 

I've transcribed what I was able to discern from the recording.  I assume many of the chords were arpeggiated, with all but one (or two?) being in root position.  Or are there some chords that have the third omitted?  I've heard these can sound off at times.

 

Also, how would you describe what you refer to as squeaky?  haha

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You're actually stretching the limits of my poor, sub-literate musical lexicon, but... yes, the chords are mostly arpeggiated right up until the ends of the phrases. I don't believe I omitted any thirds; if I did it was likely due to incompetence. For me, the upper end of a C/G concertina (or a D/G melodeon) is almost intolerable, though it's better to my ear with traditional concertina reeds (like on this Jeffries) than on hybrid accordion reeds (like on my Clover). Since I prefer to keep my melodies on my right hand and my harmonies on my left, for sanity, I spend a lot of time up in that range when playing English music in G. It's great for being heard, but not so great if you're playing for your own enjoyment, in my experience.

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Well Luke, I think you did a marvelous job by ear.  I think there is a great advantage to players who can use their ear over reading alone.  It's like having an analogous off-road vehicle that can take you anywhere you like, without being limited by the roads available.  I am sure I can think of a more elegant analogy for this, but basically you can transcend the limits of available sheet music! 

 

If I can make a decent recording without playing the wrong notes constantly, I will share it with you!

 

 

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