Wheatstone vs Jeffries Layout; A5 or A6

[alex_holden]

A recent discussion about Anglo note range brought up a question about a difference between the Wheatstone/Lachenal layout and the Jeffries layout.

 

On a 30 button C/G Anglo, the third row furthest right button on the push. This tends to be A6 on Wheatstones/Lachenals. On at least one original Jeffries I've inspected, it is A5 instead. As @Pistachio Dreamerpointed out, the Wheatstone version makes sense because they already an A5 push on the second button of the right hand third row. Jeffries don't have A5 on the second button, and A6 is such a high pitch that it rarely gets played, so it makes sense to put A5 on the fifth button.

 

What I'm not sure about is whether this was standard practice. Do Jeffries C/Gs all have A5 instead of A6 in that position?

[adrian brown]

In my experience Alex, yes they all do. I know of several Jeffries altos that have been converted to the Wheatstone layout, but I imagine the standard was to have the push A5 on 5a, since 2a is occupied with the reverse notes of 1a. (c# and d#/eb)

 

Adrian

 

 

[Pistachio Dreamer]

Alex, apologies owed as I thought the Jeffries layout hybrid I made had an A6 in that position - it is in fact an A5. I was working from a reed chart with no octave markings as you mentioned, so I must have made that decision unconsciously at some point! Good to know this is the standard.

[Alex West]

And I've just checked my records on Jeffries CG instruments - yep, they all have A5 there.  I'll take a look at the other Jeffries in other keys for which I have maps and see if it's the same equivalent

 

Alex West

[Alex West]

OK - All of the other keys I checked have the equivalent of A5 there - apart from the Bb/Fs which all have a G there when I would have expected a Gsharp.  Apart from one Bb/F instrument which had a C in that position

 

Alex West

[PaddyLosty]

For Irish trad, the A5 is very handy for ornamentation off the G on the inside RHS or from the LHS E. An A6 in that location wouldn't be very useful, at least for my own particular playing style. 

[Richard Mellish]

23 hours ago, Alex West said:

OK - All of the other keys I checked have the equivalent of A5 there - apart from the Bb/Fs which all have a G there when I would have expected a Gsharp.  Apart from one Bb/F instrument which had a C in that position

 

Alex West

How do you reckon a G#? I would expect everything on a Bb/F to be two semitones down from the corresponding notes on a C/G, so the G in that position is as expected.

[PaddyLosty]

My Bb/F Jeffries has a G in that location, not a G#. 

[Alex West]

22 hours ago, Richard Mellish said:

How do you reckon a G#?

Indeed Richard - my mistake.  The G makes perfect sense

 

Alex West