Gallotone Anglo from South Africa

[Fanie]

Hello everybody, I am new here, but I don't see an introduction forum, so let me introduce myself here. I have been lurking around here for some time, but now I have decided to join your forum.

I am Fanie, a (small scale) cattle farmer in South Africa. I am playing harmonica, banjo, ukulele and mandolin, but I always wanted to play concertina. I have one of those Chinese Irin concertinas and the big Scholer with the triple sets of reeds. 

This week I found a Gallotone, but it is actually the middle size Scholer with double reed plates. BUT the problem, it has 13 broken reeds. The reed plates were very corroded, so I think the reeds got stuck and then broke when somebody played it. So, now the question: what do I do with it? Five of the eight reed plates have broken reeds. Is it fixable, or can one get reeds or reed plates for it somewhere? Has anybody tried to put harmonica reeds (or reed plates) in a concertina?

Any help or advice will be appreciated.

Thanks 

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

Hello Fanie 

 

It may be possible to fix this instrument but you may find that it is probably easier and or cheaper to buy a new one which is similar. 

 

I believe there are a couple of people making and repairing concertinas in south Africa who may be able to supply you a new one or repair the existing, I am not sure. Here is the closest thing I can provide to a contact detail:

Gys Mans Konsertinas: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057035876378 I have actually spoken to this guy in facebook.

 

Wifra [Willie van Wyk] - I can't find or provide any contact details but I met a fellow once who if I remember correctly had a concertina by this maker. His profile is here on this website: https://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?/profile/853-zak-vdv/ perhaps you could message him and ask if he knows if Wilfra is still active.

 

Best of luck

Jake

[Fanie]

Thank you Jake. I did send a message to Gys, but he has not responded yet.

[Fanie]

I contacted Harmonikas.cz and they responded with a price list of reed plates.

 

[Fanie]

OK, I am ordering a set of new reeds in C/G for my concertina from Czech Republic.

The layout that I found is this, but I am not sure if the number next to each letter is correct. (Sorry for my musical illiteracy.)

Left: C1/G1, G1B1, C2/D2, E2/F2, G2/B2             Right: C3/B2, E3/D3, G3/F3, E4/B3

Left: B1/D2, D2/F#2, G2/A2, B2/C3, D3/E3        Right: G3/F#3, B3/A3, D4/C4, G4/E4, B4/F#4

 

Can somebody please confirm if this layout of the reeds is correct?

Thank you

Edited September 24, 2021 by Fanie

[malcolm clapp]

Hi Fanie,

 

The C row is more usually

Left: C1/G1, G1/B1, C2/D2, E2/F2, G2/A2      Right: C3/B2, E3/D3, G3/F3, C4/A3, E4/B3

 

Your G row is basically as standard, though sometimes

Left: B1/A1, D2/F#2, G2/A2, B2/C3, D3/E3    and/or   Right: G3/F#3, B3/A3, D4/C4, G4/E4, F4/F#4

 

(differences in bold)

 

I've retained your number system; however you might have read elsewhere recently https://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?/topic/24290-chart-showing-c-c-a-etc/

there are a number of differing numbering systems used to denote pitch. Don't know what Harmonikas.cz uses, but maybe some one who has had dealings with this company may like to comment.

 

Hope this helps....

Good luck!

Edited September 24, 2021 by malcolm clapp
additional comment

[Fanie]

Thank you Malcolm,

I am completely dumb when it comes to reading music.

Harmonika.cz wants to know from me "please send me SCHEMA for 20 x Mechanika reed plates for Anglo concertina in C/G"

 So, can somebody please help me to send them the correct "SCHEMA"

Thank you

[Steve Schulteis]

When they say "schema", I assume they just mean the note/button layout you're looking for.

 

When I placed an order with them, I specified each note in two ways:

• Scientific pitch notation, which specifies middle-C as "C4", specifies sharps with ♯, and uses "B" (not "H"). 
• A variant of the german system, which specifies middle-C as "c1", specifies sharps by appending "is" to the letter, and uses "h" instead of "B". The note called "F♯5" in scientific pitch notation is called "fis2" in this german system.

I provided each note as its equivalent sharp - no flats. So instead of "B♭4", I'd list "A♯4".

 

I sent them a table with columns for "Note" (one column for each type of notation), "Reed Size" (I was ordering their original concertina reeds), and "Count". I'm still waiting for that order, so I can't say definitively that I got it right, but there didn't seem to be any confusion about what I was looking for.

Edited September 24, 2021 by Steve Schulteis

[Fanie]

Thank you Steve.

Due to my illiteracy, I do not really understand what you are saying. But can you please give me that list/column of notes that they will understand, so that I can order the correct reeds?

Thank you

[Steve Schulteis]

It might be a couple of days before I get to it (I'm pretty busy at the moment), but I'd be happy to.

[Fanie]

Thank you Steve

[Fanie]

I received this layout on Melodeon.net. How does it look to you guys:

 

C row | Left:
C3/G3
G3/B3
C4/D4
E4/F4
G4/A4

C row | right:
C5/B4
E5/D5
G5/F5
C6/A5
E6/B5

G row | left:
G3/D4
D4/F#4
G4/A4
B4/C5
D5/E5

G row | right:
G5/F#5
B5/A5
D6/C6
G6/E6
B6/F#6

(push/pull)

 

Thank you

[Steve Schulteis]

I'd replace the G3/D4 at the low end of the G row with B3/A3, but otherwise looks good from a casual inspection.

 

G3 and D4 are already available in both bellows directions, so it's typical to put something else there, even though it means the G row doesn't follow exactly the same pattern as the C row. B3/A3 is the most common as far as I know, and I've found that setup to work very well for my own playing.

[Steve Schulteis]

This is for a 30-button, but if you ignore the extra row of buttons (the one labeled "Acc"), it shows the layout a few different ways with octave numbers and staff notation too: http://midnight-court.com/concertina-maps.html

[Fanie]

Thank you Steve.

[Steve Schulteis]

Fanie, did you get everything you needed here?

 

For the record, my order from Harmonikas arrived today, so I can confirm that I received exactly what I expected.