Nigel Sture.....the concertina doctor

[scoopet]

I have a large edeophone baritone pitched in b flat, it is a really good instrument, fantastic fun but not quite as good as it could be....until now!

  Several people/ restorers have tried to make it great,but it's a fickle beast especially at the low end.A couple of months ago I was down in South Devon, so I took it into Nigel Sture as one of the end bolts was slipping and I hoped he had a replacement knocking around in a box....He was adamant ,that as well as sort the bolt he could get the thing playing consistently and quickly through the bottom end.....I was doubtful....

 Anyway I picked it up yesterday....Nigel had aged ten years in 2 months.....he had revalved it, a couple of different ways before he was happy with it, he had replaced reeds which were weak, and wouldn't remain in tune, he had fixed air leaks around certain reeds.....he had gone beyond the call of duty, and the end result is the edeophone plays beautifully, quick and lively with a remarkable even tone through out.

  He also charged me his standard valve replacement and tuning price despite the job, taking a ridiculous amount of time.

   I am really impressed with the job , so I thought it was worth mentioning here, and that Nigel deserved some credit where others have struggled.

   All the best, I'm off now to play it, again.

   Simon

[Lakeman]

Nigel is my "Go TO"  concertina mechanic - the best I. the business !

 

[March Hare]

Yes, Nigel is a lovely guy, a great musician and a superb concertina restorer and tuner.

I never imagined that my Edeophone could play as well as it does now.  Marvellous.

[Roger Hare]

I bought my first 'tina from Nigel, and 6 years later it's still in great nick.

 

He also restored an instrument which had some 'original' but slightly 'fragile'

features which I wanted to retain, and he did a great job!