Doug Watt Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 I have never come across an Eb/Bb anglo configuration. Does anyone have any knowledge of this occurring in the past or how to obtain one? I guess that one could tune-up a D/A but they are also rare beasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Coles Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) When I did my survey years ago, IIRC the only ones I encountered in such unusual keys were german instruments. But one thing I learned is that nearly everything is lurking out there somewhere, it just may be very uncommon. Edited to add: Since I wrote that, I've seen examples of Lachenals where the stamps on the reed shoes are in "relative C/G" and not the pitches of the reeds, so I would no longer assert that the reed shoes were always stamped with the intended pitch. Ken Edited April 24, 2022 by Ken_Coles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Sylte Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 (edited) I bought a mini Lachenal in Eb/Bb that I shared in a post here years ago. After trying to rebuild a set of reeds recently (for a different miniature in C/G), I have theorized that perhaps Eb/Bb is the lowest key practical for such a small reed pan. I haven’t found the Eb/Bb key useful in any sessions though. Edited April 26, 2022 by John Sylte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Groff Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 (edited) Here's some lovely playing from Noel Hill on what looks to be an Eb/Bb Lachenal: A Stór mo Chroí in C minor and The Wheels of the World in F. https://www.facebook.com/gradamceoil/videos/353477939575017 Edited April 27, 2022 by Paul Groff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 On 4/26/2022 at 8:41 PM, Paul Groff said: Here's some lovely playing from Noel Hill on what looks to be an Eb/Bb Lachenal: A Stór mo Chroí in C minor and The Wheels of the World in F. https://www.facebook.com/gradamceoil/videos/353477939575017 This piccolo Eb/Bb turned up in my neck of the woods. Wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but knew it was a quality instrument, fast as the devil and with a lovely, if high ringing sound. I tuned it and put it in good order and when Noel was in town for camp I showed it to him. He was impressed with the instrument and said it would be perfect to play with Frankie Gavin's 'F' flute. (D fingering for a C/G comes out as 'F' on an Eb/Bb concertina.) We made a deal and needless to say the concertina found a good home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Groff Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 28 minutes ago, Greg Jowaisas said: This piccolo Eb/Bb turned up in my neck of the woods. Wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but knew it was a quality instrument, fast as the devil and with a lovely, if high ringing sound. I tuned it and put it in good order and when Noel was in town for camp I showed it to him. He was impressed with the instrument and said it would be perfect to play with Frankie Gavin's 'F' flute. (D fingering for a C/G comes out as 'F' on an Eb/Bb concertina.) We made a deal and needless to say the concertina found a good home. Yes, and it's not only F flutes ("third flutes") and F whistles; the late Finbarr Dwyer, playing with BC fingering on a DD# accordion, has inspired quite a few other box players to adopt a similar approach to play tunes in "F" pitch. Again, a DD# accordion is a minor third higher than a BC, just as an EbBb concertina can be a minor third higher than a CG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyLosty Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 I love tuning my fiddle down to C and playing with and playing with an F flute player. Sean Gavin and Jesse Smith's album inspired me to do so, and it's great. I've experimented a bit with doing the same with the Bb/F and playing tunes in "G" equivalent, but my closest buddy with an F flute is a few hours away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 7 hours ago, PaddyLosty said: I love tuning my fiddle down to C and playing with and playing with an F flute player. Sean Gavin and Jesse Smith's album inspired me to do so, and it's great. I've experimented a bit with doing the same with the Bb/F and playing tunes in "G" equivalent, but my closest buddy with an F flute is a few hours away. What note are you tuning down from? I'm finding tuning fiddle D down to C old pitch (A452hz) is great for playing in common dance keys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyLosty Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 1 hour ago, wunks said: What note are you tuning down from? I'm finding tuning fiddle D down to C old pitch (A452hz) is great for playing in common dance keys. Tuning my D string to C, so everything down two semitones essentially. I have a fiddle I leave in that tuning now with a set of heavier strings on it, since my wife is a C#/D box player but has a really great sounding B/C box, most of the time at home we play in C. Old high pitch is nice as well and a bit more forgiving on the fiddle. I have a Jeffries that is in A452, old temperment Bb/F, should be great for playing with other fiddlers once its done its day at the spa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 47 minutes ago, PaddyLosty said: Tuning my D string to C, so everything down two semitones essentially. I have a fiddle I leave in that tuning now with a set of heavier strings on it, since my wife is a C#/D box player but has a really great sounding B/C box, most of the time at home we play in C. Old high pitch is nice as well and a bit more forgiving on the fiddle. I have a Jeffries that is in A452, old temperment Bb/F, should be great for playing with other fiddlers once its done its day at the spa. Yah, Mine's a Jeff duet and due for an overhaul as well. The easy keys of F,G,C and Bb on the box yield G,A,D and C fingerings for the down tuned fiddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyLosty Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 Here's another clip, looks like the same instrument (and Frankie is in F). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Groff Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 17 hours ago, PaddyLosty said: I love tuning my fiddle down to C and playing with and playing with an F flute player. Sean Gavin and Jesse Smith's album inspired me to do so, and it's great. I've experimented a bit with doing the same with the Bb/F and playing tunes in "G" equivalent, but my closest buddy with an F flute is a few hours away. Yes, that's another lovely way to play in "F pitch," using a Bb/F instrument with G/D fingering (so that the inside row takes the place of a nominal "home key of D"). Here's Noel using G/D fingering similarly to obtain "F# pitch," using a B/F# instrument I think: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan46 Posted May 3, 2022 Share Posted May 3, 2022 I have an Ab/Eb Wheatstone, which is potentially for sale. 32 button, metal ends, rebuilt by Dipper ca 15 years ago. Serial No27286 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sohcahtoa Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 On 5/3/2022 at 6:10 AM, Alan46 said: I have an Ab/Eb Wheatstone, which is potentially for sale. 32 button, metal ends, rebuilt by Dipper ca 15 years ago. Serial No27286 sent you a PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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