Eb/Bb Anglo

[Doug Watt]

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.

[Ken_Coles]

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

[John Sylte]

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

[Paul Groff]

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

[Greg Jowaisas]

 

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.

[Paul Groff]

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.

 

[PaddyLosty]

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. 

[wunks]

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.

[PaddyLosty]

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. 

[wunks]

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.

[PaddyLosty]

Here's another clip, looks like the same instrument (and Frankie is in F).

 

[Paul Groff]

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:

 

[Alan46]

I have an Ab/Eb Wheatstone, which is potentially for sale. 32 button, metal ends, rebuilt by Dipper ca 15 years ago. Serial No27286

[Sohcahtoa]

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