Adapting RHS Wheatstone lay out to accomodate Jeffries mod.

[Notemaker]

My Concertina is a Crabb 30 Button Anglo.

 

RHS ROW 3 button 1, currently at  C#' - push / - D#' - draw. I also want to  provide the opposite bellows directions, that is C#' - draw/ D#' - push.

 

But having many pieces learned on the Wheatstone, I don't, at this time, want to go fully Jeffries layout. I never use RHS ROW 3 button 5, can I adapt that? And from where the needed reeds to try out?

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

[David Lay]

Reed frames are most likely very different sizes. This would likely mean having to machine the reed pan to accept a larger one.

Edited August 25, 2022 by David Lay

[Clive Thorne]

12 hours ago, David Lay said:

Reed frames are most likely very different sizes. This would likely mean having to machine the reed pan to accept a larger one.

And the Chamber could be too small as well I guess.

[David Lay]

You might have more success if you gave up a note closer to the C#5 you have.  Do you use the D#5?  Some do not play in the keys of E or Bb (gm, c#m, Eb, etc.), though you may occasionally find that you need it.

[Jewish Leprechaun]

Hmm, have you reached out to Geoff Crabb, perhaps he might have a recommendation or two and/or a spare C# reed.

 

I ran into a situation recently where I had to have some reeds swapped around on a Jeffries that had a Wheatstone layout.  I typically play Jeffries layout, but in an effort to minimize modifications to both reed and reed plan, the changes made were subtle.  I swapped the C#/D# (push/pull) to D#/C# fortunately the reed frames were the same size.   And then I took a C reed from elsewhere (it's a 38 button, so I had reeds to spare) and tuned up to C#.  Caveat: I didn't do any of this work, but had it done by David Robertson in the UK.  I think the reed frame was bigger so the reed pan did have to be modified to accept the new C# on the push for the second button.  In the end I have a mostly Wheatstone layout, but with the C# in the right places for the Jeffries layout.

 

On a separate note, I had a great Lachenal at one point that had been modified and had a C#/C# on the first button, depending on how much you use your D# that's an option too that shouldn't require the reedpan to be modified.

[Stephen Chambers]

3 hours ago, David Lay said:

You might have more success if you gave up a note closer to the C#5 you have.  Do you use the D#5?  

 

That would be my question too - for most players it's an admirable solution that I've performed many times, by adding solder to the tip of the reed and filing it down until it sounds C#, so it can easily be reversed in the future by removing the solder altogether.

[Notemaker]

Thanks to David and Clive, correct! I took the end off to have a look, shoes etc are different sizes. JL, well there is swapping 'in' for 'out', have not tried it, but what follows may explain. Stephen you are correct in principle, yet wonder if you know the C# is """, third octave. I should imagine loading it with enough tongue tip to lower a full octave might be a challenge. Then too, it would be a beast to energize.

Have not contacted Geoffrey yet, maybe won't need to.

 

Explanation, realizing that I am the second user/owner since new led to the decision to keep this instrument as close to original as possible, and so instead of modifying it, I am looking for a beater box in the Jeffries system to take out my urges in that direction. Anything would do, accordion reeded or similar.

Thank you each and all.

 

[Stephen Chambers]

21 hours ago, Notemaker said:

Stephen you are correct in principle, yet wonder if you know the C# is """, third octave. I should imagine loading it with enough tongue tip to lower a full octave might be a challenge. Then too, it would be a beast to energize.

 

Who said anything about lowering a full octave? 

 

I'm telling you how to bring D# down a full tone to C# in the same octave without causing any harm to the reed itself, and I do it often for very satisfied musicians.

[Notemaker]

19 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:

 

Who said anything about lowering a full octave? 

 

I'm telling you how to bring D# down a full tone to C# in the same octave without causing any harm to the reed itself, and I do it often for very satisfied musicians.

Sorry, my bad. I was mistaken about which reed you suggested. I have but two RHS keys over it, K1 the 2nd octave, C#""/D#"", and K4 C#"""/D#""" . Clearly modifying D#"" K1 wont work because it is needed for other scales.

 

Anyway modifying this Concertina might not, in the long term, be a good idea. Instead I hope to acquire another with the Jefferies layout, not particular as to reed type, traditional or accordion.

 

Thank you.