Compressed or 'relaxed' ?

[Stephen DOUGLASS]

I have a couple of Wheatstone's that 'rest' in waterproof cases, in what I call a  relaxed state, where the bellows are gently and slightly open (no blocks).

Conversely I have a Crabb that came with a beautifully fitted case, that is designed to keep the bellows as tightly compressed as possible (without it being a damaging 'squeeze in').

Any thoughts on preferable ways to keep them....slightly open or firmly closed?

[Stephen Chambers]

Firmly closed, to keep the bellows compressed, AND to to keep the instrument safer by preventing it from moving around in the case - that way it's the case that absorbs any shocks, not the instrument that gets broken.

[Don Taylor]

Setting aside any other thoughts about this concertina, I have always thought that the straps with press stud fittings to hold the bellows firmly closed were a good idea:

I have never had the courage to drill the holes needed for these straps but I have made a 'wrap-around' strap out of some soft webbing and some velcro.  This both holds the bellows closed and makes it much easier to lift the concertina out of its case.

[David Barnert]

1 hour ago, Stephen Chambers said:

to to keep the instrument safer by preventing it from moving around in the case - that way it's the case that absorbs any shocks, not the instrument that gets broken.

24 minutes ago, Don Taylor said:

I have made a 'wrap-around' strap out of some soft webbing and some velcro.  This both holds the bellows closed and makes it much easier to lift the concertina out of its case.

 

Considering Stephen’s concern, does your strap compress the bellows so much that it leaves “wiggle room” inside the case?

Edited September 3, 2022 by David Barnert
Hit “Submit” prematurely

[d.elliott]

compressed, to enable maximum bellows sweep with little additional force over the normal playing resistance. Also periodically stretch the bellows fully open (with buttons pressed!)

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

My first concertina (20 button).  Had a strap to keep I closed, and I would not think it a difficult task to make a simple strap to keep them closed up; only a strip of leather, with metal eye made in it, and small tack or screw to keep it in place 

[Stephen DOUGLASS]

All good advice here. I'm going to explore ways to put covered blocks in my Nanuk Cases. Mean time I'll fashion a belt like strap to keep them compressed. Thanks All.

 

[Don Taylor]

8 hours ago, David Barnert said:

Considering Stephen’s concern, does your strap compress the bellows so much that it leaves “wiggle room” inside the case?

That is a good point that I had not considered before. 

 

My case is blocked and, because the strap is just held with a velcro fastening, I cannot get it 'bar tight' so I think that I am OK - in that direction.  But now that you mention it, my concertina can move in the other direction inside its case by about 1/2", so I will look out for something to stop that.

 

I wonder if this is the situation with all Button Box cases?

[Łukasz Martynowicz]

My case is lined with raster foam with a snug fit around the box but with room for my hands, so that when puting the instrument in or taking out I have to squeze it fully to not rub against the foam (there is just a couple of mm clearance). This way when stored, there is an equlibrium between the foam and expanding bellows, so the instrument doesn’t move inside the case, but it is not unnaturally squezed all the time.

[Roger Hare]

12 hours ago, Don Taylor said:

...I have made a 'wrap-around' strap out of some soft webbing and some velcro... 

I use a carefully measured length of 'bungee cord' - ends tied together with a double sheet bend, and 

whipped/seized to prevent the knot from coming apart. Seems to work fairly well...

Edited September 4, 2022 by lachenal74693

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I have also recently been greatly compressed myself by the hot weather which is, thankfully now, giving way to better climatic conditions!😁

[Stephen DOUGLASS]

Simon, it easing off over here too, not withstanding an 'Indian Summer'....I'm sure the time will pass quickly before it's time to 'crank' up the humidifier....not looking forward to constant refills.

 

[Alex West]

22 hours ago, Stephen DOUGLASS said:

I'm going to explore ways to put covered blocks in my Nanuk Cases.

Like this...?

 

Alex West

[Stephen Chambers]

21 hours ago, Don Taylor said:

I wonder if this is the situation with all Button Box cases?

 

Ideally ALL musical instrument cases should hold the instrument very snugly, or whiplash damage to the instrument inside the case can result, even if the latter is itself undamaged.

 

Accordions/melodeons are especially prone to keyboards, or their mechanisms, breaking loose, likewise reed-blocks, or individual reed-frames. 

[Don Taylor]

1 hour ago, Stephen Chambers said:

Accordions/melodeons are especially prone to keyboards, or their mechanisms, breaking loose, likewise reed-blocks, or individual reed-frames. 

I believe that all Button Box concertinas have waxed in accordion reeds, and at least the Beaumont (maybe others?) has reed blocks. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by Don Taylor

[Roger Hare]

Looking at Don's original, and Alex's later picture, and at my own cases, and bungee-cord retaining

loops, it does occur to me to wonder just when it's actually necessary to use such loops/straps? All my

own cases - both modern and traditional hexagonal cases seem to confine the instrument(s) with the

bellows moderately compressed - neither too loosely or too tightly compressed - just right, in fact...

 

So, when is this approach actually needed? Only when the instrument is in a (soft) gig bag, or case in

which the instrument can 'rattle around', or what?

Edited September 5, 2022 by lachenal74693

[David Barnert]

3 hours ago, lachenal74693 said:

Looking at Don's original, and Alex's later picture, and at my own cases, and bungee-cord retaining

loops, it does occur to me to wonder just when it's actually necessary to use such loops/straps? All my

own cases - both modern and traditional hexagonal cases seem to confine the instrument(s) with the

bellows moderately compressed - neither too loosely or too tightly compressed - just right, in fact...

 

So, when is this approach actually needed? Only when the instrument is in a (soft) gig bag, or case in

which the instrument can 'rattle around', or what?

 

A well-blocked case solves two problems: the bellows issue and the rattling around issue. A strapped instrument in an unblocked case only solves one.

[Roger Hare]

1 hour ago, David Barnert said:

A well-blocked case solves two problems: the bellows issue and the rattling around issue. A strapped instrument in an unblocked case only solves one.

Good point! Thanks!