Replacing/moving buttons on a precious Wheatstone Aeola EC?

[Aldon Sanders]

I have a Wheatstone Aeola 64 button tenor-treble English concertina with raised amboyna ends. It was made in the 1950s (and according to the Wheatstone ledgers has a twin that was made at the same time).

 

When I bought it (c.1999) it was unplayable with stuck and corroded buttons and non-speaking reeds. I was able to get it playable myself, but eventually sent it to the Button Box to get it refurbished and tuned. At the time Bob thought the buttons were okay and usable. They still are, but the buttons in the most used area (the area that corresponds to the basic 45 button instruments) are still roughish, corroded, and ugly. 

 

I'd really like to either replace them, or move the overused ones to the higher register where they'll be rarely touched, and move the more pristine ones from the higher register into the more played area.

 

Is this possible for me to do without too much hassle or is it best left to a professional? 

 

I've come to realize more and more how rare and valuable this concertina is. It has a glorious ear-pleasing smooth round tone that I've never heard on any other concertina and plays like a dream.

 

I now consider myself a steward of this instrument - entrusted to play, love, and care for it. 

 

The rough feel and look of the most used buttons is the only thing that really bothers me.

 

I'm seeking advice from you  knowledgeable people about how to deal with this.

 

All opinions and advice are welcome.

 

Thank you!

Aldon

 

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by Aldon Sanders
tweaks

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

you can always send it to C.Wheatstone and Co they are still trading. It might be best to do that rather than have new buttons posted to you - the buttons in your in your instrument might be different from the new ones they would have in some way and as a consequence the action might also need adjusting - which also then entails re tuning. The best thing to do would be to send it to a company that can re make/replace the buttons and then adjust the instrument all in one go, maybe there is someone in America who could to this rather than you having to send it to the UK - you could always investigate, but of course Wheatstone is still there.

 

Best wishes

Jake

[wunks]

Mr. Snope is still corresponding and intends to re-open his shop in Ashville when he's settled in there.  He was able to match several buttons for my late model Wheatstone.  

[alex_holden]

Swapping the buttons around to put the better ones where you use them most would probably not be difficult, as long as they were made consistently in the first place (not too much variation in the length). Can you post a picture of the problem buttons? I wonder if they are just a bit gunked up with oxide and dirt (which can easily be polished off), or if it's something more significant like a metal plating flaking off.

[Aldon Sanders]

22 hours ago, alex_holden said:

Swapping the buttons around to put the better ones where you use them most would probably not be difficult, as long as they were made consistently in the first place (not too much variation in the length). Can you post a picture of the problem buttons? I wonder if they are just a bit gunked up with oxide and dirt (which can easily be polished off), or if it's something more significant like a metal plating flaking off.

 

The buttons are pretty pretty rough.  There's no flaking. Just a rough texture that will quickly develop verdisgris if I don't give it a good wiping after playing it. It would be great if they were salvageable. 

 

I'll try to figure out how to post pictures here so folks can see. I don't do social media so it might bet a bit of trial and error on my part to get the images up.

 

I'd think that given how much care was taken making this instrument the buttons should be consistent (and so also swapable), but there's no way to know without actually digging into the action.

 

Thanks to all who've responded.  You've given my brain something to chew on. I really hope that I can help this concertina be the best it can be.

 

Aldon

[d.elliott]

I am surprised by your comments Aldon, Aeolas are the top end model of Wheatstone's and would have had nickel plated keys, or may be chrome in the 1950's. Either way, the keys would have been plated onto a copper substrate, none of which would be likely to corrode from finger contamination. I have seen an  instrument where all the metalwork had taken a dull pitting, presumably from some sort of atmospheric/ industrial/ release. The metal cleaned up using jeweller's rouge on chamois leather (the metal items each  being removed from the instrument and any residue carefully removed) . Nickel is very unlikely to flake, Chrome may as it is deposited in 'platelets' but again this is unlikely.

 

I regularly see a green waxy contamination on the metalwork that contacts leather, and occasionally on buttons under the swept area below the end cover in the action box. 

 

Accepting that the 1950's were after the best period for concertina manufacture, the button holes in the end plate would have been bushed with felt. Continual wiping will do the bushing no good and any use of lubricant/ cleaning medium will contaminate the bushing and do more harm. I echo Alex in his request for a photograph or two.

 

[DDF]

As it has raised amboyna ends I wonder if the buttons were gold plate on brass and are now bare brass?

[Stephen Chambers]

On 5/31/2023 at 8:52 AM, Aldon Sanders said:

I have a Wheatstone Aeola 64 button tenor-treble English concertina with raised amboyna ends. It was made in the 1950s (and according to the Wheatstone ledgers has a twin that was made at the same time).

 

Though they were sold 7 years apart?

[Aldon Sanders]

Here's a photo of the worst looking button. 

 

[Aldon Sanders]

[Aldon Sanders]

3 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:

 

Though they were sold 7 years apart?

Yes. Unless the Wheatstone ledger is wrong, or we're misinterpreting the information. 

Edited June 5, 2023 by Aldon Sanders

[d.elliott]

The buttons almost look as if they have been re-capped or re-processed, or are they aluminium?