Robin Tims Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 I have found that with newish or recently restored slightly stiff Anglo bellows that there can be more of a tendency to miss notes very easily. Viz. bellows which very slowly open maybe 25mm or so by themselves when you put the closed instrument down. On the other hand with really light thin flexible bellows, which play very responsively, there is somehow a sensation of instability which can impact on rhythm and expression. Feels like you need 'something to push against' ! Clearly this is with instruments otherwise having similar set-up and reed response. I would not particularly regard myself as a good player, so that too is relevant, but has anyone any thoughts or experience to relate about this ? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON GABRIELOW Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 I have had my Anglo concertina for 25 years now. But can remember when it was new, the bellows were to begin with a little stiff. I suppose as leather goes, being a hide or skin, it needs using physically to make it more supple, with use over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 (edited) I have one duet with Anglo style bellows and one with EC style. The first give a bounce back or nudge upon bellows reversal which I like because it lends momentum to dance tunes and helps with quicker ornamentation. With the other it seems like I must come to a full stop to reverse but that is useful also. I like 'em both. They're just different. Thinking about it.... I play the first in a more closed position and use the push back to start triplets and such and the pull to start new phrases or modulations. With the other I play more stretched out with altogether less bellows changes. sorry I'm posting over you Robin. Edited January 30 by wunks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Tims Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 Interesting about the bounce back Wunks, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Ghent Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Bellows which open by themselves are unfinished. They need to spend time ( I don’t mean ten minutes, I mean at least a couple of weeks, preferably more) firmly clamped up, and being taken out every few days and stretched and then clamped again. And then when they go into service they should be immediately put away in a blocked case when not being used. After a period of time, when they have given up resisting you can be a little more relaxed about it. There is a sweet spot between bellows that are too floppy and bellows that are too tight. In that sweet spot are a lot of good concertinas. Bellows can be stiff for a bunch of reasons. Anything with folded cards will be stiffer. However, a lot of people who say “the bellows on this concertina are too stiff” are actually having to push harder to compensate for the inefficient nature of poor reeds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snedder Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 23 hours ago, wunks said: have one duet with Anglo style bellows and one with EC style. How do English bellows differ from Anglo ones? I'm pretty new to concertina and have only played Anglo instruments so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunks Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 For a visual, search Wakker concertinas bellows. Concertina connection also has some info. There was a discussion here a couple years ago but I can't find it at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 8 hours ago, Snedder said: How do English bellows differ from Anglo ones? I'm pretty new to concertina and have only played Anglo instruments so far. To answer your question, they don't differ. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON GABRIELOW Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 It all comes down to the only differences are being aware of their use in production of (Anglo); different note on in pressing of bellows, and another note pulling out of bellows. And the same note in or out on English type🌝..that's about all you need to be aware of ( in a very basic way). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 (edited) Some people make a lighter bellows for the English, Wim Wakker for one. I have a set of Wakker bellows on my Treble EC and I enjoy the way they work. A couple of times I have tried the bellows kits from Sandylaneman which are probably meant for Anglos.... well made and price is good but somewhat heavier in action. A search at www. wakker-concertinas.com will find a description of the difference between Anglo and English / Duet bellows. Edited February 1 by Geoff Wooff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Tims Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 On 1/31/2024 at 2:03 AM, Chris Ghent said: However, a lot of people who say “the bellows on this concertina are too stiff” are actually having to push harder to compensate for the inefficient nature of poor reeds. Good point Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglo-Irishman Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 On 2/1/2024 at 12:16 PM, Geoff Wooff said: Some people make a lighter bellows for the English, Wim Wakker for one. I have a set of Wakker bellows on my Treble EC and I enjoy the way they work. My experience is complementary to Geoff's. I ordered a replacemant bellows with Concertina Connection when they were still in the Netherlands, and was requested to specify whether it was for an Anglo or an English. I specified Anglo. The bellows they made for me were stout and wonderfully crisp - no "slop" between push and pull. Just what you need to make the forced bellows changes of the Anglo so quick that they don't interrupt the flow of the music. Cheers, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Tims Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Interesting that John, and to get a take on how Concertina Connection (and you) see it. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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