New Concertina Starter Model Specifications

[Bassconcertina.net]

43 minutes ago, David Barnert said:

 

That seems a pretty limited use. What would the person do with it after becoming familiar with the layout?

Hello David, Dimble and I actually discussed this topic off forum, and the idea was that when the customer advanced beyond just the right hand, I could then sell them the left end, as well as offer to install it if they are uncomfortable doing it. Just an option. 

 

Kane

[Stephen DOUGLASS]

Interesting to add the other side at a later date. I'm just starting to get to grips with a Crane (still playing English). I know this sounds counterintuitive, but I think it would actually be more effective for a duet to build left side first.  You could practice melody (if the range is enough),  chords, 3rd and 5ths etc. I think this would give you a better grounding for Duet work, rather than just learning melody on the right side. (I know you could do harmony work on the right) but for me the left hand is the tricky part, in conjunction with the right. Which still makes me wonder if it's a good idea for a duet. Why not get to grips with both sides from day one. 

[David Barnert]

22 hours ago, Bassconcertina.net said:

Hello David, Dimble and I actually discussed this topic off forum, and the idea was that when the customer advanced beyond just the right hand, I could then sell them the left end, as well as offer to install it if they are uncomfortable doing it. Just an option. 

 

Kane

57 minutes ago, Stephen DOUGLASS said:

Interesting to add the other side at a later date. I'm just starting to get to grips with a Crane (still playing English). I know this sounds counterintuitive, but I think it would actually be more effective for a duet to build left side first.  You could practice melody (if the range is enough),  chords, 3rd and 5ths etc. I think this would give you a better grounding for Duet work, rather than just learning melody on the right side. (I know you could do harmony work on the right) but for me the left hand is the tricky part, in conjunction with the right. Which still makes me wonder if it's a good idea for a duet. Why not get to grips with both sides from day one. 

 

When I got my first Hayden (37 years ago) I made an effort to practice using both sides at the same time from the very beginning. I have no regrets.

[wunks]

I concur that there is more going on to port.  I self taught that way on the Jeff duet, bringing in the right hand slowly.  I need all five digits on the left, three on the right and because duets have an overlap zone I can straddle the instrument

( melody-wise ) solving a lot of speed/fingering issues.

[Bassconcertina.net]

I think it'd make more sense to sell the whole instrument too, but its just something that was discussed, I learn instruments really quickly, so it wouldn't be an issue for me to learn duet with both sides. I was looking at the layout and now I want to learn it, so I figure I will build the instrument and learn on it for a little. Eventually I will find some accomplished players to ship my instruments out to, just so I can get some feedback.

 

Kane

[Anglo-Irishman]

Interesting thread!

Admitterdly, like @David Barnert, I played both ends of my duet (a Crane) straight away when I got it. Just one bass note for one treble note at first, but both my hands learned equally quickly (or slowly), so eventually I was playing  - well - duets on it!

 

But the thought occurred to me that the Anglo already has what you're thinking of for the duets: an instrument with the same note layout, but only half the notes of the original. It's readily available (has been for over a century!) and it's definitely not a niche instrument. I mean the harmonica, mouth organ or blues harp, whatever you like to call it. The notes on a simple, 10-hole harmonica are the same as the notes on one row (across both hands) of an Anglo in the same key. So if you can play a harmonised tune on the harmonica, you can easily transfer the skill to along-the-row Anglo playing. As a child, I got to play my Dad's harmonicas, so when, as a teenager, I got an East German 20-button, my progress was rapid. Playing Dad's old Hohner Echo Harp in C/G even gave me the feeling for when to change rows on the Anglo!

 

Of course, the harmonica is not merely a training device for the Anglo Concertina - it is a well-established musical instrument in its own right, and even indispensable in some genres of music.

Cheers,

John

[Bassconcertina.net]

I have decided that I will start by making 30 button Anglo concertinas, and add more instruments to my catalog as my business progresses. I will make a prototype for myself and send it around to a couple people to get feed back. I can't accept orders at the moment yet but I will make a post about it when I can. I will still look into taking special orders, but I need to finish business with my first customer first.

 

Kane 

[Bassconcertina.net]

I have a question for the Hayden players, How many buttons would be good for a starting instrument?

 

Kane

[David Colpitts]

The CC Elise has 34, and that struck me as not enough.  CC Troubador has 42, I think, and the "standard" for years has been 46.  My old Bastari has 46, and that seems a great compromise.  OTOH, if your pricing will be lower than Elise by a fair bit, then 34 might be a popular spot to land.  But the Elise couldn't play in A....

 

Others know a lot more, and I suspect they'll weigh in.

 

If you can make a real bass Hayden, I'd be interested, even if fewer buttons.

[David Barnert]

1 hour ago, Bassconcertina.net said:

I have a question for the Hayden players, How many buttons would be good for a starting instrument?

 

I guess it depends on what you mean by “a starting instrument” and the reason I’m having trouble defining that is that I’m not sure there is such a thing.

 

There are expensive instruments and there are inexpensive instruments. If you’re assuming that inexpensive instruments are appropriate for beginners, then I would argue with that. Inexpensive instruments are more difficult to play and discouraging for beginners.

 

If the assumption is that a beginner would be happy being limited in the number of keys one is able to play in (not necessarily a valid assumption), then the 34 buttons of the Elise or the 42 of the Peacock may be enough. I started with 46 and quickly (long before I moved beyond “beginner”) found myself wishing I had more. But 38 years later I’m still playing the 46 exclusively.

 

And more buttons introduces other problems: The bigger the field, the easier it is to get lost in it. More buttons means more frequent mishaps/need for repair. More buttons means harder to work the bellows.

[Don Taylor]

3 hours ago, David Colpitts said:

CC Troubador has 42, I think,

The Troubador only has 36  buttons.

[Bassconcertina.net]

8 hours ago, David Barnert said:

There are expensive instruments and there are inexpensive instruments. If you’re assuming that inexpensive instruments are appropriate for beginners, then I would argue with that. Inexpensive instruments are more difficult to play and discouraging for beginners.

Hi David, This is the gap I am trying to fill, I am trying to come up with a few different lines of inexpensive instruments that are still handmade and of a relatively high-quality standard compared to the other instruments of similar price, similar to the concept of flying duck concertinas.

[Bassconcertina.net]

On 11/27/2024 at 9:33 AM, Cornfield said:

How about an English that sounds in the bass range?

 

9 hours ago, David Colpitts said:

If you can make a real bass Hayden, I'd be interested, even if fewer buttons.

Please PM me and we can discuss time frames, and specifics of these instruments as I'd be happy to make them. I Love bass instruments.

 

Kane 

[Don Taylor]

I am assuming that you are planning to use (or re-use) accordion reeds?

 

If so, then one of the problems in building a duet using accordion reeds is simply the amount of space needed to mount the reeds, especially the low reeds on the LHS.  The Peacock is, I think, 7" across the flats and the reeds are all mounted flat on the reed pan - you could not get another reed in there.  The Beaumont is about the same size but it uses a small accordion block for some of the reeds on both sides, even so they had to drop a D# reed on the LHS to fit everything in.

 

 

[Bassconcertina.net]

18 minutes ago, Don Taylor said:

I am assuming that you are planning to use (or re-use) accordion reeds?

 

If so, then one of the problems in building a duet using accordion reeds is simply the amount of space needed to mount the reeds, especially the low reeds on the LHS.  The Peacock is, I think, 7" across the flats and the reeds are all mounted flat on the reed pan - you could not get another reed in there.  The Beaumont is about the same size but it uses a small accordion block for some of the reeds on both sides, even so they had to drop a D# reed on the LHS to fit everything in.

 

 

Yes I am planning to use accordion reeds for the duets. I also could use American reed organ reeds, but accordion reeds seem more air efficient. 
 

My current design size is a 7” square. Even if I can’t fit everything in there I have some ideas to make them fit, such as double layered reed pans. But I think I’ll be able to fit everything anyway. 

[Cornfield]

On 1/3/2025 at 11:13 PM, Bassconcertina.net said:

 

Please PM me and we can discuss time frames, and specifics of these instruments as I'd be happy to make them. I Love bass instruments.

 

Kane 

I’ve been struggling with Covid through December and been in a hospital as a patient for over two weeks. Needless to say, my playing experience has ground to a halt.

[Bassconcertina.net]

9 hours ago, Cornfield said:

I’ve been struggling with Covid through December and been in a hospital as a patient for over two weeks. Needless to say, my playing experience has ground to a halt.

I'm very sorry to hear that, best of luck recovering.