Painting the C red

[TinkerPhil]

Hi

I'm trying (again) to learn to play my Concertina Connection Jackie (English) concertina

 

I've always struggled to navigate the key pad looking for a note.

 

I know that Harps have red C strings and blue/black F strings

 

I'm sure some older concertinas have red C butto s

 

How terrible would it be paint my Cs and Fs?

 

If not too heinous, what would be the best way to achieve this on my Jackie?

 

(the buttons on a Jackie go fully in so I'm thinking any paint must be quite tenacious to stay in place)

 

Thanks

[RAc]

It is preferrable to distinguish the button haptically, ie replace it with a longer,shorter, thinner button or one with a different texture on top. That way you find your reference button even without looking at the keyboard. Also, it is reversible.

[TinkerPhil]

Ooh! That is quite the idea - is there a ready source for such alternative buttons?

 

(I've not taken a concertina apart, yet, to see what such a job would entail)

 

I'd probably still choose them to be coloured - at least initially 🙂

[DickT]

I have marked the tops of the Cs and Fs with coloured permanent marker pens which wear off in time and can be redone if needed. That was on metal buttoned tinas, plastic buttons may take a permanent colour. Failing that, small self-adhesive paper dots could be used. They would wear out fairly quickly but can be easily replaced.

[TinkerPhil]

Another good idea (and I'm pleased to note I'm not alone in thinking this a good idea

[Tiposx]

After a lot of playing (several years) I found that I could discern wether or not I was playing the wrong two or three notes, if I always started on the same tune.

I am a poor example I know, but I am glad that I persevered.

If I had thought of this method earlier it might have taken only a few weeks!

Another trick is to always make sure that your thumbs are in your exact. preferred position every time.

[Alan Day]

Message deleted I missed the English Concertina Reference.

Edited May 12, 2025 by Alan Day
Deleted

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Painting the C red..sounds like a song in itself....

"Let's paint the sea red"...! etc..😊

[Robby-ie]

Perhaps something tactile on top of the buttons would help you. Maybe a little sticker, like someone said. It would be best if you could find the buttons without looking.

[RAc]

6 hours ago, TinkerPhil said:

Ooh! That is quite the idea - is there a ready source for such alternative buttons?

 

(I've not taken a concertina apart, yet, to see what such a job would entail)

 

I'd probably still choose them to be coloured - at least initially 🙂

you can measure your existing button and ask any concertina maker/repairer of your choice to send you a few that fit the bill. If everything works out perfectly, your new button will already have a color so different from the rest that you will not need to dye it.

 

If you still want to color it, however, then the hardest part will be ahead of you, much harder than taking the action board apart and back together and fiddling the new button back in.

 

The hard part is this: Dare to enter a vanity store and buy a bottle of nail polish. Or be a sissy and buy it online.

 

[pentaprism]

I also play chromatic button accordion (CBA).

 

Some CBAs have C and F buttons with different top texture from other buttons, some don't.

 

For those that don't, I use a paper punch to punch self-adhesive sandpaper of fine grit (e.g. 220), and attach the little circle of sandpaper on top of the buttons. I don't know if there is sufficient surface of the buttons of an English concertina to do this. But it's worth a try.

 

[Tiposx]

You definitely need help to orientate buttons on a cba or pa with 120 or so to choose from. But on 24 per side...

[TinkerPhil]

Thanks all!

 

I never thought about dismantling the concertina and replacing the button top completely 

 

I had imagined painting it using nail varnish but worried it might permanently discolour it or, worse, deform the plastic 

 

But replacing the button top allows me to both colour a button and add haptic texture

 

and still be able to revert the concertina back when I've mastered it (one day!)

 

For now I do need help navigating the mere 30+1 buttons 🙂

 

Partially dismantling it will also allow me to look at the one key that periodically sticks!

 

now, where're my screwdrivers.....