Frames in the bellows, what for?

[Rumbler]

Greetings!

 

I noticed that some concertinas have such bellows that have frames such as those indicated in the picture while many concertinas have bellows that do not have such frames. Are there any special reasons why there are frames in those bellows? Thank you!

[alex_holden]

I think if the card structure of the bellows is very flimsy and/or it has a lot of folds between the frames, it tends to be unstable to the point that it's easy to collapse (implode) them on the draw. Adding an extra wooden frame in the middle means you have fewer unsupported folds, making it more stable and robust. Better quality bellows instead have stiffer cards and stronger hinges and gussets, as well as fewer, deeper folds that can open wider, so they don't usually need a support frame in the middle.

 

Two extra frames certainly seems like overkill. Note that this instrument has effectively got 11 fold bellows because there are three sets of three folds and each of the extra frames has a half fold on either side of it. To get 11 folds with one extra frame would have needed two sets of five folds.

 

A good quality traditional Anglo will typically have between five and eight folds, and no extra frame.

 

[Rumbler]

I see. Thank you, Alex! Very informative, very helpful.

[d.elliott]

Adding to Alex comment. The need for extra folds may result from the use of more shallow folds than the higher grade instruments. Also the reeds may not be made to such tightly controlled tolerances and demand more air .

[Rumbler]

6 hours ago, d.elliott said:

Adding to Alex comment. The need for extra folds may result from the use of more shallow folds than the higher grade instruments. Also the reeds may not be made to such tightly controlled tolerances and demand more air .

Thank you! I am learning a lot.

[Anglo-Irishman]

Another aspect is that you see these frames mostly on German-made concertinas. The earlier German concertinas, such as the Chemnitzer and Bandoneon, have square-section bellows, not hex- or octagonal like the English ones. The square section means that the individual spans of the bellows are longer; also the shape is further removed from being circular, which would be the optimum for withstanding external pressure (like the hull section of a submarine). 

I reckon the intermediate frames proved to be essential on large, square concertinas, and were fitted to the later hexagonal ones out of tradition.

Cheers,

John

[Rumbler]

6 hours ago, Anglo-Irishman said:

Another aspect is that you see these frames mostly on German-made concertinas. The earlier German concertinas, such as the Chemnitzer and Bandoneon, have square-section bellows, not hex- or octagonal like the English ones. The square section means that the individual spans of the bellows are longer; also the shape is further removed from being circular, which would be the optimum for withstanding external pressure (like the hull section of a submarine). 

I reckon the intermediate frames proved to be essential on large, square concertinas, and were fitted to the later hexagonal ones out of tradition.

Cheers,

John

Thank you, John! That is leading me further to looking into the Chemnitzer and Bandoneon and such. Thank you!

 

 

[Roger Hare]

5 hours ago, Rumbler said:

Thank you, John! That is leading me further to looking into the Chemnitzer and Bandoneon and such. Thank you!

If that's the case, the following links may be of interest:

 

Czech Area Concertina Club

 

Concertina Music - The Chemnitzer Concertina Website

 

Apologies if you already knew about these, but just in case...

Edited July 13, 2025 by Roger Hare

[Rumbler]

10 hours ago, Roger Hare said:

If that's the case, the following links may be of interest:

 

Czech Area Concertina Club

 

Concertina Music - The Chemnitzer Concertina Website

 

Apologies if you already knew about these, but just in case...

Hi Roger, thank you! I did see instruments of this sort and I was enchanted by the music they make and their marvellous looks. They looked bandoneons to me. Now I am looking at them with more insights. The links you provided are marvellous.

[Roger Hare]

1 minute ago, Rumbler said:

...I was enchanted by the music they make...

Hah! If you have a rake about in the first of those two links, you will find some terrifying awesome video clips of the massed bands of the CCC in action at dances, and everyone seems to be having a perfectly lovely time...

[Rumbler]

1 minute ago, Roger Hare said:

Hah! If you have a rake about in the first of those two links, you will find some terrifying awesome video clips of the massed bands of the CCC in action at dances, and everyone seems to be having a perfectly lovely time...

Yes, I did! Thumb up!

[wschruba]

8 minutes ago, Rumbler said:

Hi Roger, thank you! I did see instruments of this sort and I was enchanted by the music they make and their marvellous looks. They looked bandoneons to me. Now I am looking at them with more insights. The links you provided are marvellous.

 

A bandoneon is actually a different pattern of large concertina.  Bandoneons and Chemnitzers have different keyboard/note layouts.

 

If you're just dipping your feet in the water, Chemnitzers are much more bank-friendly.  Just like accordions, they are quite expensive to repair, so it's best to buy one working from a reputable dealer...

[Rumbler]

At the moment I am looking on and enjoying looking at people playing them. 🙂