Can this be done?

[robert stewart]

I realize that this topic may have been explored in the past. I have a (very fine) 56 button English concertina extended treble, ebony Edeophone, with the rare Wheatstone style action as distinct from Lachenal hook and lever. Could this be converted to a tenor-treble by moving some (lower) reeds to fit tenor reeds, and moving some (upper octave) reeds accordingly? There would be, of course, some of the high treble reeds completely removed to facilitate to changes. I can see that it would be possible from a musical point of view, but do not know enough about changing reeds on a concertina...I am assuming that this would be task for a pro concertina tech, if it can be done.

Robert Stewart (composer, guitarist, concertinist)

[Matt Heumann]

The problem will be, can you get the reeds you need & you will have to resize the slots they go into, which in an extended treble Edeophone may not be possible give the how much is "squeezed into the reed pan" not much extra space to cut larger slots since each reed has a unique slot size. My solution was to buy a Wheatstone model 19a which is essentially an upward extended treble with an additional 8 notes added to the bottom. But, resizing slots in an Edeophone (I have 4) isn't really feasible in my eyes.

Here's the one 19a I bought a few years ago:

https://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?/topic/29417-last-chance-before-it-goes-to-nesi-sales-table-1951-wheatstone-64-button-non-transposed-aeola-tenor-treble/#comment-247142

 

[Alan Day]

If at a later stage you start to enjoy accompaniment with base runs you will regret the changes you have made.

Al

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

Really I would not recommend this. It is going to be a lot easier and you will get a better result by just buying a tenor treble. You might have to get it restored which in itself is a hard thing to get sorted but it's going to be a better result. 

 

[d.elliott]

To get the low note reed frames into lace you will probably end up with reeds too small but with weighted tips, and/ or weakened reed bellies, not likely to yield a good result. A waste of a good Edeophone?  

[robert stewart]

My thanks for the advice and good answers.  I had suspected that it would be a negative situation, but wanted to hear from experts. And, just as Dave and Jake observed, I already have a beautiful extended treble Edeophone...so why change it?

I used to have a Wheatstone ebony ended tenor-treble...years ago. But in a fit of poverty, I foolishly sold it. I still have some recordings that I made with it.

Once again many thanks to all.  Robert.

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

Enjoy the music Robert and hopefully you might find a nice tenor treble at some point, they are beautiful instruments.