'the Revenge Of The Hohner?'

[bellowbelle]

...Except, it's not 'only a movie.' My concertina is really and truly BROKEN .

 

A while ago, I bought a new tea kettle, a Chantal, that I got a great deal on. It turns out that it actually has a Hohner whistle -- it's not your typical kettle. So, when the water boils, it sounds like there's a train going through the kitchen.

 

I tried to play a duet on my concertina, with my tea kettle, but the Chantal shrieks a tone that's somewhere between Bb and B. No harmony. (Anyway, I do prefer coffee, not tea...)

 

I kinda laughed at that tea kettle.

 

Now, my concertina sounds kinda like my tea kettle. It happened all of a sudden, yesterday, during a session of playing.

 

 

The G above high C plays, loudly, on every push and pull. So, if I play only in the key of G or maybe C, it might harmonize, but....hmm..

 

I unscrewed the end of the keyboard, but, it didn't budge so I didn't dare to pull it off. I would only do that if I knew what I was doing....and, I don't.

 

Sigh. So....I shall be getting to know my OTHER Hohner a bit better, in the next few.....days? Weeks? Years? I'll have to play my accordion (not the tea kettle) for a while! That's okay, I guess.

 

Of course, I'll have to get my concertina to someone for repairs, sometime soon.

[m3838]

If it's a double reed Hohner, sure, take it to the shop, if you have any within driving distance. Or send it somewhere.

If it's single reed - it's not worth fixing it money wise.

So you are better off using your screwdriver and carefully try to pry it open. It could have being glued together (inject alcohol) or there is another screw that you have missed.

Or likely it's just so impresize, that sides were jammed into frames and need to be pried open anyways. I vividly remember my Schooler, when I opened the sides, and then they didn't fit back by sizeable margin. (Yes, I marked them, I'm not silly) I was very impressed at the skill of Schooler's magicians.

Your other Hohner supposed to be a very good instrument and will live forever.

"Once there were two brothers. One was kind and handsom, and the other - ugly and evil... And they were siblings... And had shared property. And the evil wanted to be rich, but was poor, but the kind wanted to do good, and was no better off."

[David Barnert]

This is not your Morse, is it?

 

It should be an easy fix, once you get into the action. Something is preventing the pad from closing. If it's something that wandered in from outside, just get rid of it. If it's something that broke off an inside structure (like the deep end of a button) you may have to glue it back where it belongs.

[bellowbelle]

Yes, this is my Morse Albion English concertina...the only one I have, outside of the miniature Stagi I have but don't play (that one needs some help with the thumb strap).

 

Sorry if I made it sound like it's a Hohner -- my two Hohners are 1) the tea kettle and 2) my Hohner piano accordion!

 

(As for the Hohner accordion, it's a nice one and I can play it without pain now that I have the accordion stand and sit on a pillow and keep my left foot up on a stepping stool, etc.. I like my old Pancordion, too, but it's a huge monster!)

 

Well, yesterday, I could hear something rattling around inside the concertina when I shook it lightly. So, something either broke apart or came out of place.

 

I checked my copy of The Concertina Maintenance Manual and then tried again this morning to open my concertina, but, I'll have to find a smaller screwdriver, and even then I'm not sure if I'll be able to open it.

 

So...may have to bring it to The Button Box, sometime, if they can schedule it in, but at this point I'll wait until after winter break, so my daughter will be out in that area and I'll combine the trip(s) with a visit(s) to her.

 

I think that, meanwhile, I'll pull out that little Stagi and try to fix the thumb strap! The screw falls out, that's all. I bought some plumber's tape to see if that'll work. Dunno. I'm also not a plumber!

 

(...And that's another thing. I've also got to call a plumber. And, with what they cost, I just may be out singing on a corner somewhere with a big tin cup for some extra coins.... )

[Richard Morse]

Yes, this is my Morse Albion English concertina.... Well, yesterday, I could hear something rattling around inside the concertina when I shook it lightly. So, something either broke apart or came out of place.

AND if you hear a continuous sound when you play it, it seems like a pad came loose.

I checked my copy of The Concertina Maintenance Manual and then tried again this morning to open my concertina, but, I'll have to find a smaller screwdriver, and even then I'm not sure if I'll be able to open it.

Please DON'T use a screwdriver to pry the end from the bellows! Those parts (as Vintage concertinas) sometimes get stuck together due to a combination of humidy, pressure and finish materials (usually the "gluey" culprit is the interaction of the finish on the leather that wraps around the bellows frame and the end varnish). We use a wide, thin shim which will distribute the forces... and the ends come off easily. Using a screwdriver concentrates the forces and can damage the end wood. Give us a call and we can talk you through it.

So...may have to bring it to The Button Box, sometime, if they can schedule it in

If you'd rather not try fix it yourself (it's really quite and easy fix), you can bring it in and we can to it while you wait. Wouldn't cost you a thing as it's under warranty. If you don't want to wait until you're in our area, just UPS it. It's only a day's trip each way (from where you live) so you'd only be without it for 3 days.

[bellowbelle]

...................................If you'd rather not try fix it yourself (it's really quite and easy fix), you can bring it in and we can to it while you wait. Wouldn't cost you a thing as it's under warranty. If you don't want to wait until you're in our area, just UPS it. It's only a day's trip each way (from where you live) so you'd only be without it for 3 days.

 

Thanks for the reply, Rich! Wow, that'd be great. Really, even if I had to be without my concertina for a short while, I'd be 'okay.' If it became months and months.....(shudder)....don't even want to think of that!

 

I didn't open it up, and I won't attempt to fix it myself. It's going to be at least a week or two before I get out to your area, though -- I'll probably call first and say I'm bringing it. (UPS is fine, too, if I need to do that.)

 

Meanwhile, I've also tried (unsuccessfully) to 'reverse the curse' -- you know, since I'd laughed at my tea kettle and all. So, I took a pic of Chantal (the kettle) and made an MP3 (yes, it's a joke....just a two-tone interval!) of the duet by the tea kettle and the concertina. This is all part of today's photo posted at my site at PBase. (Eventually, the photo and info shall be archived in 'pad five.')

 

Well....gotta go do better things than taking silly photos of tea kettles and that kind of stuff....

[Henk van Aalten]

Well....gotta go do better things than taking silly photos of tea kettles and that kind of stuff....

A nice photo anyway of the singing kettle, reflecting the poor Albion and you

[Animaterra]

Yikes! I didn't realize I had my volume all turned up! That's quite a whistle, Wendy!

 

Lovey looking kettle, though.

 

I wish you well in the healing of your concertina- you really can send it off to the BB, they're quite wonderful as you know!

 

Allison

[Rod Thompson]

Maybe this solves a problem. Someone was asking how to do a drone on the concertina. I was going to suggest a separate instrument, played like a footbase, but with double acting pedals to play a continued chord.

This is a simpler solution - just have the hohner kettle tuned to the required note - or 3 for a full chord, get them boiling and play along!

[JimLucas]

Maybe this solves a problem. Someone was asking how to do a drone on the concertina. ... This is a simpler solution - just have the hohner kettle tuned to the required note - or 3 for a full chord,...

Can you order them tuned in specific keys, same as Hohner squeezeboxes?

 

...get them boiling and play along!

If you want a bass drone, you're gonna need a big kettle. Better host a tea party!

[bellowbelle]

Can you order them tuned in specific keys, same as Hohner squeezeboxes?

 

 

Uh...well, I don't know!

 

They're advertised as producing a two-tone whistle; which does happen upon occasion.

 

I usually just get the 'sharp B-flat' semitone, but, I was wondering what would happen if I added something to the water, or boiled some other substance.

 

I don't really want to experiement much with my tea kettle though, because we do actually use it for tea!

 

Hmm...I wonder what some rice added to it would do....

 

(Use kitchen-safe additives only, of course!)

 

I'll let you know if I try that sometime.

[Rhomylly]

(...And that's another thing. I've also got to call a plumber. And, with what they cost, I just may be out singing on a corner somewhere with a big tin cup for some extra coins.... )

 

Well, be sure to dress up in fancy costume! I hear that attracts more tips.

[bellowbelle]

Well, be sure to dress up in fancy costume! I hear that attracts more tips.

 

Hmm...well, me in 'fancy' costume....might get me nothing but locked up, around here! Heheh. I mean, depending on what you mean by 'fancy.'

 

Me, I guess what I would be best to go for is some kind of wild, crazy-old-lady look. I could play the mini Stagi, since I would cry less over it than I would my Morse Albion, if the weather and elements did someting to it. (I've been playing the mini one, anyway, since my 'real' one is ill.)

 

 

Seriously, if the right opportunity ever did happen to appear, I'd have a lot of fun 'busking' or whatever. There are lots of opportunities around here to pursue that kind of thing, through various arts groups -- if I were to work up a repertoire and all -- but, I dunno. Not sure I'm aggressive enough, and I'm maybe too freeform, and....getting old, too!

 

I have no wish to work alone, though, so will have to find wild, crazy-old-man (or lady) partner, I guess!

 

Oh, but one thing. Truly crazy, around here, would mean not being warm. I sacrifice nothing for warm clothing/costume. Shall not freeze! (Today started off at about 8 degrees fahrenheit.)

 

EDIT ADDED:

'repertoire' has an 'r' in it!!!

Edited January 17, 2006 by bellowbelle

[Clive Thorne]

If you're sending the concertina to the button box you could slip the kettle whistle in as well and see if they can tune that up for you as well!

 

I can seen two possible problems though:

 

- The pitch might change as the reed heated up due to all that steam.

 

- If the reed starts cold then you might get condensation on it, which

will also affect the pitch.

 

 

Clive.

[Rhomylly]

see, this is why I have an electric teakettle. It's a lot quieter!

 

I am finding busking to be a lot of fun. For me, it's a great way to practice in front of people without said people staring at me and making me nervous.

 

And the little bit of $$ I get make nice pocket money.

 

Although I doubt I'll ever dress up like Mrs. Claus again -- even if it DID get me more tips.

[Peter Brook]

"teakettle"? does it boil tea?

[A.D. Homan]

"teakettle"? does it boil tea?

 

That's what we call it in these parts! You probably also wouldn't know what to expect if someone offered you a "creemee"?

[JimLucas]

"teakettle"? does it boil tea?

From Dictionary.com:

... teak: "hard strong durable yellowish-brown wood of teak trees"

... ettle: "to earn"

 

But I'm not clear as to whether "teak ettle" is getting paid in fancy wood (as opposed to "working for peanuts"? ), or whether it's some fancy wooden article used to earn money. Rhomylly, when you're busking, do you put out a teakettle for folks to throw their money into?