Raised Ends

[Wheastoned]

for anyone who has raised ends ...or has played them if i have big hands will it be harder or easier to play..??? if i get a raised end concertina???? thankz

 

[Chris Timson]

In all respects apart from aesthetic, I think raised ends are irrelevant. They would certainly make no differece to you.

 

Looks like I need a smiley for dogmatism.

 

Chris

[JimLucas]

for anyone who has raised ends ...or has played them if i have big hands will it be harder or easier to play..??? if i get a raised end concertina????

I personally have found that instruments with raised ends seem to be more comfortable to play, though I haven't been able to pin down what makes them that way. But I don't think my hands are larger than average, and I don't know whether hand size is a factor in that.

 

If there really is a difference, I think it's small and subtle. You don't say whether you play anglo, English, or duet. If it's an instrument with a hand bar and strap (i.e., not an English), then I think that factors like the height of the bar and its distance from the buttons would be more significant than raised ends. Maybe the size of the buttons, as well.

[Dirge]

I've one of each and big hands and i'm not aware of a noticeable difference, although I agree, intuitively, flat should be better. My raised metal end job is in need of an overhaul so it's not a straight comparison for me but in my opinion the big thing about the raised end W's is their beautiful silvery tone; my wooden ended 'flat' W. is a much more strident thing, contrary to general expectations. I put that down to better reeds rather than the shape itself, incidentally. (Colin Dipper comment recently: "These things are just as good as the aeolas")