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Monster Jeffries On Ebay - Modified Duet?


Paul Read

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It's certainly a humungous beast. I am reminded of the Duke of Wellington saying "I don't know if these men will frighten the enemy, but by God they frighten me! ".

 

My old concertina Kilroy was a 45 button G/D and (as the name suggests) used to belong to the anglo player Fred Kilroy. As at the time he had it there was no financial advantage to converting a Jeffries duet to an anglo I have always regarded it as good evidence that Jeffries did make big anglos as well as duets. So the question is an open one, although some of our more expert experts may know of some signs or portents that might adduce whether a particular anglo was once a duet.

 

Chris

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It's certainly a humungous beast. I am reminded of the Duke of Wellington saying "I don't know if these men will frighten the enemy, but by God they frighten me! ".

 

My old concertina Kilroy was a 45 button G/D and (as the name suggests) used to belong to the anglo player Fred Kilroy. As at the time he had it there was no financial advantage to converting a Jeffries duet to an anglo I have always regarded it as good evidence that Jeffries did make big anglos as well as duets. So the question is an open one, although some of our more expert experts may know of some signs or portents that might adduce whether a particular anglo was once a duet.

 

Chris

 

 

Monster??? Come on.... :lol:

 

Is it really that humungous? In weight maybe, but hard to tell from the photos the exact size. Anyone asked the dimensions yet?

 

My C Jeffries 38 Bb/F, 6.25 inches AF, has 9 chambers across, just like this one has. And I remember (20 plus years ago) the late Andrew Blakeney-Edwards playing a 50 button Jeffries that was little (if any) larger than standard.

 

There appears to be slightly more than the usual amount of weighted reeds, which suggests that this concertina may not have started life as a G/D or even an Ab/Eb anglo, but I can't see much evidence of it having been converted from a duet. And, frankly, so what if it has? Done properly, it can be a very successful operation as regards playability, though it may detract from the concertina's historical importance to the purist. :o

 

My 10 cents worth....

 

MC

Edited by malcolm clapp
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Monster??? Come on.... :lol:

 

Is it really that humungous? In weight maybe, but hard to tell from the photos the exact size. Anyone asked the dimensions yet?

 

My C Jeffries 38 Bb/F, 6.25 inches AF, has 9 chambers across, just like this one has. And I remember (20 plus years ago) the late Andrew Blakeney-Edwards playing a 50 button Jeffries that was little (if any) larger than standard.

 

There appears to be slightly more than the usual amount of weighted reeds, which suggests that this concertina may not have started life as a G/D or even an Ab/Eb anglo, but I can't see much evidence of it having been converted from a duet. And, frankly, so what if it has? Done properly, it can be a very successful operation as regards playability, though it may detract from the concertina's historical importance to the purist. :o

 

My 10 cents worth....

 

MC

I'm not sure I suggested it's a bad thing. Just interested.
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Done properly, it can be a very successful operation as regards playability, though it may detract from the concertina's historical importance to the purist.

Maybe it's because from time to time I have entertained thoughts of learning Jeffries duet, but it's certainly true that if all the Jeffries duets were to disappear to make anglos I for one would feel very sad. It's not purism, it's just that the total disappearance of a type of musical instrument (even spoons!) would leave me feeling diminished, even more so a type of concertina.

 

Fortunarely the financial incentive to convert is not as great as it once was.

 

Chris

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.... the total disappearance of a type of musical instrument (even spoons!) would leave me feeling diminished ....

 

Chris

 

 

I have to agree. Hard to eat Corn Flakes with a knife and fork.... :rolleyes:

 

MC

Edited by malcolm clapp
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