Double Cases, Pros And Cons

[Bill Christ]

Where can one see pictures of Greg's cases?

Here's one.

 

Thanks, Ted.

As it happens, I contacted Greg and he sent me two pictures of your case. It looks great and the dimensions, quoted by Greg, for the average double case sound pretty reasonable for an overhead bin in a plane (those dimensions being 21" X 8" X 8").

 

Bill

[hjcjones]

I have a double case which Barry Wallace made for me some years ago. It holds two concertinas, a Castagnari Mignon melodeon and has a small compartment for bits and pieces.

 

It has a shoulder strap, which is a big advantage as I'm usually also trying to carry a melodeon in one hand and pint in the other

 

There is the risk of losing two instruments instead of one. But I think if someone were to steal your instruments they wouldn't be put off by having to run away with two small boxes rather than one big one. The convenience of a single case swings the argument for me. And as others have pointed out, you can sit on it if there are no spare chairs.

[geoffwright]

I have a single concertina that plays in F,C,G and D.

It is called a C/G.

I do carry two around in a carry-all, but one is an english and one an anglo.

 

As well as the crumbling foam, I have also read about the chemicals from the foam tarnishing metal ended boxes.

[hjcjones]

I have a single concertina that plays in F,C,G and D.

It is called a C/G.

 

You're right, of course, Geoff, the C/G is quite capable of playing in the keys you're likely to need in most sessions, and to have more than one concertina is undoubtedly an indulgence.

 

That being said, playing in G or D on a G/D concertina is quite different from playing in those keys on a C/G. The difference is not only in pitch and tone, but also style (especially if one is playing "English" harmonic style). The choice of chord shapes and bass runs is quite different depending on whether you're playing on the middle row or the inner one.

 

That's not to say that a G/D is necessarily "better" than a C/G for playing in those keys. I find there are some tunes in G which I just prefer to playon the C/G, whilst there are others that are definitely better played on the G/D. I find the choices get really interesting when you move into the minor keys - Em on the C/G is very to different to play from Em on the G/D.

 

That's why I carry two concertinas around, and so I have a double case to put them in:

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2007 by hjcjones

[asdormire]

That's why I carry two concertinas around, and so I have a double case to put them in:

 

 

Looks like a triple case to me, or don't we count the melodeon?

 

Alan

[Bruce McCaskey]

I have a single concertina that plays in F,C,G and D.

It is called a C/G.

I play my C/G's in the keys mentioned and on occasion in A and E as well, but I also have concertinas in other tunings, purchased for their pitch and tone rather than for the convenience of their tuning.

 

I use a Fallon double case as a home for two of my instruments and have been very pleased with it. It's lightweight, blocked to be a good fit, and I consider the latches to be very secure. I've not tried sitting on it, but trust it to provide secure storage for both travel and around the house. When attending Friday Harbor last year I noted Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin using an identical case to house his vintage C/G and Bb/F instruments.

 

I like the Fallon case design so well that I’m thinking of having one made for my Dipper Clare, I’m always a bit nervous about nicking up the Dipper case in my travels. I saw the one Tom Lawrence had made for his Dipper and it was very well done.

[ceemonster]

i am on a wait list for a 38-key concertina and hope by the time my name comes up to have a design for making my additional buttons serve the east galway/east clare "flat keys" precisely because i'm so outraged over this two-concertina business.......i'm after extra Fs, Cs, Eflats, Bflats, etc......i know what notes i want, just hope i can place them well when the time comes......

[ceemonster]

i am on a wait list for a 38-key concertina and hope by the time my name comes up to have a design for making my additional buttons serve the east galway/east clare "flat keys" precisely because i'm so outraged over this two-concertina business.......i'm after extra Fs, Cs, Eflats, Bflats, etc......i know what notes i want, just hope i can place them well when the time comes......

[Woody]

Foam inserts are not good idea.They are lovely when they are first fitted, exactly right,but over a period of time the foam will disintegrate and become powdery.This is a nightmare for reeds and will require constant hoovering.It is why I use Bubble Wrap it is clean ,protects your concertina against damage and rubbing against the one next to it.

Al

I have a heavy duty gig bag for my Anglo which then in turn fits inside a hard case. This might be a solution for avoiding problems with disintegrating foam on a double case. It also has the added advantages that it gives another reasonably waterproof layer between the instrument and the outside world, and it gives you an alternate (albeit not ideal) carrying option should you not want to lug the double case around for some reason.

 

The (small) disadvantage I find with this approach is that of the extra time required when taking out, or putting away the instrument.

 

- W

[Larry Stout]

When I made the case for one of my concertinas I made the blocking by laminating corrigated cardboard. I then added a layer of quilt batting before covering the blocking with velvet. This provides a fairly firm fit which gives enough to avoid pressure on the instrument. I found this easier to fuss with to make the sizes just what I wanted than the foam I used when I made cases for a couple of other instruments (a lute and a viola d'amore). Has anyone else used cardboard this way to provide blocking?

[Larry Stout]

deleted--duplicate posting

Edited February 19, 2007 by Larry Stout

[Delbert Blackketter]

Foam inserts are not good idea. . . . It is why I use Bubble Wrap.

Al

I have a heavy duty gig bag for my Anglo which then in turn fits inside a hard case. T

 

All,

 

I have a cylindrical cloth travel bag/garment bag which I purchased at the Men's Wearhouse, a US national clothing store chain operation. As I sit in my hotel right this minute I look at the bag and believe it may form a basis for constructing an excellent soft-sided dual-instrument gig bag. Not as-is, but as a basis for a custom order, or . . .

 

Here is a link to the normal item:

http://www.menswearhouse.com/menswear/deta...D=1172006615278

 

A DESCRIPTION:

 

a. A cloth cylinder; current model approximately one meter long, by 9 inches or so across the end.

b. Each end unzips to open, revealing a concertina (unpadded) sized pouch or aperture on each end. This is designed to actually hold a pair of shoes in one end, and shaving kit, etc. in the other end

c. A detachable miniature garment bag able to hold one shirt, one jacket, and one pair of trousers is wrapped around the bag in its basic configuration. This provides a degree of stiffness as well as a little padding. For instrument use this could be simply be a more robust cylinder material.

d. Metal rings affixed to each end facilitate strap placement.

 

Anyone see possibilities in this?

 

Del

[Jim Besser]

Anyone see possibilities in this?

 

In my opinion, a soft case without rigid inserts to protect the instrument is not suitable. And the round shape of this one makes it doubly hard to contrive some kind of rigid structure. Foam padding is not sufficient. I have been experimenting with soft cases for several years, but have found only one -- a single -- that provides decent impact protection.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Jim Besser

[Delbert Blackketter]

 

Anyone see possibilities in this?

 

In my opinion, a soft case without rigid inserts to protect the instrument is not suitable. And the round shape of this one makes it doubly hard to contrive some kind of rigid structure. Foam padding is not sufficient. I have been experimenting with soft cases for several years, but have found only one -- a single -- that provides decent impact protection.

 

Jim,

 

I guess this means I can stop thinking of ways to spend my royalty checks from Men's Wearhouse!

 

Del

[chris]

Hi

one way of getting a rigid insert ,in a cylinder, may be to get a sheet of glass and 'lay up' a thin grp sheet using a couple of layers of 'surface tissue' (thin enough to be flexible) and impregnating this with resin.It should then be possible to peel the sheet of grp off the glass. The sheet may have enough flexibility to form a cylinder, if so then it could have another layer of a heavier matting applied after it is cylindrical. that would slide into the case (padded on the inside of cylinder).

this is only theoretical but wouldn't actually take a lot of effort to test.

chris

[m3838]

Test for adding pictures

[m3838]

http://www.mediamax.com/mberenstein/Hosted/Bag.jpg

[m3838]

If you are into making cylindrical cases, why not use those rings for knitting, incert some thick leather or vynil into them, make as many ribs as you want, saw lids on both sides and attach a belt or handle for carrying.

You can then glue some rims alonside of the case for more rigidity.

Then you can saw leather sleeves to it and make it a concertina muffler, for silent practice.

The sleeves can be attached with ziplocks. Zip it off and zip the lids - carrying case.

Zip lids off and zip sleeves on - muffler.

 

http://www.mediamax.com/mberenstein/Hosted/Bag.jpg