wim wakker Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 The traveler anglo is (just about) finished. This coming week I will tune and voice the reeds a few more times. We plan to ship it to our Spokane WA address next week. Later that week it will go to the first ‘tourist’ on the list.. Specifications: serial #: 0766 model: W-A2-drone, with french walnut raised ends, long scale reeds (steel tongues in individual brass frames), domed metal keys/delrin® cores 6 fold bellows Layout: 30+1 key (drone) Jeffries C/G Weight: 1.02 Kg / 2 lb. 4 oz. Optionals: open fretwork, wide angle reed frames. Photo reportage of the making of this instrument: http://www.concertinaconnection.com/traveler%202007.htm Wim Wakker Concertina Connection v.o.f. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I really enjoyed the photos that came with this announcement.A very impressive display of manufacturing skills using modern equipment to produce a normally hand crafted instrument.I assume the bellows were constructed on a collapsable bellow jig, but it was not shown. All the components looked superb and well engineered.It certainly made me feel as if I wanted to pick up the finished concertina and give it a try,which is of course the ultimate test of good workmanship. Thanks and well done Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wim wakker Posted May 4, 2007 Author Share Posted May 4, 2007 I really enjoyed the photos that came with this announcement.A very impressive display of manufacturing skills using modern equipment to produce a normally hand crafted instrument. Thanks al, The instrument is just as ´hand crafted´ as they used to be in the old days… we only replaced some of the 19th century machinery and techniques with modern CNC machines which are faster and much more accurate. I assume the bellows were constructed on a collapsable bellow jig, but it was not shown. No they´re not . My wife Karen is in charge of the bellows production (100+ annually). She did not want any tools and machines in the photos…. We have a different way of making bellows, which is not only faster, but it allows us better control over bellows expansion tension, better fit (we have unlimited size scaling per 1mm and unlimited number of sides and folds). Wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaryK Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Wim, thank you for taking the time to photograph how you create your concertinas. I learned a lot from your photos and captions. Your concertina is beautiful to behold and I'm sure a pleasure to play and hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3838 Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Drooling over pictures. I envy you. You say firstly you make reeds that produce wide range of harmonics. Does it mean they sound sharply, like one reed accordion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_mchale Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Drooling over pictures.I envy you. You say firstly you make reeds that produce wide range of harmonics. Does it mean they sound sharply, like one reed accordion? No.. I got a brief chance to try a Wakker concertina up in the Catskills last summer. It definitely sounded like an instrument with genuine concertina reeds, not one with accordion reeds. There is one reason, and one reason only I have not signed up for the Wakker Concertina Tour... I was afraid I would want to keep it. Its bad enough having two relatively local concertina makers (Kensington and Thomas Concertinas). I have so far purchased one Kensington and keep thinking about getting a Thomas. And mind you, prior to the purchase of the Kensington I only had a few chances to try it. There is nothing worse than being able to sit down and share a tune with a concertina maker . And the beauty is the Thomas sounds enough different than the Kensington, that I am able to tell them apart... so I can see bringing this instrument to sessions which I don't with the Kensington primarily because the other concertina player in my session brings his. I bring my Edgley which is a lovely instrument in its own right. Ack, never mind me. Just keep in mind that the Wakker reeds sound like traditional reeds, not like Italian style reeds (i.e. what is in accordions). -- Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Evans Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Drooling over pictures. Myself as well. Might there be a tour of say an E1 sometime in the future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryo Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Hi Wim, Am drooling here !! I wonder can you give us a small sound bite just to finish off the package? Although you make them all day long and this is another beauty, congratulations !Roll on tour of Europe Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Brook Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I don't think it is finished - I think it is just started It looks beautiful. Thank you for putting the link to the manufacturing pictures very interesting stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wim wakker Posted May 4, 2007 Author Share Posted May 4, 2007 Drooling over pictures.I envy you. You say firstly you make reeds that produce wide range of harmonics. Does it mean they sound sharply, like one reed accordion? You need the reeds to produce a wide and even spectrum in order to be able to manipulate the final sound of the instrument. This is done by vocing (shaping) the reeds. The more inner movement in the reed, the more higher harmonics it will/can produce. For example, this picture shows the note “C” with its harmonics. The objective is to have all the reeds produce the same envelope. Sharp sounding reeds have high harmonics with high amplitudes. You can see in this example that the higher frequencies have a much lower amplitude. The rest of the instrument, chamber size, wall structure, end material, will either absorb the higher frequencies (soft material), or amplify (= reflect) some of them (hard material). The design/construction cannot create frequencies that are not there. It works much like an envelope on a analog synthesizer. Accordion reeds have a completely different spectrum with a more gradual envelope due to a different swing cycle profile of the reeds and higher reed amplitudes. Some time later this or next year, we will make a different anglo model to tour Europe.. maybe the new Eir anglo. I don’t have time to make an extra english model. English are a lot more complicated and time consuming to make.. As soon as the Traveler leaves the nest, all our extra time, if we have any, is going to the new Hayden model, which is based on the E-1 (octagonal). The instrument is finished, we just have to organize production. Wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Button Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Is there anyone in San Francisco on that list? I'd like to have a go at it, but I wouldn't need it for a week to get a satisfactory impression. It would be great just to arrange to meet someone in this area who might be on the tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemonster Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 the new "Eir" anglo? this sounds intriguing....is it aimed at irish playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Jack-- I expressed interest, especially if I could get it for our SF Free Festival Workshop, but I have not heard back from Wim. Daniel Is there anyone in San Francisco on that list? I'd like to have a go at it, but I wouldn't need it for a week to get a satisfactory impression. It would be great just to arrange to meet someone in this area who might be on the tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marien Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Does it mean they sound sharply, like one reed accordion? It has the real sound of concertina reeds made in the english tradition. I played a Wakker concertina last month. It was a WA2 model with black polished wooden ends. The reeds are very responsive and really sound like (or better, they are) the traditional type of hand made concertina reeds in individual brass frames. Another thing I experienced is that, compared to my lachenal (a new model which is not leaky at all) concertina it is very air tight, the compression is very good and you can play a longer tune in one direction (the space between the reeds and the frames is very small). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Button Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Jack-- I expressed interest, especially if I could get it for our SF Free Festival Workshop, but I have not heard back from Wim. Daniel That would be perfect wouldn't it? And it would get a lot of bang for the buck with so many potential customers having a chance to see it, play it, and hear it being played. I hope you get a response soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Heard from Karen Wakker today--we should have it for the workshop. Jack-- I expressed interest, especially if I could get it for our SF Free Festival Workshop, but I have not heard back from Wim. Daniel That would be perfect wouldn't it? And it would get a lot of bang for the buck with so many potential customers having a chance to see it, play it, and hear it being played. I hope you get a response soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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