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C. Jeffries 30 Button On Ebay


yfried

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I was checking eBay tonight and found this listing. I looked at concertina.net and didn't see that it had been noted here, yet. So, FWIW..........

 

There are some nice pictures. Right now, the bid is GBP 2,000. Only one person has bid so far. It's a 7 day listing and bidding started on 8/25/07.

 

Yvonne

 

Item number: 300145084379

 

C. Jeffries 30 button anglo-chromatic concertina with drone. Completely refurbished in April 2007 by C and R Dipper Concertinas. Pitch is C and G tuning (A = 440 Hz). For details of refurbishment, any questions or more pictures please do not hesitate to contact me or call 01225423056. Concertina can be viewed in Bath (Avon, England) so call ahead to make an appointment. Alternatively try 07772446131 if no answer on landline.

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I just looked at seanpoz (the seller's feedback and transactions) and he seems to sell a variety of chachkis. Seems odd that he would be selling something of such value along with a collection of golf balls and books.

 

Yvonne

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I don't see any of the usual warning signs of a scam and I see several things that would tend to indicate that this listing is real, such as the offer to show the instrument. And the listing seems to have been written by someone who knows concertinas, with the key and pitch mentioned and the document from Dipper shown.

 

That would have been a pretty costly restoration too, and just a few months ago...if this is a real listing I do find myself wondering how this wound up on the market. Given recent prices for even distressed Jeffries Anglos, I'm not sure that the increase in the sale price will justify the restoration cost. Unless the decision to sell was made after the restoration was ordered...

I just looked at seanpoz (the seller's feedback and transactions) and he seems to sell a variety of chachkis. Seems odd that he would be selling something of such value along with a collection of golf balls and books.

 

Yvonne

Edited by Daniel Hersh
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Well 01225 is a valid Bath exchange phone number (Bath is just down the road from me), so the signs look good. I play a Dipper restored Jeffries G/D and I get quite emotional about it at times, so this box is going to do someone with deep pockets very well indeed.

 

Chris

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Sounds like a description of the LEFT hand side accidental row to me. Does the seller know which side goes on the right?

On the ebay site someone asked the seller about the accidental row on the right hand side... E/F, A/A#, C#/D#, A/G, G#/A#? Isn't this unusual? How easy would it be to change?
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His latest comment about the instrument being a Salvation Army concertina makes me wonder what the original pitch would have been. If it was origanlly pitched in Old pitch Bb/F, and brought up to modern concert pitch, would the tone be the same as an original C/G of that vintage? I am impressed that the Dippers have restored it, and would imagine if they did their normal level of restoration, it will make a fine instrument for a player of today.

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I think you are completely nuts if you have this item delivered oversea! :blink: A Jeffries like this, you go and get it yourself in the UK that's for sure, even if you gotta pay 800$ for the ticket.

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Larry,

If the "flat" tuning was a high old pitch pitch Bb/F then the tuning would only have to come up half a step to reach C/G in today's A=440 standard. Presuming no prior retuning or reed abuse, many Jeffries have the "meat" on the reeds to make the journey in the hands of a competent repairman. Certainly there are none much better than Colin Dipper to assist.

 

I have played a couple of Jeffries that I know were retuned and they were good sounding, strong instruments. I've also played a few Jeffries that were on the quiet and sedate side. And I've heard a few that didn't "sound" right. (I did not inquire or investigate if they had been retuned.)

 

I believe the general consensus is that an instrument tuned up becomes a bit brighter and an instrument whose pitch is lowered loses some of that brightness.

 

I have a Jeffries that was close to actual C#/G# (C/G in old high pitch. It took me several years to gain the expertise and competence before deciding to what pitch I wanted to retune it. (Not a decision to make lightly; There is no return from a retuning!) For a number of reasons I carefully took it down to modern C/G and I think it sounds just fine with a bit more typical "Jeffries"in its chortle and chirping. It certainly had a lot of high cut in old high pitch but I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out.

 

Concertinas that have been retuned a number of times or with reeds that have been abused by careless filing can suffer from thin reeds accompanied by strange harmonics. The overtones don't sound "right" on these instruments. I'd descibe the sound as "too thin". Once you supect over filing you can only wonder how they might have sounded in their original pitch.

 

I'm sure Dana Johnson and several others could tell us all from a technical standpoint why this happens.

 

Greg

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Well i was hoping to bid, but before i got a chance my budget was blown out the sky.

£5,300 , That's pretty much full value isn' it? I was hoping it would be more around £4,500 , wishful thinking eh.

I think i will give up on e-bay now , to many dreams shattered. Or until the next beauty comes along.

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I'm actually glad it sold for that much. At this price, not only was the instrument totally unreachable for me, but I get comfort in knowing I'll get a new Dipper at half this price in a year and a half. I would have been a tad pissed off if the instrument sold for 'only' 4000 pounds though.

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I think that this may well be the highest price for any concertina ever sold on eBay--which is I guess what one would expect for the most desirable type of instrument (30-button C/G) built by the most desirable maker and restored by the most desirable restorer.

 

Well i was hoping to bid, but before i got a chance my budget was blown out the sky.

£5,300 , That's pretty much full value isn' it? I was hoping it would be more around £4,500 , wishful thinking eh.

I think i will give up on e-bay now , to many dreams shattered. Or until the next beauty comes along.

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