A Bit Of A Quandry...

[Jack Bradshaw]

To explain:

 

I have no concertina experience (zip, nadda, none)....a year and a half ago I came across a Lachenal Maccann duet in reasonable shape and sent it off to the button box for a thorough overhaul (but not retune to 440) ..... I've never been able to master the fingering....

 

Recently, I came across 2 disfunctional old Bastari 20 buttons and decided I could swap parts make one that works (sticky buttons and all)......10 minutes after assembley...picking out simple tunes..no problem (the rumors must be true)

 

I put the Mccann on EBay but no bites...etc...it is still in high (Phiharmonic ?) pitch....

 

So:

 

Should I have the Mccann retuned?......expensive and then try to sell it?

 

Try to trade it for a 30-button anglo as is?

 

Try to retune it..I think I could but it would be a slow process...ssssllloooooowww

 

Juggle and replace reeds to make the Mccann an anglo.....heresy!

 

Take up the keyboard accordian......?

[Pete Dunk]

I'd have a word with the Button Box and see if they can come up with a deal.

[Chris Timson]

If you decide to sell it try selling it here first. Cheaper than eBay and the fee goes to a good cause (keeping this site going). A goodly proportion of the world's concertina players will drift through this site from time to time, and I have sold several concertinas here, so it works.

 

Chris

[Dirge]

I played the piano accordion for years before graduating to a Maccan to escape the 'melody and pre-selected chords' syndrome (and it's much more portable). PA has to be one of the best 'instant party' instruments; quick to pick up, unlike the Maccan. It depends what music you want to play ultimately.

 

Making it into an Anglo isn't practical.

 

Duets sell really slowly; there's a tiny market. (except perhaps for the 46's) You have to wait it out or price it at 'giveaway' so that a duet player who doesn't actually need it is tempted to buy a spare, as it were. (How big is it?)

 

Old pitch is less important for duets as they are played solo lots of the time. It's a problem particularly, I think, for players in the trad music vein who want to go to sessions and play along. So in a duet I'd say it's more of a nuisance than reason to shy away. I wouldn't get it retuned; leave the new owner to decide if the cost's worth it to him.

 

I think I'd second the suggestion to take it to a dealer and trade it in against what you do want, although you could try a post in 'Buy and Sell' as a starting point.

[Jack Bradshaw]

Thanks guys;

 

I'll stick it back up on Buy & Sell w/ Anglo swap possible and be patient...after all, I do have the Bastari working !

 

(#$%$ buttons !)

[Jack Bradshaw]

Making it into an Anglo isn't practical.

 

Based on a cursory look at least (by someone as uninformed as myself), I'm not quite convinced of that......although the "extra" buttons beyond 30 might be a bit strange. (or not any more strange ?)

 

It also seems that to find anything in an Anglo 30 w/ concertina reeds anywhere near comparable shape means 3+ times the price....so finacially a conversion would seem to make a lot of sense...??

 

Or maby I've already got it priced at "giveaway" ???

[Hooves]

Making it into an Anglo isn't practical.

 

Based on a cursory look at least (by someone as uninformed as myself), I'm not quite convinced of that......although the "extra" buttons beyond 30 might be a bit strange. (or not any more strange ?)

 

It also seems that to find anything in an Anglo 30 w/ concertina reeds anywhere near comparable shape means 3+ times the price....so finacially a conversion would seem to make a lot of sense...??

 

Or maby I've already got it priced at "giveaway" ???

 

 

Heresy!

 

Leave that poor MacCaan as the good Dr. Intended!!!

 

The MacCaan system is just as viable as any other duet system, albeit it is somewhat strange at first, the fact is many peopel still want one. I saw one in good restored shape (46 button) just recently go for $1500.

 

Problem is, the 46 button lacks a low D on the left side, not a big deal, but some people cannot live without thier precious D. And for good reason, D is a very nice key for Celtic music.

 

I think you should ahng on to it and see it as an investment, duet prices are still on the rise, despite the smaller playing community.

[Jack Bradshaw]

Making it into an Anglo isn't practical.

 

Based on a cursory look at least (by someone as uninformed as myself), I'm not quite convinced of that......although the "extra" buttons beyond 30 might be a bit strange. (or not any more strange ?)

 

It also seems that to find anything in an Anglo 30 w/ concertina reeds anywhere near comparable shape means 3+ times the price....so finacially a conversion would seem to make a lot of sense...??

 

Or maby I've already got it priced at "giveaway" ???

 

 

Heresy!

 

Leave that poor MacCaan as the good Dr. Intended!!!

 

The MacCaan system is just as viable as any other duet system, albeit it is somewhat strange at first, the fact is many peopel still want one. I saw one in good restored shape (46 button) just recently go for $1500.

 

Problem is, the 46 button lacks a low D on the left side, not a big deal, but some people cannot live without thier precious D. And for good reason, D is a very nice key for Celtic music.

 

I think you should hang on to it and see it as an investment, duet prices are still on the rise, despite the smaller playing community.

 

In truth, I realy can't bring myself to modify it..it's just too lovely. I'm frustrated by my fingers not being able to follow the system...and then having them work on the bloody Bastari in minutes is just too much !

 

I'm making "Lachenal" buttons for the Bastari for the moment while I keep my eyes open (you might say this whole thing has been an eye-opener anyway.......I'm under the weather so I've been able to read a great deal of old posts...great stuff)

[JimLucas]

Making it into an Anglo isn't practical.

Based on a cursory look at least (by someone as uninformed as myself), I'm not quite convinced of that......although the "extra" buttons beyond 30 might be a bit strange. (or not any more strange ?)

Though you've already decided against attempting an alteration, let me "convince" you.

• As you've already acknowledged, the notes outside the central thirty would be a unique arrangement. Not just because they would be a result of using whatever reeds you had left over rather than prior design, but because the extra buttons aren't arranged the same as in anglos with 30+ buttons. In fact, even the core thirty aren't quite right, because there's no slant from row to row. You couldn't swap concertinas with anyone else in a session, and if you got a better real anglo, you would be in for some serious relearning.
  
• You'll need to retune some reeds. You have only two reeds each for the upper-octave G and A, but you need three of each for the standard 30-button layout. Retuning one F# up to G and one Bb down to A may not be a huge deal, but it's an additional skill, with real danger of inexperience resulting in irreparable damage.
  
• In fact, you'll probably need to do fine retuning of all the reeds, once they've been moved into chambers that aren't exactly the same size and shape as the ones they occupy in the Maccann arrangement.
  
• But the real killer, in my opinion, is that not all reeds have the same size frames. I'm fairly certain that rearranging the necessary reeds into the standard 30-button anglo pattern would require constructing new reed pans. That's probably easier than trying to modify the existing ones, and in either case you would need some rather specialized tools.
  

A separate issue is why you've had trouble learning the Maccann system. I wonder what approach you've taken in trying to learn it and whether a different approach might be successful. But I'll address that in a separate post... or maybe off line. In the meantime, I hope you have fun with your anglo.

[Jack Bradshaw]

Making it into an Anglo isn't practical.

 

Based on a cursory look at least (by someone as uninformed as myself), I'm not quite convinced of that......although the "extra" buttons beyond 30 might be a bit strange. (or not any more strange ?)

 

It also seems that to find anything in an Anglo 30 w/ concertina reeds anywhere near comparable shape means 3+ times the price....so finacially a conversion would seem to make a lot of sense...??

 

Or maby I've already got it priced at "giveaway" ???

 

 

Heresy!

 

Leave that poor MacCaan as the good Dr. Intended!!!

 

The MacCaan system is just as viable as any other duet system, albeit it is somewhat strange at first, the fact is many peopel still want one. I saw one in good restored shape (46 button) just recently go for $1500.

 

Problem is, the 46 button lacks a low D on the left side, not a big deal, but some people cannot live without thier precious D. And for good reason, D is a very nice key for Celtic music.

 

I think you should hang on to it and see it as an investment, duet prices are still on the rise, despite the smaller playing community.

 

In truth, I realy can't bring myself to modify it..it's just too lovely. I'm frustrated by my fingers not being able to follow the system...and then having them work on the bloody Bastari in minutes is just too much !

 

I'm making "Lachenal" buttons for the Bastari for the moment while I keep my eyes open (you might say this whole thing has been an eye-opener anyway.......I'm under the weather so I've been able to read a great deal of old posts...great stuff)

 

 

The Maccann has been saved for sure..I just minutes ago ran across (and won) one of those "junk box jems" ...30 button Bastaris on EBay......whoda thunk it!.....Thanks to the Concertina net for the tip !

 

Now to get back to those button mods.....

[Jack Bradshaw]

Well, I thought enough time has passed that I probably should do an update.....

 

1. Modified the Bastari w/ key stops and new (aircraft fuel line) tubing..that cut down the key sticking by 90%....didn't eliminate it though...the buttons are just too short....

 

2. Oddly enough, after playing the Anglo for a while, the McCann started to make sense (frustration w/ sticking Anglo buttons is probably the reason) even though I'm "pumping" the bellows so it still sounds Anglo......

 

So, I guess any sales or mods are off for the time being (maby the Chidley though ??)

 

 

Thoughts ???

[Dirge]

Well, I thought enough time has passed that I probably should do an update.....

 

1. Modified the Bastari w/ key stops and new (aircraft fuel line) tubing..that cut down the key sticking by 90%....didn't eliminate it though...the buttons are just too short....

 

2. Oddly enough, after playing the Anglo for a while, the McCann started to make sense (frustration w/ sticking Anglo buttons is probably the reason) even though I'm "pumping" the bellows so it still sounds Anglo......

 

So, I guess any sales or mods are off for the time being (maby the Chidley though ??)

 

 

Thoughts ???

It sounds like you still like the Anglo to me. At the moment, by your own account, you have two unsatisfactory instruments. Put both on Ebay, sell both and buy one decent one. From what you say you don't need to be too greedy to recover costs so you should get rid of them nice and easily. You could get a Rochelle more or less over the counter & keep the change as the start of the sinking fund towards that Jeffries/Tedrow/ whatever. You end up with one instrument that you can put some serious effort into mastering, and you could have the whole business sorted in a couple of weeks.

[Chris Timson]

even though I'm "pumping" the bellows so it still sounds Anglo......

If you stick with the MacCann, try not to lose that ...

 

Chris