Dipper Contra-bass

[Chris Drinkwater]

Went to a New Year's day music and Morris session at a pub in Wooton, Oxfordshire. During the afternoon music session, a chap arrived with an enormous concertina, who then sat down some distance from me and began to play it. I guessed (correctly) that it was an English contra-bass. Later on, after a few people had left, he came and sat beside me, so I had a chance to see, hear and examine this mighty instrument first hand. It looked brand new to me and so it is. He told me that it is one of a batch of 5 Colin Dipper has recently made, using accordeon reeds. Listening to the sound of it, you would never know. Three of them have gone to the West Country Concertina Players' concertina band, for which Colin has specially made them and the remaining two to private individuals of whom this chap is one of the lucky ones. It is single action and has 29 keys. It is beautifully made, as one would expect from Colin and sounded wonderful as an accompaniment in the bass register when he played along with our session tunes. By this time, late afternoon, the session numbers had dwindled as some more musicians departed, but we were still left with four players of the the English concertina (not an Anglo in sight, hehe!), two fiddlers, an accordeonist, who doubled on the pub piano, one bodran player, a guitarist, a tin whistle player and Matt on contra-bass. What a line up! And we played some great tunes too. None of the usual session staples, such as Uncle Bernards and Three around Three, but more interesting and challenging tunes such as The Sweetness of Mary, Calliope House, Horizonto, The serpent, The Sun Assembly, Will You Patch My Pants For Me (yes, really, see the Nick Barber tune book!), etc. Perhaps we can persuade Colin to make another batch of five. I'd certainly like to have one!

 

Chris

[JimLucas]

Went to a New Year's day music and Morris session at a pub in Wooton, Oxfordshire. During the afternoon music session, a chap arrived with an enormous concertina, who then sat down some distance from me and began to play it. I guessed (correctly) that it was an English contra-bass.

You say "contra-bass", but what is the lowest note?

 

My "bass" has the same low C as a cello, i.e., the first C below the bass clef. Mine that for many years I considered to be a "contrabass" goes down to the G below that, i.e., an octave below the bottom line of the bass clef. It's a Lachenal. But the old Wheatstone price lists that I have give a "contrabass" as being an entire octave below the "bass", and they have no equivalent of mine, which is halfway between their "bass" and "contrabass".

 

Just curious, though I would love to hear the sound of a concertina that goes even lower than my own "semi-contrabass".

 

Edited to correct a typo.

Edited January 5, 2008 by JimLucas