My Jack Arrived !

[Badger]

First thoughts:

 

1. I can't believe how small and light it is. Guess I was expecting something with a bit more heft, but I've never held a concertina before so that was just in my own mind.

 

2. I have pretty long fingers and the button board seems awfully small with my thumbs and pinkies in the straps and fingerrests. This will take some getting used to.

 

3. I found it curious that the make & model placards on each side were only paper and not covered by some kind of plastic. I could see those getting ripped or damaged somehow. I may come up with my own plastic covers for those for piece of mind.

 

4. It appears to me that some of the screws that hold the sides on are kind of stripped out, yet others look brand new. Hopefully that won't be an issue. I don't plan on taking it apart much (other than the placard idea).

 

5. I love the sound and how easy it is to get it to make a really clean sound. Also, how it can be played pretty quietly or raucously as the mood strikes. I was concerned it would be "really loud - all the time".

 

6. I love that I never have to tune it or change its strings.

 

7. Its a very pretty instrument for a beginner model. I am thrilled with the purchase. Thanks Button Box !

 

8. The Tutor that comes with it starts at the very beginning. Thanks, I needed that.

 

Practice begins in earnest this weekend !!!

 

Scott

[m3838]

5. I love the sound and how easy it is to get it to make a really clean sound. Also, how it can be played pretty quietly or raucously as the mood strikes. I was concerned it would be "really loud - all the time".

 

It probably will be on-off, unless you venture in and re-set the reeds and valves.

The screws are usual screws you can get in any hardware store, If the screws appear to be stripped, just buy new and re-insert.

As for uncomfortable holding - yes it' s weird, isn't it? I'd suggest to watch every video you can find and decide for yourself how to hold it.

Some ways so far:

1. concertina up in the air with thumbs in the loops and pinkies on the rests

2. concertina is on the knee, with rests been unused and thumbs pressing down, rather then keeping the weight.

3, one side on the knee while other is up in the air with pinkies either on the rests or used for playing.

I would also press the air button and stretch the bellows till you hear some light crackling. Hold it there for a few seconds and release. It will stretch the bellows quite nicely and make them playable. Then just stretch the bellows out every time before playing. Unless they may be too stiff.

 

For me it was kind of natural to abandon pinkie rests and place instrument on the knee. I reason that the bellows are way easier to fix then my tendons and pinched nerves.

[keithfre]

For me it was kind of natural to abandon pinkie rests and place instrument on the knee.

I came up with the idea of - to start with - taping the bottom ends together (I actually tied a string round the finger rests) and placing the concertina on a table to play. That way (a) the movement of the bellows is a simple back-and-forth and ( I don't have to bear the weight on any part of the body. I figured that would reduce the variables I had to handle when learning a completely new instrument. This has worked well, and now that I've gained some control I've removed the string and am playing it on my knee.

 

I also decided not to use the finger rest and to play with all four fingers, keeping strictly in position while learning the layout. When playing chords I often have to leave that position, of course, but then I try to return to it ASAP (the same principle as used in touch typing).

 

Hth,

[Pete Dunk]

Hello Badger and welcome to the forum, welcome too to the Jack owners club, I hope you're enjoying the experience.

 

I came up with the idea of - to start with - taping the bottom ends together (I actually tied a string round the finger rests) and placing the concertina on a table to play. That way (a) the movement of the bellows is a simple back-and-forth and ( I don't have to bear the weight on any part of the body. I figured that would reduce the variables I had to handle when learning a completely new instrument. This has worked well, and now that I've gained some control I've removed the string and am playing it on my knee.

The idea seems a bit extreme but if it worked for you then that's perhaps all that matters. I do get annoyed with pedants who proclaim that only this method or that method will work. It is true that there are general rules of best practice for new players and by and large they will work for the majority. For some players these 'general' rules don't seem to pan out and that's the time to look for other learning solutions and remember the 'general' rule that 'one size doesn't actually fit all, just most'

 

I also decided not to use the finger rest and to play with all four fingers, keeping strictly in position while learning the layout. When playing chords I often have to leave that position, of course, but then I try to return to it ASAP (the same principle as used in touch typing).

Bully for you! I've tried really hard to abandon the finger rests and use one finger per row since reading a suggestion made by m3838 some time ago, but I struggle with it. That said I have developed the ability to take my little finger out of the rest in order to turn my hand and make best use of the three fingers per hand I normally use. Perhaps four finger playing is just not for me or I'm simply not trying hard enough but the idea is sound in itself.