Concertina Love?

[Dieppe]

Is it me, or do the folks who play "our" kind of concertinas, the hexa/octa/dodecagon-sided concertinas as opposed to the square Chemnitzer Concertinas and have more of a love for the ebony, ivory, rosewood, silvery, ended leather bellows type as opposed to the mother-of-pearl, rhinestone, sparkly, campy looking types of concertinas?

 

Okay I'll admit that I love my old Wheatstones, with their beautiful, natural varnished look... but when I see pictures of those other kinds of "concertinas" I just cringe a little. Is it just me or do others feel the same?

 

 

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Patrick

[Dirge]

Yes it's not just you, me too. It's about sheer class, isn't it? (Nickel looks nicer than chrome too.)

[Patrick King]

Is it me, or do the folks who play "our" kind of concertinas, the hexa/octa/dodecagon-sided concertinas as opposed to the square Chemnitzer Concertinas and have more of a love for the ebony, ivory, rosewood, silvery, ended leather bellows type as opposed to the mother-of-pearl, rhinestone, sparkly, campy looking types of concertinas?

 

Okay I'll admit that I love my old Wheatstones, with their beautiful, natural varnished look... but when I see pictures of those other kinds of "concertinas" I just cringe a little. Is it just me or do others feel the same?

 

 

---

 

Patrick

 

My favourite ended concertina would have to be made of wood. It's like my own concertina. Lovely smooth wood with black leather bellows. Attached is a picture of it.

 

As for steel-ended concertina, when ever I see one of those, I don't like it. I've never liked the steel-ended ones as much as the wooden-ended concertinas, because the steel doesn't make it even look like a concertina. That's my thought. There's only one exception of steel-ended concertinas: the decorations. I've only played 1 steel-ended Lachenal when I was just learning the concertina, but have now on, have only played on wooden-ended ones. One make that probably some people would know of is 'Kookaburra.' It's an Australian make, I should think. I once played on a wooden-ended one, and of course, the 'carvings' were of 2 kookaburras facing one another. Just beautiful.

 

Cheers,

Patrick

 

P.S. I've never seen a mother-of-pearl concertina, but did see a other-of-pearl accordion for $100 at out local markets over here in Northern N.S.W., Australia. It's a shame I didn't buy it, as it was just before my father bought my Morse for me.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Patrick King

[Peter]

Amboyna is the wood end I lust after.

[Rod]

A handsome instrument is, of course, a bonus but it is how it sounds and how well it is played that is all that really matters....is it not !

[david_boveri]

A handsome instrument is, of course, a bonus but it is how it sounds and how well it is played that is all that really matters....is it not !

oh, i disagree. why buy something that plays well if it's not pretty?

[Patrick King]

A handsome instrument is, of course, a bonus but it is how it sounds and how well it is played that is all that really matters....is it not !

 

Yes, I say it's right. Forgot about that.

I think David is just being a bit cheeky. (a cheeky concertina play) Not good.

Are you, David?

Edited May 21, 2009 by Patrick King

[Patrick King]

A handsome instrument is, of course, a bonus but it is how it sounds and how well it is played that is all that really matters....is it not !

 

Yes, I say it's right. Forgot about that.

I think David is just being a bit cheeky. (a cheeky concertina play) Not good.

Are you, David?

Edited May 21, 2009 by Patrick King

[Fergus_fiddler]

oh, i disagree. why buy something that plays well if it's not pretty?

 

Depends of the instrument. An old, punished good fiddle is regarded in higher esteem among strings scratchers than a shiny, brand new one - except if it's made by a renowned maker -.

 

I would kill for an old, bad looking but well playing Jeffries.

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

[Patrick King]

oh, i disagree. why buy something that plays well if it's not pretty?

 

Depends of the instrument. An old, punished good fiddle is regarded in higher esteem among strings scratchers than a shiny, brand new one - except if it's made by a renowned maker -.

 

I would kill for an old, bad looking but well playing Jeffries.

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

 

Really, Fer? Are you sure you would kill? I'd probably work 12 hours each day for a week for either an old Jeffries or even a NEW Morse. (even though I'm not familiar with a Jeffries, but they sound like everyone swears by them. )

 

Talking about concertina love.

Edited May 21, 2009 by Patrick King

[Fergus_fiddler]

Really, Fer? Are you sure you would kill? I'd probably work 12 hours each day for a week for either an old Jeffries or even a NEW Morse. (even though I'm not familiar with a Jeffries, but they sound like everyone swears by them. )

 

I've got a seconhand Morse Ceilí - exactly the same model you've, but with black finishing - and I'm very happy with this. I've ordered already a Suttner - painful 4 years waiting list - and this will be the definitive one. But this is insane:

 

http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/47MAMA047-u-page.htm

 

How can anybody ASK that amount of money for a box?

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

 

PS: I wasn't talking seriously when I said I would kill for it. Maybe sell my mum...

[Patrick King]

Really, Fer? Are you sure you would kill? I'd probably work 12 hours each day for a week for either an old Jeffries or even a NEW Morse. (even though I'm not familiar with a Jeffries, but they sound like everyone swears by them. )

 

I've got a seconhand Morse Ceilí - exactly the same model you've, but with black finishing - and I'm very happy with this. I've ordered already a Suttner - painful 4 years waiting list - and this will be the definitive one. But this is insane:

 

http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/47MAMA047-u-page.htm

 

How can anybody ASK that amount of money for a box?

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

 

PS: I wasn't talking seriously when I said I would kill for it. Maybe sell my mum...

 

I knew you weren't talking seriously about killing for it; and I think I would change my working down to 4 days. Talking about Concertina Love.

I don't know how someone could ask that amount of money for a squeezebox. They'll have a hard time selling it.

[Fergus_fiddler]

I knew you weren't talking seriously about killing for it; and I think I would change my working down to 4 days. Talking about Concertina Love.

I don't know how someone could ask that amount of money for a squeezebox. They'll have a hard time selling it.

 

Indeed, they will; and even more with the recession. And I'm glad that my wife hasn't the smallest idea about concertinas prices, 'cause then the one who would be killed is me

 

Oh, well... I've 4 years for to save the money... I supose that would be enough time!

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

[Stephen Chambers]

Amboyna is the wood end I lust after.

Good ones are pretty rare though - it took me 35 years to find this one:

 

 

Though my taste in accordions can be a bit ritzier (not forgetting louder - it's a 6-voice!):

 

[Patrick King]

Amboyna is the wood end I lust after.

Good ones are pretty rare though - it took me 35 years to find this one:

 

 

Though my taste in accordions can be a bit ritzier (not forgetting louder - it's a 6-voice!):

 

 

Beautiful. That button accordion has got to be old, don't you think? Notice that it's got the French and American flags on the RH sides. What century, I wonder.

 

Stop getting us worked up, by putting what we want in BIG pictures.

 

Regards,

Patrick

 

BTW- They will have a hard time because of the recession. I nearly forgot about the how GFC. (Or so called.)

[Stephen Chambers]

... my taste in accordions can be a bit ritzier (not forgetting louder - it's a 6-voice!):

 

 

Beautiful. That button accordion has got to be old, don't you think? Notice that it's got the French and American flags on the RH sides. What century, I wonder.

Ummm, that's the Irish flag (alongside the US one) and that's why the instrument is covered in shamrocks!

 

It was built in the early 1930s (so only a handful of years after my 1926 Wheatstone), and such accordions were made very loud to be heard in the Irish dancehalls of New York & Boston, before there was any amplification.

[Patrick King]

... my taste in accordions can be a bit ritzier (not forgetting louder - it's a 6-voice!):

 

 

Beautiful. That button accordion has got to be old, don't you think? Notice that it's got the French and American flags on the RH sides. What century, I wonder.

Ummm, that's the Irish flag (alongside the US one) and that's why the instrument is covered in shamrocks!

 

It was built in the early 1930s (so only a handful of years after my 1926 Wheatstone), and such accordions were made very loud to be heard in the Irish dancehalls of New York & Boston, before there was any amplification.

Oh, alright. I'll believe you. I like all the shamrocks on it. I thought the flag on the LH side was a French flag, because I thought it looked like it had the colours of red,white, and blue on it.

[Leonard]

A handsome instrument is, of course, a bonus but it is how it sounds and how well it is played that is all that really matters....is it not !

I think it's more than a bonus:

The more you can recognize the love, the craftmanship, the dedication, the art of the maker in your instrument, the more it helps you to bring those qualities into your music. And I think the looks play an important role in that process.