Technology of Concertinas
Directory
Resources in the Concertina Library for concertina technology.
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Baffles for Maccann Duet Concertinas
- by Robert Gaskins
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Explains how baffles fitted internally can reduce the volume
and/or change the tone of a Maccann Duet concertina,
and how the sound of each end can be controlled independently
so that the "balance" of an instrument can be altered.
The motivation for adding baffles is most often
to accompany a singer, to alter the sound-quality,
or to allow a right-hand melody to be heard while playing left-hand chords.
With 88 step-by-step photographs,
and web sources (UK and US) for all materials and tools needed.
15 March 2002: Updated with photos of early Wheatstone wooden baffles (from Paul Hardy)
and of Lachenal linen linings cut out individually around every button (from Joe Palof).
Also added, a photo of a unique ten-sided Maccann Duet which, rather than quieting
the left end with baffles, instead makes the right end louder by doubling all
the reeds on the right side (now owned by Neil Wayne, photo from Stephen Chambers).
15 February 2003: Updated with photos and description of very early Pre-Maccann
Wheatstone Double Duet No. 23 (1847-1848) which was equipped at the factory with conventional
baffles on both sides plus a special baffle inside the reed pan on the left side--only--to
balance the volume of the two ends.
- Posted 15 February 2002; last updated 15 February 2003
- » read full article
- » read section 1: "baffles for maccann duet concertinas"
- » read section 2: "step-by-step photographs"
- » read section 3: "appendices, where to buy materials"
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A Chat with Brian Hayden
- by Wes Williams
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Brian Hayden was interviewed in 2001 about his background, his invention of
the Hayden System, his views on other duet systems, and his suggestions
for learning and playing the duet concertina. Contains keyboard diagrams
for nine duet systems: the Early Wheatstone Duett, Early Wheatstone Double, Maccann,
Jeffries, Crane (Triumph), Linton, Rust ("Piano"), Late Wheatstone Chidley, and Hayden.
(There is also
a PDF version of the article.)
Also published at concertina.net.
- Posted 15 February 2003
- » read full article
- » read full article in pdf
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Historic Concertina Patents
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Directory
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A portfolio of full copies of
nine historic concertina patents. Includes the
early Wheatstone English patents, Maccann's Duet patent, Jones's Anglo patent,
the Crane Duet patent, Kaspar Wicki's patent for the Wicki-Hayden system, and Brian
Hayden's much later patent for the same system. Includes:
C. Wheatstone 1829; C. Wheatstone 1844; Wm. Wheatstone 1861; Maccann 1884;
Jones 1885; Alsepti and Ballinger 1885; Butterfield 1896; Wicki 1896; Hayden 1986.
None of these patents has any current force, all have either lapsed or been abandoned.
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Posted 15 December 2004
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» go to directory
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The Wheatstone English Concertina
- by Neil Wayne
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Survey article covering the Wheatstone English Concertina, the only
published source for much of Neil Wayne's path-breaking research.
As published in The Galpin Society Journal 44 (1991), 117-149. (The
online version does not yet perfectly match the printed version.)
- Posted 01 January 2005
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» go to website
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Horniman Museum
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the Horniman Museum
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The Horniman Museum in London is home to the largest collection of concertinas
(more than 600 instruments) and much related archival research material. A
photographic directory
of concertinas in the collection is available on the site.
The Wheatstone Concertina
Ledgers at the Museum have been digitized and are online
at a separate website.
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Posted 15 April 2003
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» go to website
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DoN. Nichols’s Home Page
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by DoN Nichols
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Personal webpages about many concertina-related topics,
but mostly about English concertinas, with an extensive commentary on
their internal construction (illustrated with many photographs and
diagrams of parts), and with some
detailed information about tuning and maintenance.
There are keyboard diagrams for English and for some Duet concertina
systems, and a number of informative contributed articles on concertina history
and miscellany.
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Posted 01 April 2003
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» go to website
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Fingering Systems for Duet Concertina
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by Brian Hayden
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Overview of all the fingering systems for duet concertina which
turned up in Hayden's review of prior art while preparing his own patent application.
As published in Concertina Magazine (Australia)
16 (1986): 19-23; 17 (1987): 7-9; 18 (1987): 11-15; 19 (1987): 6-10.
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Posted 15 November 2001
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» read full article in pdf
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The 'Duet' System, discussed by K. V. Chidley
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by Kenneth V. Chidley
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Review of the history of the duet concertina leading up to
Chidley's own post-war "Chidley System".
As published in World Accordion Review
6:3 (December 1950): 31-32. Also a differing version
as reprinted with notes by Neil Wayne
as K. V. Chidley, "The Duet Concertina--Its History and the Evolution
of its Keyboard," Free Reed: The Concertina Newsletter 17
(Jan/Feb 1974): 15-17.
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Posted 15 November 2001
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» read full article in pdf
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Fingering Systems of the “Wheatstone” Concertina
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by C. Wheatstone & Co.
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A leaflet showing the four concertina systems made by Wheatstone in the
late 1950s: English, Anglo, Chidley duet, and Crane/Triumph duet.
As was Wheatstone’s invariable practise, the Chidley system is
called simply the “Wheatstone Duet” (as the Maccann system had
also been styled previously), and there is no mention of the fact that
the keyboard layout has been changed—apart from the evidence of the keyboard diagram.
The printing is apparently before 1956,
but this copy was issued with overstamping dating from at least 1959.
Collected by Chris Algar.
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Posted 15 February 2003
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» read full document in pdf
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The Wicki System—an 1896 Precursor of the Hayden System
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by Robert Gaskins
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The concertina keyboard system known today as the "Hayden" system,
which was independently discovered by Brian Hayden and patented by him in 1986,
had also been discovered and patented 90 years earlier by a Swiss inventor
named Kaspar Wicki. Wicki's 1896 Swiss patent (CH13329) is clear and unambiguous, including
a keyboard diagram labeled in standard musical notation.
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Posted 01 March 2004
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» read full article
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Which Duet Concertina—Hayden or Maccann?
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by Robert Gaskins
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A comparative review of two concertinas:
a Stagi Hayden Duet concertina (c. 2003),
and a Lachenal Maccann Duet concertina (c. 1900).
Each instrument has 46 keys, and each cost
£500 ($800) ready to play.
On almost every measure, the antique Lachenal Maccann Duet
turned out to be preferable to the modern Stagi Hayden Duet—by
a considerable margin. The advantages frequently mentioned as
belonging to the Hayden system (uniformity of fingering in all
key signatures, automatic transposition) turned out to be significantly
compromised by the restricted size of the Stagi. If you want to
play a duet concertina, at present you will probably do best to
buy a Maccann Duet.
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Posted 01 March 2004
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» read full article
Historic Concertina Makers:
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C. Jeffries, Maker
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Directory
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Concertina Library directory of all information on this website about C. Jeffries Maker and Jeffries Brothers.
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Posted 01 January 2005
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» go to directory
Photographs of Concertinas:
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Photographs of Jeffries Maccann Duet Concertina, serial No. 6
- by Robert Gaskins
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Photographic documentation of a Jeffries Maccann Duet, serial No. 6, 57 keys, c. 1915.
Marked on the right with an oval engraved C. Jeffries Maker, 23 Praed St. Raised
metal ends, some construction details in common with Jeffries anglos such as linear
reed chambers. Its matching manuscript chords tutor is also reproduced on this website.
54 photographs.
- Posted 15 February 2003
- » read full article
Repairing and refurbishing of vintage concertinas:
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The Button Box
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by Richard Morse
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The Button Box is a comprehensive dealer, and a leading
source in the USA for new concertinas (especially its own R. Morse
“Albion” English and “Céilí”
Anglo) and vintage instruments, plus books, CDs, videos, and accessories.
Services include rentals, purchases, consignments, and appraisals.
The Button Box workshop is widely trusted to handle
the restoration and repair of fine old concertinas.
Organizers of the annual Northeast Squeeze-In Festival.
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Posted 01 April 2003
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» go to website
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Concertina Connection
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by Wim Wakker
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With the goal of reintroducing the English concertina into classical music,
this site features articles on playing skills (beginner to advanced)
with music scores, sound files, and photographs. The site offers
new Geuns-Wakker concertinas and restored vintage instruments,
extensive restoration services and replacement parts,
and re-published Victorian and contemporary sheet music.
There are a number of MP3 sound files of older Wheatstone and Lachenal concertinas.
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Posted 15 November 2001
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» go to website
Do you know another resource that we should include?
Tell us about it.
Reprinted from the Concertina Library
http://www.concertina.com
© Copyright 2000– by Robert Gaskins
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Jeffries 57-key Maccann
No. 6, right reed pan with
linear reed chambers
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