So SWMBO was doing a day's training in Halifax and I got volunteered to drive. Dropped her off 8.30, got her gear out of the car, found breakfast and then it's how to spend the day.
Obvious, Music Room in Cleckheaton 8 miles down the road. Got there and discovered a slight problem, it's festival season and a lot of their stock is on the road, lots of Sandpipers but not a lot else. Unless you ring in advance because you know what you want I'd leave an on-spec visit until September. Played a couple of boxes but nothing grabbed me so on to Target Two, The Early Music Shop at Salts Mill.
Now Saltaire is worth a visit anyway, the Mill has a great, idiosyncratic bookshop (I could spend a fortune) a lot of Hockneys, good food and is a fun place to spend some time. EMS is a BAD place to go if you are a multi-instrumentalist with an attack of IAS. Had a wander round and asked about Tabor Pipes, they had three second hand ones which had just come in as a probate sale, not even priced or checked over. I left with a high "D" in rosewood, lovely tone but will take a bit of getting used to.
Having spent a couple of hours trying not to spend more money (a book on making instruments from junk was highly tempting as were a couple of cookery books) I got a call to say the training had finished early so back to Halifax and it being still early (and the M62 having issues) we took a drive up the Calder Valley to Todmorden. Second hand market day and they were just packing up when, on a stall surrounded by guitars, I spotted a Hohner Club Model 1 in C/F. Not expecting much I has a quick play, not only were the bellows airtight, all the notes sounded properly (and in tune), still has the gleichton and all in all playable as is. He wanted £120, we agreed £100 which I'm happy with, the only problem now is how does one make best use of the gleichton?
All in all a good day.
Steve